Story of Darika
The
demon Darika, after intense ascetic penances and practices, secured a boon from
Lord Brahma that he would be invincible and would not get killed by any man. He
began to harass the world and commit numerous crimes. When Lord Shiva came to
know about the misdeeds of demon Darika, he became infuriated and created the
Goddess Bhadrakali to kill the demon. Full of wrath, he opened his fiery third
eye and the massive flaming form of Bhadrakali emerged. She was huge, wore a
ferocious look and had countless heads, hands and legs. When Shiva requested
Bhadra Kali to destroy Darika, she went through a forest and sought the help of
bloodthirsty ghosts and spirits who lived there. When Darika saw Bhadrakali and
her largely female army coming, he laughed and dismissed her, forgetting that
his boon of invincibility did not pervent his being killed by a woman. After a
fierce battle, Bhadrakali and her assistants finally finished him off, and the
Goddess began to return home from Kailash, full of wrath and excitement and
holding the head of Darika in her left hand. When she reached Kailash, her
father Shiva tempted to calm her wrath by dancing naked before her and offering
her worship. She was satisfied and henceforth began to receive offerings from
devotees as a boon from Shiva.