Only Kuṭilākṣa the commander-in-chief was left over to console Bhaṇḍāsura. Bhaṇḍā along with Kuṭilākṣa started towards the battlefield. 2,185 akṣauhiṇī army along with 40 commanders followed him. He boarded a chariot named ‘Aabhilamu’(dreadful). It is dragged by 1,000 lions instead of horses. His sword is named Yātanā (torture in hell).
Noticing this Lalitā Devī Herself started moving in Her Śri-cakrarāja-rathā towards the warfront. Behind Her was Mantriṇī in Geyacakra-rathā followed by Potriṇī in Kiricakra-rathā. Other Śakti deities followed Her in crores.
In the usage of astras (mystic weapons) and pratyastra (corresponding neutralising weapons), none of them were drawn aback (bhaṇḍāsurendra-nirmukta-śastra-pratyastra-varṣiṇī). Now Bhaṇḍāsura by his mystical powers regenerated Madhukaiṭabha, Raktabīja and other old demons.
Then Lalitā Devī made a violent frenzied laughter – Durgā Devī and other deities described in Caṇḍīsaptaśatī were born and slayed these demons. Now Bhaṇḍā generated Somaka and other demons. Then Lalitā Devī generated the 10 incarnations of Viṣṇu from the finger tips of Her hands (karāṅguli-nakhotpanna-nārāyaṇa-daśākṛtiḥ).
Sun was about to set. Lalitā Devī decided not to delay any more. She then discharged Narayana astra and Pashupata astra and destroyed the demons and their commanders who were all turned down into ashes (mahā-pāśupatāstrāgni-nirdagdhāsura-sainikā).
Now Bhaṇḍāsura was the only one left. Lalitā Devī discharged the Mahākāmeśvarāstra and annihilated Bhaṇḍāsura . Immediately his Śūnyaka town got burnt down (kāmeśvarāstra-nirdagdha-sabhaṇḍāsura-śūnyakā). Gods proclaimed victory of Lalitā Devī on the drums and they showered flowers, lighted camphor blazes and shouted victory slogans.
Kāma Sanjīvanam (rebirth of Kāma)
Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Indra and other gods praised Lalitā Devī’s grandeur (brahmopendra-mahendrādi-deva-saṃstuta-vaibhavā). In that praise they proclaimed thus:
Mother! Bhaṇḍās is dead but his friend Tārakā is still alive to trouble us. To annihilate him Śiva must have a son. We were trying for the same but in the mean while Manmatha died and all these events happened. Therefore, kindly give rebirth to Manmatha and perform the marriage of Śiva and Pārvatī.
Lalitā Devī smiled compassionately and looked at Kāmeśvara. From Her looks Manmatha took rebirth (hara-netrāgni-saṃdagdha-kāma-sañjīvanauṣadhiḥ = Lalitā Devī is the sacred herb Sanjīvanī which gave rebirth to Manmatha who was destroyed by the fire from Śiva’s third-eye).
Rati and Manmatha prostrated to the Mother Goddess and praised Her. The Mother Goddess blessed them and instructed:
Manmatha! Now you need not fear. Go once again and cast your magical arrow on Śiva. Śiva will lose to you and will marry Pārvatī. With my blessings Śiva will do you no harm. From now on you can enter everyone’s body and cause aesthetic/sensuous pleasures to them. Protect my devotees.
At the instructions of Mother Goddess Manmatha with his family went and cast his magic charm on Śiva. This time Śiva left renunciation and started searching vehemently for Pārvatī. Then Manmatha cast magical arrows on Pārvatī as well. Śiva was very pleased with Pārvatī’s penance. He appeared before her, granted a boon and married her.
Kumārasvāmī was born to Śiva and Pārvatī. He became the commander of devas’ army and annihilated Tārakāsura. He then married Devasena Devī, the daughter of Indra. After helping all the gods Manmatha left to Śripura to serve Goddess Lalitā Devī.
Śripura varṇanam (description of Śripura)
What does Śripura mean?
