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Mysore, is certainly derived from Mahișăsura,¹ and the great
festival of the Durga-Pūjā is annually celebrated in Bengal during
the month aśvina (Sept.-Oct.), to commemorate the demon's
death at the hands of Durga or Candi. At this festival the
goddess is represented, both in painting and image, with her many
arms brandishing various weapons, in the act of slaying the
buffalo-demon; and the festival is regarded as such an important
event, that the government offices are closed and business is
suspended so long as the holiday is in progress. It is also re-
corded that at Sapta Srig, in the Chandor range of hills, a spot
is pointed out where Mahișa, in the course of his struggle with
Candi, flew directly through a rock.³ And it may be noted, too,
that the Candi-Mahişa legend is probably responsible for the fact
that even to-day buffalos are sacrificed to the goddess Durga
(Candi).*
INTRODUCTION
MYTHOLOGICAL ALLUSIONS
Apart from references to the legend of Mahișa, mythological
allusions are very common throughout the Candikataka. They
are connected not only with Candi's life and acts, but also with
many of the oft-told tales that form the basis of the Vedic, Epic,
and Puranic mythology. To name only a few, there might be
mentioned the allusions to the slaying of Hiranyakaśipu by Viṣṇu,
to the descent of the Ganges from heaven, to the growth of the
Vindhya mountain, the destruction of Tripura by Siva, Vişnu's
plunge into the waters of primeval chaos, Skanda and his foster-
mothers, the thousand eyes of Indra, and so on. The more ob-
scure allusions will be explained in the notes to the various
stanzas.
¹ Crooke, vol. 2, p. 237; cf. Lewis Rice, Mysore and Coorg from the
Inscriptions, p. 14, note 1, London, 1909, where the derivation of Mysore
is given as from Maisūru, meaning 'Buffalo-town.'
2 B. C. Mazumdar, Durga: Her Origin and History, in JRAS, 1906, p.
355; W. J. Wilkins, Modern Hinduism, p. 227-231; Monier-Williams,
Hinduism, p. 183, London, 1877.
8 Cf. IA, vol. 2 (1873), p. 163.
4 Crooke, op. cit., vol. 2, p. 237; cf. Colebrooke, Essays, vol. 1, p. 101,
note I.
18
Mysore, is certainly derived from Mahișăsura,¹ and the great
festival of the Durga-Pūjā is annually celebrated in Bengal during
the month aśvina (Sept.-Oct.), to commemorate the demon's
death at the hands of Durga or Candi. At this festival the
goddess is represented, both in painting and image, with her many
arms brandishing various weapons, in the act of slaying the
buffalo-demon; and the festival is regarded as such an important
event, that the government offices are closed and business is
suspended so long as the holiday is in progress. It is also re-
corded that at Sapta Srig, in the Chandor range of hills, a spot
is pointed out where Mahișa, in the course of his struggle with
Candi, flew directly through a rock.³ And it may be noted, too,
that the Candi-Mahişa legend is probably responsible for the fact
that even to-day buffalos are sacrificed to the goddess Durga
(Candi).*
INTRODUCTION
MYTHOLOGICAL ALLUSIONS
Apart from references to the legend of Mahișa, mythological
allusions are very common throughout the Candikataka. They
are connected not only with Candi's life and acts, but also with
many of the oft-told tales that form the basis of the Vedic, Epic,
and Puranic mythology. To name only a few, there might be
mentioned the allusions to the slaying of Hiranyakaśipu by Viṣṇu,
to the descent of the Ganges from heaven, to the growth of the
Vindhya mountain, the destruction of Tripura by Siva, Vişnu's
plunge into the waters of primeval chaos, Skanda and his foster-
mothers, the thousand eyes of Indra, and so on. The more ob-
scure allusions will be explained in the notes to the various
stanzas.
¹ Crooke, vol. 2, p. 237; cf. Lewis Rice, Mysore and Coorg from the
Inscriptions, p. 14, note 1, London, 1909, where the derivation of Mysore
is given as from Maisūru, meaning 'Buffalo-town.'
2 B. C. Mazumdar, Durga: Her Origin and History, in JRAS, 1906, p.
355; W. J. Wilkins, Modern Hinduism, p. 227-231; Monier-Williams,
Hinduism, p. 183, London, 1877.
8 Cf. IA, vol. 2 (1873), p. 163.
4 Crooke, op. cit., vol. 2, p. 237; cf. Colebrooke, Essays, vol. 1, p. 101,
note I.
18