Devi Tripura Sundari: The Battle for Cosmic Harmony

Before diving into the heart of the story, let us explore the entities that form the foundation for the birth of Bhandasura and Goddess Lalita, none other than the king of the Asuras, Tarakasura. Tarakasura, the king of the Asuras, was born with a dark destiny as the enemy of the gods. As the son of Bajrangga and Waranggi, he harbored a deep hatred for the gods. With fierce determination, Tarakasura performed severe penances for a long time, eventually attracting the attention of Lord Brahma. When Lord Brahma appeared, Tarakasura requested a boon that he would be invincible, except to the son of Lord Shiva.

Tarakasura knew that Shiva was grieving over the loss of his wife, Goddess Sati, and believed Shiva would never have a child, thus securing his eternal reign. After receiving the boon, Tarakasura led his army to attack the three worlds earth, heaven, and the netherworld causing the gods to panic and feel helpless. In desperation, the gods sought help from Lord Brahma. Brahma revealed that only the son of Shiva could defeat Tarakasura. However, Shiva was still deep in mourning, so the gods devised a plan to rekindle his love with the help of Kama, the god of love.

Kama Deva Attempts to Shoot Shiva (Source: Personal Collection)

Kama, armed with his bow of flowers and arrows of love, approached Shiva, who was meditating. Carefully, Kama aimed his love arrow, hoping it would make Shiva fall in love with Parvati. However, as soon as the arrow was released, something unexpected happened. With divine awareness, Shiva immediately sensed the attempt. Overcome with uncontrollable anger, Shiva opened his third eye, the eye of fire located on his forehead.

In an instant, the fire from Shiva’s third eye blazed and consumed Kama, reducing him to ashes. The entire universe trembled under the immense power of Shiva’s wrath, and the gods' hopes seemed to perish along with Kama. Yet Rathi Devi, Kama's wife, refused to accept this fate. With a broken heart, she and the gods pleaded with Paramashiva, the supreme form of Shiva, to restore her husband’s life. Shiva, with his boundless compassion, could not refuse their heartfelt request. He gazed lovingly upon Kama’s ashes, intending to restore him.

But fate had other plans. From Kama’s ashes was not born a being of love, but a new asura named Bhanda. Bhanda, born from Shiva’s fiery wrath, carried a deep hatred and vendetta against the gods. Asura blood flowed through his veins, and he aligned himself with Tarakasura and the other Asuras.

Bhandasura's Army (Source: Personal Collection)

Bhanda, now known as Bhandasura, became a new and more terrifying threat. He decided to build his own kingdom, and from the city of Shonithapura, he ruled with an iron fist, tormenting the gods and wreaking havoc across the world. Now, the gods had to contend not only with Tarakasura but also with Bhandasura, two mighty forces born from curses and anger.

The gods, once full of confidence and power, were now gripped by even deeper confusion. Their enemies had not only multiplied but had grown stronger and more rampant. Bhandasura, born from the ashes of Kama, had marshaled his forces to mercilessly destroy the world. A world that had once been peaceful and serene was now on the brink of destruction.

In this dire situation, the gods once again decided to approach Lord Brahma, hoping for guidance that could save them from inevitable ruin. With hearts full of hope, they sought advice from the Creator. Lord Brahma, with his infinite wisdom, gave them a surprising answer. "It is Goddess Sati who can save this world," Brahma said in a deep and meaningful voice. "But for that, she must burn herself using all the wood from the dead trees in the world."

The Performance of the Sacrificial Fire by the Gods (Source: Personal Collection)

Though shocked and perhaps slightly doubtful, the gods knew they had to do as Brahma instructed. They swiftly gathered every piece of wood from the dead trees across the world, creating a towering, massive pile, and lit a sacrificial fire. With immense sincerity, they began the sacrificial fire. Goddess Sati, who was residing within Parvati's body, felt the wave of sacrifice and could not ignore the gods’ heartfelt plea. Her compassionate heart was moved by their selflessness, and she accepted the call.

