 Durga: Means the Invincible One Other names known by: Mother Parvati, Kali/Haali, Devi, Uma, Shakti, Bhawani, Sati, Basanti, Mahishasurmardini, and most likely others yet undiscovered. Durgas Children: Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh.  Hindu mythology teaches that a buffalo demon named Mahish had threatened the Gods right out of Heaven and established his dominion in its place. This caused a constant threat to the existence of the universe. Due to this threat, all the Gods approached Shiva for his assistance. Shiva advised them to release their spiritual powers (Shakti) and when they did this, the Goddess Durga was born fully-grown and full of rage. The Shaktis of the Gods had emerged in female form in the Goddess Durga. The Gods praised Durga and gave their divine gifts to her. The Devatas also gave energy to Durga in the form of her various limbs and also the best jewelry and deadly weapons. Durga was therefore beautiful, multi-faceted, and a strong warrior. Durga represented supreme beauty and deadly power at the same time. The myth continues and we learn that Durga set off on the back of a lion and she destroyed the lesser demons in a great battle. Seeing this, Mahish, the demon buffalo, charged onto the battlefield. This angered Durgas lion companion and the lion attached the demon buffalo Mahish. Durga saw this and jumped on Mahish pushing him to the ground with her left leg. Durga then grasped his head with her hand and pierced him with her sharp spear, which was held in another of her ten hands. Durga then used her bright sword to behead Mahish. After Mahishs death, the Gods returned to Heaven as well as the sages of the earth. The all sang praises to the Goddess Durga and all the Gods in Heaven and also the humans on earth worshiped Durga.Durga is considered to also be an eternal mother who resolves the hardships of those who are devoted to her. Hindu mythology also teaches that Durga is a fierce form of Devi, the all-powerful mother Goddess.
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Animal: Lion
