Narayan Ravi - Mumbai

Ayyappa

The story of Mahishi & her boon

The powers of Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva united to create Dattatreya, who incarnated on earth as the son of Maharshi Atri & his wife Anasuya to uphold Dharma or righteousness in the world. The powers of Saraswati, Lakshmi & Parvati united to create Leela, who was born as the daughter of Maharshi Galava. Datta who was a student of Maharshi Galava married Leela in due course of time at her insistence, though he was not inclined towards a married life. He expressed his desire to renounce worldly pleasures at which Leela became angry & both entered into a heated argument. In a fit of temper, Datta cursed Leela to be born as a female buffalo. Leela in turn cursed Datta to be born as a buffalo too. Thus, Leela was born as Mahishi, the daughter of the demon Karamba. Datta was born as Sundara Mahisha.

Mahishi wanted to avenge the death of her cousin Mahishasura (the son of the demon Rambhasura - the older brother of Karamba). So she undertook severe penance to please Lord Brahma. As a boon, she asked that only a son born to Shiva & Vishnu should be able to kill her. Since this seemed impossible at the time as both Shiva & Vishnu were male, Mahishi proudly thought she had become immortal. Thus armed with her newly obtained powers, she cast the Gods out of heaven & began to rule sitting on Indra's seat...

Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa