Halebidu Hoysaleswara Temple: Durga as Mahishasuramardini

Sculptural relief of Durga as Mahishasuramardini mounted on the outer wall of the Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu in Karnataka, India

Durga as Mahishasuramardini

Durga as Mahishasuramardini
The narrative sculpture shown in the image depicts Goddess Durga slaying Mahishasura, an evil demon who took the form of a buffalo. Because of this feat, she is known as Mahishasuramardini. The word Mahishasuramardini is a concatenation of three Sanskrit words: mahisha (buffalo), asura (demon), and mardini (slayer).

The slaying of Mahishasura is all about the triumph of good over evil and is based on an episode narrated in the Devi Mahatmya, a part of Markandeya Purana.

As you can see from this narrative sculptural relief, Goddess Durga is standing triumphantly with her left leg over Mahishasura, i.e., the buffalo that appears to have fallen on the ground, and the real Mahishasura is seen emerging from the body of the buffalo. Goddess Durga has ten arms (some of which are missing or broken), each holding different weapons/objects given to her by various gods.

Created by Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma, and the other gods by combining their energies, Durga is a Hindu goddess of war who symbolizes Shakti (roughly translates as power and strength).

Other Mahishasuramardini Sculptures
Durga as Mahishasuramardini (Slayer of Mahishasura) on the outer wall of the Somanathapura Keshava Temple
Durga as Mahishasuramardini (Slayer of Mahishasura) installed in a devakoshta of the Durga Temple in Aihole, Karnataka, India
Statue of Durga as Mahishasuramardini standing in the Shiva Temple at Prambanan, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Related Pages
Hoysala Temples
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple
Bracket Figures, Navaranga, Garbhagriha Outer Wall
Kappe Chennigaraya Shrine
Somanathapura Keshava Temple
Badami Chalukya Temples
Badami, Cave – 1, Cave – 2, Cave – 3, Cave – 4
Durga Temple at Aihole
Vijayanagara Temples
Hampi Virupaksha Temple Murals
Khmer Temples in Cambodia
Angkor Wat, Angkor Wat Bas-Reliefs, Banteay Srei, Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, Bayon
Monuments in Indonesia
Prambanan Temples, Prambanan Bas-Reliefs
Borobudur

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