According to Hindu mythology, impressed with the devotion of a demon named Mahishasura, Lord Shiva blessed him that no man or deity would be able to kill him and that only a woman can kill him. Arrogant Mahishasura, pleased with this boon, started his reign of terror over the Universe and people were killed mercilessly. After their defeat and humiliation at the hands of Mahishasura, the Deities took refuge under Lord Brahma, who took them to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The only solution left was the creation of a woman who possesses the ultimate power to fight and defeat Mahishasur. Pure energy blazed forth from Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva – the trinity forming the pure energy of Godhood, all concentrating at one point that took the form of Goddess Durga.
Her face reflected the light of Shiva, her ten arms were from Lord Vishnu, her feet were from Lord Brahma, the tresses were formed from the light of Yama, the deity of death and the two breasts were formed from the light of Som Nath, the Chandra Dev (Moon), the waist from the light of Indra, the king of Deities, the legs and thighs from the light of Varun, the deity of oceans and hips from the light of Bhoodev (Earth), the toes from the light of Surya (Sun), fingers of the hand from the light of the Vasus, the children of Goddess river Ganga and nose from the light of Kuber, the keeper of wealth for the Gods. The teeth were formed from the light of Prajapati, the Lord of creatures, the Triad of her eyes was born from the light of Agni (Fire) Dev, the eyebrows from the two Sandhyas, i.e., sunrise and sunset, the ears from the light of Vayu, the deity of Wind. Thus from the energy of these Gods, as well as from many other Deities, was formed the goddess Durga.
Astra-Daan In Birendra Krishna Bhadra’s famous rendition of Mahishasura-Mardini on Mahalaya, which signals the arrival of Ma Durga and Durga Pujo in most Bengali households across the world, there is a segment that describes the aavirbhaav (Emergence) of Devi Durga to save the Gods and the world from the buffalo demon, Mahishasura. Taking the form of ‘Dashabhuja’, or the 10-armed goddess, Durga was bestowed with weapons such as the Chakra, Shankha, Trishula, Gada, Bow, Arrow, Sword, Shield and Bell by the many Gods, as they sang her glory and requested her to deliver them from the atrocities of Mahishasura.
Goddess Durga is depicted as a warrior woman with ten hands carrying weapons of different kinds assuming mudras, (symbolic hand gestures) that represent her teachings. Durga Maa is depicted as riding on a lion or a tiger. A tiger symbolizes unlimited power. Durga riding a tiger indicates that She possesses unlimited power and uses it to protect virtue and destroy evil. The lion is a symbol of uncontrolled animalistic tendencies (such as anger, arrogance, selfishness, greed, jealousy, desire to harm others etc.) and Her sitting on it reminds us to control these qualities, so that we are not controlled by them.