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We are hearing about the fierce battle that led to the death of Bhandāsurā. The commander-in-chief of Bhandāsurā’s army sent five of his strongest and most ferocious asuras to fight against the śakti Sena. He urged them, “Fight for your country; if necessary, give your lives.” True to his words, all five sacrificed their lives in battle. Their names are listed in the Lalithopakhyānāṃ: Karangāna, Kakavacitna, Vajradantāna,Vajramukhāna and Vajraromana. They arrived in war with very peculiar escorts.
Vajradantāna arrived at the battlefield in a chariot drawn by a hundred donkeys. The weapons of Vajramukhāna and Vajraroman were as sharp as diamonds. In the ensuing ferocious battle, they employed the weapons of Maya and the occult powers they had mastered. They conjured a demonic śakti named Sarpiṇī who produced millions of snakes from her body. These snakes wreaked havoc in the śakti Sena, biting the warriors with their vicious fangs.

Many warriors fell unconscious from the powerful bites, and the śakti Sena appeared to be on the verge of defeat. At that crucial moment, śrī Lalithaṃbika appeared among them. She looked upon her distraught warriors with compassion and smiled gently at Mantriṇī. Mantriṇī. then manifested the divine Nakulī Devī , awakening the inner spiritual power lying dormant within her. From Nakulī Devī’s body, many mongooses were born.

The mongooses tore apart the snakes slithering across the battlefield. The Lalithopakhyānāṃ details the slaying of the five powerful asuras sent to defeat the śakti Sena. Upon learning of the deaths of his five fiercest asuras, Kutilakṣana dispatched seven more chieftains, commanding the strength of a hundred Akṣauhinisa. The war was turning into a gruesome bloodbath, and all seven asuras had received boons from the Devas.

The seven were named Valahakan, Sucimukhāna, Vikatanan, Karalakṣana, Karatakāna, Balamukhan, and Vikarnan. These army chiefs rode on vultures, crows, eagles, ghouls, hens, ghosts, and Vethala (a paranormal being). It is said that the wingspan of the birds they rode spanned kilometers in length and width. They joined the battle, tearing apart, trampling, and flinging aside anything in their path.

The Devīs’ warriors were attacked by the sharp, cruel beaks of the seven asuras. It is said that these asuras had received a boon from the Sun God: the heat of multiple suns would descend upon anyone who confronted or even glanced at them with hostility. Scorching flames would turn everything to ashes, and the heat generated by their mere presence would be unbearable. At a critical moment in the battle, the asuras began wielding this boon as a weapon. They flew around on their monstrous vehicles, spreading flames everywhere. The śakti Sena became exhausted, their bodies bleeding profusely, and defeat loomed. śrī Lalithaṃbika was informed of the impending disaster. With compassion, she looked at Aaśvarudhā Devī, from whom Thiraskariṇī Devī manifested.

The Sanskrit meaning of “Thiraskaraṃ” is to conceal or hide. The asuras created immense, roaring flames and unbearable heat. Thiraskariṇī Devī arrived on a vehicle named “Thamoliptham” (that which is hidden or covered by darkness) and entered the battlefield in her flying chariot. She subdued the roaring flames and stabilized the temperature of the śakti Sena’s bodies. Ultimately, she defeated all seven asuras.

Bhandāsurā was informed about the significant defeats suffered by his army. He lamented, “It seems that the race of asuras will soon be entirely destroyed.” The Lalithopakhyānāṃ continues to describe the chaos and fear that have overwhelmed Bhandāsurā. We are recounting the events leading to Bhandāsurā’s destruction, as detailed in the śrī Lalitha Sahasranāma More will be revealed in the coming days.

To be continued….
#Lalita #LalithaSahasranāma

Bhandāsurā ordered his army commander Kutilakṣana to proceed to wage war. Kutilakṣana ordered one of his subordinate chiefs called Durmadana to lead the war. In the Lalithopakhyānāṃ we can read two contrasting descriptions Devī’s army shone with the assurance of victory, by the auspicious signs evident in their march to war. There were ill omens and misfortune shadowing the army of Bhandāsurā.

Their weapons and their mode of transport were strange and peculiar. They rode on lions, hyenas and wolves, horses, donkeys, dogs and pigs. They rode on crows, on the half human and half beast śarabhasa, on ghosts and ghouls. Durmadana led the fight. In those days the rules of war laid down that the fight should be between opponents of equal mettle. Durmadana clashed with Saṃpatkāri Devī. A terrible fight ensued between Saṃpatkāri, commander of the elephant brigades and Durmadana n the army chief of Bhandāsurā.

At one point in the battle, Durmadana was able to pierce a gem in the crown of Saṃpatkāri Devī and it fell to the ground. Saṃpatkāri Devī felt highly insulted by this and in terrible anger, felled Durmadana . Durmadana was killed by Saṃpatkāri Devī. The following day, Kutilakṣana sent the younger brother of Durmadana , named Kurundana, to lead the war. Kurundana came prepared for battle, determined to destroy the opposing army, furious at the death of his brother and the initial victory won by the śakti Sena. Saṃpatkāri Devī rode out to meet Kurundana, but was stopped by aśvarudhā .

She said, “Devī, you are tired from yesterday’s victorious battle, take rest. I have a longing to go to battle and prove my mettle against this evil Asuras”. In the fierce battle that followed, Kurundan was killed by aśvarudhā. Kutilakṣana at once despatched Karangāna, Kakavacitna, Vajradantāna Vajramukhāna and Vajraromana to lead the war. They were all slain. It is said that Kutilakṣana the Commander-in-chief of Bhandāsurā’s army sent five of these ferocious Asuras to the war front.

He exhorted them “Fight for your country, if necessary give up your lives”. True to his words, all five of them had to give up their lives in battle. Vajradantāna came to war on a chariot drawn by hundred donkeys. Their weapons were as sharp as diamonds. In the ferocious war that followed they resorted to the weapons of Maya that they were adept in. They created a demonic śakti called Sarpiṇī. Sarpiṇī created millions of snakes from her body.

The snakes created havoc in the śakti Sena as they bit the warriors with their vicious fangs. Many fell unconscious from the powerful bites and the śakti Sena seemed to be on the verge of defeat. At that crucial juncture, śrī Lalithaṃbika appeared in their midst. She glanced with compassion upon her distraught warriors, the śakti Sena. She smiled gently at Mantriṇī. Mantriṇī manifested the divine Nakulī Devī using the inner spiritual power lying dormant within her.

Many mongooses took birth from the body of Nakulī Devī. The mongooses tore apart the snakes that were slithering all over the battle field. The Lalithopakhyānāṃ describes the slaying of the five powerful Asuras dispatched to defeat the śakti Sena. We are listening to the events leading up to the slaying of Bhandāsurā. We shall hear more in the forthcoming episodes.

To be continued….
#Lalita #LalithaSahasranāma