Page "Durga" Paragraph 7

According to a narrative in the Devi Mahatmya story of the Markandeya Purana text, Durga was created as a warrior goddess to fight an asura ( an inhuman force / demon ) named Mahishasura.

Brahma had given Mahishasura the power not to be defeated by a male.

Mahishasura had unleashed a reign of terror on earth, heaven and the nether worlds, and he could not be defeated by any man or god, anywhere.

The gods were helpless.

Shiva, realizing that no man or god ( male ) can defeat Mahishasura, made a request to his wife Parvati to take the role of a female goddess warrior in order to slay the demon.

Parvati took his request and went to the Ashram of priest disciple named Katyayan to assume the role of a warrior.

Meanwhile, the gods went to Brahma for help and, with Brahma, then made their way to Vaikuntha — the place where Vishnu lay on Ananta Naag.

They found both Vishnu and Shiva, and Brahma eloquently related the reign of terror Mahishasur had unleashed on the three worlds.

To save the worlds, Vishnu, Shiva and all of the gods emitted beams of fierce light from their bodies.

The blinding sea of light reached Parvati at the Ashram of the priest Katyayan and Durga emerged from this pool of light.

The goddess Durga took the name Katyaayani from the priest.

She introduced herself in the language of the Rig-Veda, saying she was the form of the supreme female aspect of Brahman ( the male aspect being Shiva ) who had created all the gods.

Now she had come to fight the demon to save the gods.

They did not create her ; it was her lila that she emerged from their combined energy.

The gods were blessed with her compassion.