Long ago, before the existence of humankind and other living species, when all that was in existence was a endless ocean, when the Trimurtis (Lord Bramha, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva) were the only ones existed, there happened the birth of two danava(demon) brothers, Madhu and Kaitabha. They originated from the wax of Lord Vishnu.
While these brothers spent time in the huge ocean, they wondered about their creator and that of the vast ocean. When they were searching for answers, they heard a mantra recited by a lady. The brothers got the feeling that chanting this mantra could give them answers. They meditated and chanted this mantra for one thousand years. Impressed by their dedication, the supreme mother of the universe, which the mantra was all about, appeared before them and asked for a boon. Taking this chance, the brothers wished for death at their own will.
Powered by the blessings of the supreme mother, the brothers beamed with pride and passed their days being the supreme ones of the ocean. One day, they saw Lord Bramha sitting on a lotus and demanded that he fight them or surrender. Lord Bramha was unaware of the identities of these brothers and went in search of Lord Vishnu for help.
Looking at Lord Vishnu, the brothers asked him as well to either fight or surrender. Enraged, Lord Vishnu decided to fight them. The fight went on for about five thousand years and, due to the Icchamrithyu (death at their will) boon of the brothers, they were impossible to defeat. Lord Vishnu, tired, doubted he could continue the fight and wondered about a solution.
At that instant, the supreme mother started singing melodiously and appeared before all of them in her most beautiful form. Her enchanting aura and attractive personality immediately put the brothers under her enchanting spell. Looking at the brothers fully attracted by this woman’s presence, Lord Vishnu took the chance and spoke, “O brothers! I am impressed with the way you both fight, and I wish to grant you a boon,” knowing very well that this would hit their ego.
The brothers, still under the enchantment, replied, “O fool! We both know that you cannot win in this battle with us and that we shall end up being the winners. So, you ask for a boon from us, and we shall grant it.” Taking the chance, Lord Vishnu replied, “O brothers! I wish that you both be killed from me.”
Coming back to consciousness and realising they got cheated, the brothers wondered how to come out of this situation. They observed that there is a vast ocean that is endless and present everywhere. Hence, they said, “Okay, we are ready to grant your boon. But you need to kill us on a solid place that does not have any water.”
Thinking for a while, Lord Vishnu found a solution with the help of the supreme mother and killed the two demon brothers.
What was the solution? Who was the supreme mother? How is she related to the Trimurtis?
All of this is covered in my debut book, The Legends of Devi Bhagavati Bhuvaneshwari, along with many other stories describing her prowess. Derived from the Devi Bhagavata Purana, the book contains all the stories of how Devi Bhagavati protected the universe from the clutches of evil powers. Here is the link to the book: https://amzn.in/d/gFunB9M
Leave a Reply