महिषासुर
[[chitr:Mahishasur-Statue-Mysore.jpg|thumb|chamundi parvat par sthit mahishasur ki pratima, maisoor]] poorvakal ki bat hai. rambh danav ko mahishasur namak ek prabal parakrami tatha amit balashali putr hua usane amar hone ki ichchha se brahma ji ko prasann karane ke liye b di kathin tapasya ki. usaki das hazar varshoan ki tapasya ke bad lokapitamah brahma prasann hue. ve hans par baithakar mahishasur ke nikat aye aur bole-'vats! utho, ab tumhari tapasya saphal ho gayi. maian tumhara manorath poorn karooanga. ichchhanusar var maango.' mahishasur ne unase amar hone ka var maanga.
brahmaji ne kaha- 'putr! janme hue prani ka marana aur mare hue prani ka janm lena sunishchit hai. atev ek mrityu ko chho dakar, jo kuchh bhi chaho, maian tumhean pradan kar sakata hooan. mahishasur bola-'prabho! devata, daity, manav kisi se meri mrityu n ho. kisi stri ke hath se meri mrityu nishchit karane ki kripa karean.' brahmaji 'evamastu' kahakar apane lok chale gaye. var prapt karake lautane ke bad samast daityoan ne prabal parakrami mahishasur ko apana raja banaya. usane daityoan ki vishal vahini lekar patal aur mrityulok par dhava bol diya. samast prani usake adhin ho gaye. phir usane indralok par akraman kiya. is yuddh mean bhagavan vishnu aur shiv bhi devaraj indr ki sahayata ke liye aye, kintu mahabali mahishasur ke samane sabako parajay ka mukh dekhana p da aur devalok par bhi mahishasur ka adhikar ho gaya. bhagavan shankar aur brahma ko age karake sabhi devata bhagavan vishnu ki sharan mean gaye aur mahishasur ke atank se chhutakara prapt karane ka upay poochha. bhagavan vishnu ne kaha- 'devataoan! brahma ji ke varadan se mahishasur ajey ho chuka hai. hamamean se koee bhi use nahian mar sakata hai. ao! ham sabhi milakar sabaki adi karan bhagavati mahashakti ki aradhana karean.' phir sabhi logoan ne milakar bhagavati ki artasvar mean prarthana ki. sabake dekhate-dekhate brahmadi sabhi devataoan ke shariroan se divy tez nikalakar ek param sundari stri ke roop mean prakat hua. bhagavati mahashakti ke adbhut tez se sabhi devata ashcharyachakit ho gaye. himavan ne bhagavati ke savari ke liye sianh diya tatha sabhi devataoan ne apane-apane astr-shastr mahamaya ki seva mean prastut kiye. bhagavati ne devataoan par prasann hokar unhean shighr hi mahishasur ke bhay se mukt karane ka ashvasan diya.
paramba mahamaya himalay par pahuanchian aur attahasapoorvak ghor garjana ki. us bhayankar shabd ko sunakar danav dar gaye aur prithvi kaanp uthi. mahishasur ne devi ke pas apana doot bheja. doot ne kaha- 'sundari! maian mahishasur ka doot hooan. mere svami trailokyavijayi haian. ve tumhare atulaniy saundary ke pujari ban chuke haian aur tum se vivah karana chahate haian. devi! tum unhean svikar karake kritarth karo.' bhagavati ne kaha- 'moorkh! maian sampoorn srishti ki janani aur mahishasur ki mrityu hooan. too usase jakar yah kar de ki vah tatkal patal chala jay, anyatha yuddh mean usaki mrityu nishchit hai.' doot ne apane svami mahishasur ko devi ka sandesh diya. bhayankar yuddh chhi d gaya. ek-ek karake mahishasur ke sabhi senani devi ke hathoan se mrityu ko prapt hue. mahishasur ka bhi bhagavati ke sath mahanh sangram hua. us dusht ne nana prakar ke mayik roop banakar mahamaya ke sath yuddh kiya. ant mean bhagavati ne apane chakr se mahishasur ka mastak kat diya. devataoan ne bhagavati ki stuti ki aur bhagavati mahamaya pratyek sankat mean devataoan ka sahayog karane ka ashvasan dekar antardhan ho gayian.