Kaushiki
| Kaushiki | |
|---|---|
| Vengeance / Victory | |
| Affiliation | Durga, Parvati |
| Abode | In a palace in Kailash |
| Weapon |
Trishula (trident), Chakram, Scimitar, Snake, Conch shell, Mace, Bow, Talwar (longsword), lotus, Thunderbolt |
| Consort | Shiva |
| Mount | Tiger or lion |
Kaushiki is a Hindu Goddess. She is an affiliation of Shakti and a form of Parvati Devi. Her beauty had attracted many asuras who met her as messengers in her glittering beautiful palace. She was a great woman warrior, raised on her fierce lion or tiger. This form of her fierce fire was the essence of her beauty. There are many temples for her worship. She also has 8 hands and sword, chakra, lotus, etc. in them.
The story of Kaushiki's birth is mentioned in the Matsya Purana and Markandeya Purana, with both the texts different. As in the Matsya Purana, Goddess Parvati once performed austerities and meditation to become fair (Gouri). It is said that from the skin She sloughed off from her body emerged the beautiful and dark-complexioned goddess Kaushiki. After that, Kaushiki went to Vindhyas and slayed Shumbha and Nishumbha, two demons who had gained the boon of immortality from Brahma. The same is in the Shiva Purana.
In the Markandeya Purana, once when the asuras (demons) drove the gods out of the heavens, they sought the help of Goddess Parvati. Pleased by them, she appeared, and from the cells (koshas) of her body emerged the beautiful goddess Kaushiki, who declared that she would marry him who managed to defeat her in battle. Later she slayed the demons and the gods could return to the heavens.
The full story of Shumbh and Nishumbh runs as follows:
In days of yore, Shumbh and Nishumbh, the two fair and good looking brothers came out of hell to this earth. These two demons, when they grew to their manhood, performed severe asceticism in Puskara, the holy place of pilgrimage, the most purifying place in this world and they refused to eat rice and water. They became so very skilled in their Yoga practices that they died in their one posture and seat one Ajuta (10,000) years. Thus they performed very difficult penance. Then the Lord Brahma, the Grandsire of all, became pleased with their asceticism and appeared before them, riding on his vehicle, the swan. The Creator, seeing them thus deeply merged in meditation, asked them to get up from that state and told them thus he is pleased with their penances and is ready to present them boons. Shumbh and Nishumbh said to Brahma that they will not get killed by a man, demon, God or deity. Hearing their words, the Grandsire Brahma gladly granted them their desired boon and returned to His own abode.
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Wikipedia