Durga, the great Warrior Goddess, is one of many manifestations of Parvati. She represents the lethal energy of divine anger when turned against evil. Legend states that the world was once under attack by the worst of all demons, Mahisha. The male gods, fearing total annihilation, endowed Durga with all their powers, symbolized by her multiple arms, each of which carries a different god's weapon. Riding a lion into battle, she fought Mahisha, who took many different forms, including that of a buffalo. Durga slew the buffalo by cutting off its head and then destroyed the spirit of the demon as he emerged from the beast's neck. The goddess's face portrays her calm serenity even while confronting such adversity.

Contemporary poster of Durga

Continued...