MAHADEVI is considered to be the most powerful among the goddesses. She belongs to the ancient times and due to her high place as Shiva’s consort, she is known as shakti or female energy.
On one occasion, she was sought out by the gods, who were tired of getting persecuted by two asura (demons) brothers, Sumbha and Nisumbha. They, by virtue of their eleven thousand years of austerity had obtained immunity from harm from Lord Shiva.
Being the only Goddess capable of defeating the demons, the gods had to turn to Devi Durga. She converted herself into a beautiful woman and went to the Himalayas. Sumbha sent a messenger to Durga with a proposal of marriage but she sent the reply, “I have resolved to marry only a person who can defeat me in a single combat.”
In reply to this, Sumbha sent his General Dhumralochana with an army to capture her. When Durga saw the army approaching, she began to roar and destroyed the General and his army. When the news of the defeat reached Sumbha and Nisumbha, they sent another army commanded by their spies, Chunda and Munda. This time the Goddess devoured them all, with thirty to a thousand demons in a mouthful and chopped-off Chunda’s and Munda’s heads.
So Sumbha and Nisumbha set forth themselves. Durga produced several goddesses from her hair and a fierce battle ensued between the goddesses and the asuras and their armies. Eventually the asuras’ army was destroyed. Durga engaged first Sumbha and then Nisumbha in a single combat, killing them both. She later celebrated her victory by devouring the bodies of the slain demons.