After the annihilation of Bhaṇḍāsura, Trimūrtis called upon the cosmic architect Viśvakarma and the architect of demons Maya, and instructed them to construct 16 palaces in 16 kṣetras (sacred places) for the residence of Lalitā and Śiva Kāmeśvara.
Meru and other gigantic mountains (9) Jalasamudra and other oceans (7) –total 16 kṣetras. The palatial buildings of Mother Goddess located in these kṣetras are called Śripura.
Wherever a Śripura is located, its dimensions are like this.
Mount Meru has 4 peaks. One on the eastern side, one on north west, one on the south west. Each is 100 yojanas tall and 100 yojanas wide these are Trimūrtis’ worlds. In the center of these is the fourth, which is 400 yojanas tall and 400 yojanas wide. Śripura is on the middle peak.
Śripura has got metallic compound walls 7 in number they are square shaped. Each wall is separated from the next one by a distance of 7 yojanas.
- Kāḷāyasa (iron) wall – The perimeter of this wall is 16 thousand yojanas.
- Kāṃsya (bronze) wall—Between these two is the first chamber. Several trees and gardens are located here. Mahākālī and Mahākāla are the gate keepers here. Kālachakra is their throne.
- Tāmra (copper) wall—Here is a forest of Kalpavṛkṣa (wish granting tree).This is also called as Kalpavāṭikā. This is the second chamber. Vasanta (spring) is its protector. Madhuśrī and Mādhavaśrī are his consorts.
- Sīsa (lead) wall—Here is a forest of Santāna trees (progeny granting). This is the third chamber Grīṣma (summer) is the ruler. Śukraśrī and Śuciśrī are his consorts.
- Ārakūṭa (brass) wall—This is the fourth chamber. Here is a forest of Haricandanavṛkṣa (yellow fragrant sandal wood). The ruler is Varṣaṛtu (rainy season). Nabhaśrī and Nabhasyaśrī are his consorts.
- Pañchaloha (five metal) wall—In this fifth chamber is a garden of Mandāra trees (Calotropis gigantea). Śaradṛtu (autumn) is the protector. Iṣaśrī and Ūrjaśrī are his consorts.
- Raupya (silver) wall–Sixth chamber. Pārijāta tree forest. Hemantaṛtu is the protector. Sahaśrī and Sahasyaśrī are his consorts.
- Hema (gold) wall—Seventh chamber. Kadamba forest. Śiśiraṛtu (winter) is the protector. Tapaśri and Tapasyasri are his consorts. This is where Mantriṇī Devī resides in a temple. She has one more quarter very close to that of Lalitā Devī in Mahāpadmāṭavī (forest of lotuses). When she is on duty she stays in that quarter. In this seventh chamber near Mantriṇī’s residence Mātaṅgakanyās are constantly singing and dancing.
Mātaṅgakanyākā caritra (story of Mātaṅgakanyās)
In the olden days a sage named Mataṅga used to expand the creation by virtue of the power of his penance. His son Mātaṅga was a great saint and practitioner of penance. He was friend of Himavanta.
Once Himavanta started boasting saying that he was the father of Gauri Devī. With that Mātaṅga felt humiliated and started great penance for Mudriṇī Devī. Mudriṇī Devī is none other than Mantriṇī Devī who had received the ring of royal authority from Lalitā Devī. She is also called Śyāmalā Devī.
She was very happy with his penance and gave boon that she herself would be born as a daughter to him. A few days later Śyāmalā Devī appeared in the dream of Siddhimati Devī (consort of Mātaṅga). Śyāmalā Devī gave her a flower from the bunch decorating her ear.
Very soon she had a female child who was named Laghuśyāmā as she was born in a very short duration (Laghu = short, small). She was also called Mātaṅgī, Mātaṅgakanyā. With her power she generated crores of virgins, who stay near Mantriṇī Devī’s house and keep singing her praises all the time.
Source: 9th Day (18-10-99) of Sri Devi Navaratri Festivals ’99, Avadhoota Datta Peetham – Mysore
