Kali and Kaushiki Vs Demons

The tale of Durga continues beyond Mahishasura, through the tale of goddess Kaushiki, another form of adi-shakti. After Mahishasura's death his demon brothers, Shumbha and Nishumbha forcibly drove the Gods out of heaven. The Gods then started praying to Parvati. On hearing their plight, a beautiful and effulgent woman Kaushiki emerged from Parvati's body. Upon the emergence of Kaushiki, Parvati's body turned black and she then became known as Kali.

Kaushiki was spotted by Chanda and Munda, the two assistants of Shumbha and Nishumbha. They reported to their masters, and spoke highly of her beauty. Shumbha then sent Sugriva as messenger to Kaushiki to express their desire to marry her. Kaushiki, replied that she would marry the person who would defeat her in battle. On hearing this, Shumbha sent Dhumralochana to capture the goddess. Initially the asura (demon) tried to persuade the Devi to accompany him. But when she refused, he wanted to capture her. The Goddess uttered a mantra and the asura was reduced to ashes. On hearing this, Shumbha sent Chanda and Munda along with the entire demon army to capture the Devi. On seeing Chanda-Munda along with the demon army, Kaushiki wriggled her eyebrows. From the eyebrows emerged the ferocious goddess Kali. Kali jumped among the asuras (demons) and started killing them finally decimating Chanda and Munda. This gave Kali the name of Chamunda.

After the death of Chanda and Munda, the asuras led by Shumbha and Nishumbha, attacked Kaushiki and Kali from all sides. At that moment, from various Gods, forces began emerging. These forces took feminine forms started fighting alongside Kaushiki. Kali then approached Shiva and requested him to ask Shumbha and Nishumbha to surrender. Kali requesting Lord Shiva to be her messenger earned her the name Shivaduti (one whose messenger is Shiva). Hearing Shiva's message, the asuras became even more ferocious. Among the asuras there was one named Raktabeej, if a drop of his blood, dropped on the ground, another Raktabeej would spring forth from that drop of blood. Unknowingly, the goddesses attacked Raktabeej and from his flowing blood numerous Raktabeej emerged. To counter this, Kali elongated her tongue and started drinking up all the blood that sprayed out from the body of Raktabeej in course of his annihilation. Finally all Raktabeej that has sprung from drops of blood were killed by kali. Soon after Shumbha's death, Nishumbha found himself all alone against Kali, Kaushiki and other feminine warrior goddesses. He then asked if it was fair that all of them would fight against his solitary self. On hearing this remark, all the goddesses merged into Kali and thereafter she killed Nishumbha.

Drunk in her fury, Goddess Kali was in a killing spree and was posing great threat to the balance of life. This alarmed the Gods and upon their request Lord Shiva lay himself in the path of Kali's destructive rampage. Kali stepped on Shiva and soon realized her mistake (as per tradition, Hindu wife never touches her husband with her foot, for her husband is positioned next to God). It is then that Kali's elongated, blood stained red tongue came out of embarrassment and She instantly froze out of shame. She came back to her original form Parvati and the destruction was stopped.