The Birth of Goddess Tripura Sundari From the Flames (Source: Personal Collection)

From the flames, ablaze with divine power, emerged a magnificent and awe inspiring figure Goddess Lalita Tripura Sundari, the embodiment of both Sati and Parvati, in a new form filled with unparalleled beauty. Goddess Lalita Tripura Sundari was the epitome of divine beauty and strength. Her long black hair exuded the fragrance of flowers, while her forehead was adorned with a tilaka of musk, adding to her grace. Her eyes, calm like fish in a serene lake, glistened beneath eyelids resembling gateways to love. Her ears were decorated with the sun and moon, symbols of mastery over time, while her cheeks shone like the surface of a Padmaraga mirror. Her fresh smile and melodious voice flowed like a heavenly tune, captivating even Lord Shiva. Draped in silk garments and adorned with jewelry symbolizing eternity, her body radiated a golden-red light, mesmerizing all who beheld her.

Goddess Lalita Tripura Sundari then married with Lord Shiva, and they resided in Sree Nagara, a city atop Mount Maha Meru, the abode of the gods and the center of all fortune and beauty. Sree Nagara, a grand and mystical city, was surrounded by twenty-five splendid streets, each constructed from materials symbolizing luxury and strength. These streets, made of various precious metals like iron, steel, copper, tin, and alloys of five metals, along with precious stones like silver, gold, white Pushpa Raga, and red Padmaraga, enhanced the city's magnificence and uniqueness. No less mesmerizing, there were streets adorned with onyx, diamonds, Vaidoorya, Indra Neela (topaz), pearls, emeralds, coral, the nine gems, and a mix of various gems and precious stones.

The gods, filled with hope and desperation, prayed to Goddess Lalita Tripura Sundari, begging her to end Bhandasura’s reign of terror. With resolve and power, Goddess Lalita decided to lead a direct assault. In preparation, she assembled a mighty and fully equipped army. This force included various gods and powers, including Brahmi, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Mahendri, Chamundi, Maha Lakshmi, as well as the Nitya Devathas and Avarna Devathas, who occupy the Sri Chakra. Under the presence of Maha Tripura Sundari, the Sri Chakra served as the center of all divine fortune and joy.

Sampatkari Devi led the elephant regiment, while Aswarooda Devi commanded the cavalry with impressive skill. The main command of the army was held by Dhandini, who led the war chariot named Giri Chakra, with the assistance of Manthrini, who rode the chariot called Geya Chakra. In the midst of battle, Jwala Malini shielded the army by creating a ring of fire around them, providing strong protection from enemy threats. The mighty Shaktis rode on horseback, offering additional support and protection. In the fierce combat, Nithya Devi destroyed much of Bhandasura's army, while Bala Devi, with her bravery and strength, killed Bhandasura’s son. Furthermore, Manthrini and Dhandini defeated Bhandasura’s brothers, Vishanga and Vishukra, significantly weakening the enemy forces.

Goddess Tripura Sundari Ends Bhandasura's Life Using Kameshwarasthra (Source: Personal Collection)

However, the cunning Bhandasura did not stop there. He created a blockade to hinder Goddess Lalita’s army. In the face of this challenge, Sri Lalita Tripura Sundari used her power to create Ganesha with the help of Kameshwara, overcoming the obstacles created by the Asura. As Bhandasura grew more desperate, he summoned additional asuras, including Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakasipu, and Ravana. Gbddess Lalita, with her wisdom, created the ten avatars of Vishnu to combat and destroy these asuras. Finally, using the Pasupathastra, Goddess Lalita annihilated all of Bhandasura's forces and ended Bhandasura’s life with the Kameshwarasthra, a supremely powerful weapon. After this glorious victory, the gods praised and honored Goddess Lalita Tripura Sundari for her triumph. As a step to restore goodness and balance to the world, Goddess Lalita also recreated Kama, the god of love, so that the world could once again experience the beauty and grace of love.