03/11/2025
Kerala Bhadra Kali
The daughter of Samhara Rudra and Sri Maha Kali
BHADRAKALI MAHATMYAM
Long ago, there lived a noble king named Shivasharma. With humility in his heart and reverence in his bearing, he approached the great sage Markandeya, who sat in peace within his forest hermitage. Bowing deeply, the king said:
“O revered one, I have listened with joy to the glorious Devi Mahatmyam that you have revealed. My heart has become uplifted and filled with devotion. Yet I long to hear more. Tell me, I pray, the story of Bhadrakali — her origin, her greatness, and her deeds.”
The sage smiled gently and replied:
“O king, listen with faith. I shall recount to you the sacred origin of Bhadrakali and her mighty acts, which sanctify the worlds.”
Chandrasena and the Terrifying Encounter
In ancient times, there was a righteous and powerful ruler named Chandrasena. His face shone like the full moon, and he lived content, surrounded by wealth and prosperity. One day, mounted on his chariot and followed by his retinue, he entered the vast Dandaka forest to hunt.
The mighty king loosed arrows upon lions, tigers, and other beasts, roaming freely in the wild. But as he pressed deeper into the forest, he beheld a sight of terror: beside a towering tree stood a huge anthill, and bound near it by chains of iron were two mighty elephants.
Even as he gazed, the anthill trembled and burst open. From it emerged a monstrous being, tall as a palm tree, with a body dark and smoky, long arms that reached down in might, eyes red with wrath, and laughter dreadful to hear. With ease he seized the two elephants in his hands and devoured them, as though they were mere morsels of food.
Having feasted, the terrible being turned upon the king and rushed towards him. His ministers and attendants, stricken with fear, fled in all directions. Chandrasena himself, trembling, ran deeper into the forest until he came to the hermitage of the sage Sutikshna.
Falling at his feet, the king cried:
“Save us, O holy one! A monstrous being has risen from the earth, devoured two elephants, and now pursues us. Surely he will consume us all!”
The Sage’s Assurance
Sutikshna Maharishi, calm and radiant, replied:
“Do not fear, O king. By my divine sight I know this being. He is none other than a servant of Bhadrakali. Out of ignorance you have crossed his path. I shall restrain him.”
Turning to the monstrous form, the sage spoke words of command:
“O mighty bhuta, servant of Bhadrakali! Forgive this king, for he has acted in ignorance. Do not pursue him further.”
At these words, the dreadful being ceased his pursuit. He bowed to the command of the sage and departed swiftly to report all that had occurred to Bhadrakali herself.
The King’s Curiosity
Still trembling, Chandrasena asked:
“Revered one, who is this Bhadrakali of whom you speak? By what power does she command such a being? Tell me truly of her origin and her glory.”
Sutikshna Maharishi, moved by the king’s devotion, began to narrate:
The Destruction of the Asuras
“Once, O king, a terrible battle arose between the devas and the asuras. The gods were oppressed and cried for aid. Then the Blessed Lord Vishnu, slayer of the demon Mura, came to their side. With his Sudarshana discus he crushed the heads of the asuras, uprooting their race entirely. Their clans were destroyed, and their lineage lay in ruins.”
But in the depths of the netherworld, four daughters of the demons remained alive. Hidden away, they wept in grief at the downfall of their kind. Among them were two noble women — Danavati and Darumati — virtuous and devoted to their husbands, steadfast in chastity even in the midst of calamity.
Gathering together, they said:
“Alas, how terrible is the fate of the asuras! Our race lies in ruin. Let us not despair, but by dreadful austerities propitiate Brahma, the grandsire, while yet we live. Perhaps through his grace the lineage of the demons may rise again.”
The Tapasya at Gokarna
With this resolve, the four maidens journeyed swiftly to the western shore of the ocean, to the holy tirtha of Gokarna — the great kshetra of Shiva, ever auspicious, a refuge for all beings. Entering the sacred ground with minds filled with faith, they bathed in the purifying waters and undertook severe vows.
They abandoned sleep and sloth, rejected food, cast aside all possessions, and sat amidst the five blazing fires, enduring the scorching heat. With fierce determination they strove for mastery over the senses. For forty days they performed this terrible tapas, intent upon winning the favor of Brahma.
Brahma Grants the Boon
At last the lotus-born Brahma appeared before them, radiant and compassionate.
“O maidens,” he said, “I am pleased with your austerities. Ask, and I shall grant the boon you desire.”
With one voice, each prayed:
“Grant us, O Lord, a son — not weak, but mighty — one who shall revive the demon lineage and increase its strength.”
Brahma, the giver of boons, smiled and said: “So be it.” With that, he vanished from sight.
The Birth of Danava and Daruka
In due time, the two maidens conceived. When ten months were completed, they each gave birth.
To Danavati was born a son, named Danava.
To Darumati was born a son, named Daruka, powerful and mighty.
Thus, though the asura race had been almost annihilated, its seed was preserved through the chastity and tapas of these women. And from this seed, the future story of Bhadrakali begins to unfold.
