Durga Confronts the Buffalo Demon Mahisha: Scene from the Devi Mahatmya

1780-02-07T00:00:00Z

After witnessing the destruction of his armies, the demon Mahisha in his buffalo form confronts Durga, crushing some of her troops under his hooves. The goddess is shown taking a drink of powerful nectar; the text tells us that she laughs with reddened eyes before entering into combat. While this drawing lacks the final application of colored pigments, it is significant that the preparatory image was brought to such a finished form; especially notable is the volumetric treatment of the buffalo.