Hindu mythology, Vedic and Purānic . al. Rama, seeing the help his enemy receivedfrom this goddess, began himself to worship was in the autumn. Durga was delighted withthe devotion of Rama, and at once transferred her aidto him. Durga is said to have assumed ten forms for the•destruction of two giants, Sumbha and Nisumbha ;the Markandeya Purana describes these incarna-tions in the following order :—(1) As Durga she receiv-ed the message of the giants ; (2) As Dasabhuja (theten-armed) she slew part of their army ; (3) As Sing-havahini (seated on a lion) she fought with Rakta-vija ; (4)
Hindu mythology, Vedic and Purānic . al. Rama, seeing the help his enemy receivedfrom this goddess, began himself to worship was in the autumn. Durga was delighted withthe devotion of Rama, and at once transferred her aidto him. Durga is said to have assumed ten forms for the•destruction of two giants, Sumbha and Nisumbha ;the Markandeya Purana describes these incarna-tions in the following order :—(1) As Durga she receiv-ed the message of the giants ; (2) As Dasabhuja (theten-armed) she slew part of their army ; (3) As Sing-havahini (seated on a lion) she fought with Rakta-vija ; (4) As Mahishamardini (destroyer of a buffalo)she slew Sumbha in the form .of a buffalo ; (5) As 3io THE PURANIC DEITIES. Jagaddhatri (the mother of the world) she overcame thearmy of the giants ; (6) As Kali (the black woman)she slew Raktavija ; (7) As Muktakesi (with flowinghair) she overcame another of the armies of the giants ;(8) As Tara (the Saviour) she slew Sumbha in his ownproper shape ; (9) As Chinnamustaka (the headless). DASABHUJA. she killed Nisumbha ; (10) As Jagadgauri (the golden-coloured lady renowned through the world) she re-ceived the praises and thanks of the gods.* The great conflict for success in which Durga assum-ed so many forms is described as follows in the Mark-andeya At the close of the Treta Age, * Ward, ii, 101. f Ibid., p. 98. DURGA. 311 two giants, named Sumbha and Nisumbha, performedreligious austerities for 10,000 years, the merit of whichbrought Siva from heaven, who discovered that bythis extraordinary devotion, they sought to obtainthe blessing of immortality. He reasoned long withthem, and vainly endeavoured to persuade them to askfor any other gift. Being denied what they speciallywanted, they entered upon still more severe austeri-ties, for another thousand years, when Siva againappeared, but still refused to grant what they now suspended themselves with their headsdownwards over a slow fire, till the blood streame
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