Raktabīja

Raktabīja (, ) is an asura in Hinduism. According to the Puranas, he fought with Shumbha and Nishumbha against the goddesses Kali and Chandi, both forms of Durga. Raktabīja secured from Shiva a boon according to which if one drop of blood from his body fell on the battlefield, many Raktabījas would arise from the blood and fight the enemies. Each of these Raktabījas would also be like the others in the matter of strength, form, and weapons.

Legend

Origin

According to the Puranas, there was an asura king called Danu. His two sons, Rambha and Karambha, who had no children, did Tapas at Pañcanada for the blessing of having children. Rambha and Karambha meditated upon Mālavaṭa Yakṣa, the former seated at the centre of the five fires and the latter standing in the water of a lake. When Indra found out about this, he decided to kill them. In the guise of a crocodile, Indra dragged Karambha away by the feet and killed him by drowning him. Then Indra went after Rambha, but Rambha was saved by Agni. Angry at the death of his brother, Rambha decided to cut off his head and offer it as a sacrifice. When he was about to do so, Agni appeared and told him that suicide was worse than killing others, denouncing it as a great sin, and promised to grant him whatever he desired. Accordingly, Rambha requested Agni for a son more effulgent than the latter, who would conquer the Three Worlds and would not be defeated even by the Deva and the Asuras. Rambha further wanted that son to be as powerful as Vāyu, exceptionally handsome, and skilled in archery. Agni blessed Rambha that he would have, as desired, a son by the woman whom he coveted. On his way back home, he saw a beautiful she- buffalo, called Shyamala, which he married. He took the buffalo he impregnated to Patala to protect it from being attacked by other buffaloes. One day, another buffalo felt a passion for Rambha's wife, and in the fight, Rambha was impaled with the buffalo's horns, killing him. Later, the water buffalo was killed by Rambha's soldiers. Rambha's wife died in his funeral pyre after jumping into it. It was from the centre of the fire that the very powerful Mahishasura was born. Rambha also rose from the fire under the name Raktabīja along with his brother, Mahishasura. Raktabīja secured from Shiva a boon according to which if one drop of blood from his body fell on the battlefield, many Raktabījas would arise from the blood and fight the enemies. Each of these Raktabījas would also be like the others in the matter of strength, form, and weapons.

Battle

The eighth chapter of the Devi Mahatmya narrates Durga's battle with Raktabīja as a part of her battle against the asuras Shumbha and Nishumbha, who had disenfranchised the devas from Svarga. After the deaths of Dhumralochana, and Chanda and Munda, Shumbha sent Raktabīja to fight. Raktabīja was wounded, but his drops of blood falling on the ground created innumerable other Raktabījas, and hence Durga and the Matrikas struggled to defeat them. Durga issued the following instruction to Kali:

Ultimately, even as every drop of the blood that streamed from the asura was consumed by Kali, Raktabīja was beheaded by Durga and her axe.

According to popular folklore, after killing Raktabīja and most of his entire army, the goddess Kali went on to kill all creatures in a fury, but was timely intervened by Shiva who laid himself in her path. Striking his body, Kali was shaken and embarrassed, and stuck out her tongue. This act has been depicted in many Hindu paintings and portraits.

There are references of Kali not being created, but having sprung from Durga's forehead, as they were all the same goddess in different forms.

See also

* Rambha (asura)
* Chanda and Munda
* Shumbha and Nishumbha
* Mahishasura
* Dhumralochana
* Sugriva (asura)

References

External links

On the description of the war of Raktabija
*''Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend'' () by Anna Dhallapiccola
* Devi Mahatmya, Chapter 9000.

Asura

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