The ugra aspect of the devi is best characterised by

her Mahishasuramardini image, which has been depicted in various

ways over the centuries. The Vedic text such as Vajasaneyi Samhita,
Taittiriya Aryanaka, Kena, Mundaka Upanishads, Sankhayana
grihasutras mention Durga in her various forms; the soumaya
(quiet/placid) forms among them being that of Gauri, Parvati, etc. Her
fiercer aspects are named as Kali and Karali (same as the two names of
the seven tongues ascribed to Agni, Rudra), Chandi, Chamundi, and the
Nava Durgas. The Nava Durgas are named as Ugra Chanda, Prachanda,
Chandanayika, Chandogra, Chandavati, Chanda, Ati Chandika,
ChandraRupa, and Rudra Chanda. The Devi’s motherly aspect
prevalent as the Mother Goddess from pre-historic times is well
represented in her Shakambari ruup (MarkandyaPurana), also
beautifully expressed in the worship of the Navapatrika during the
ashwin (autumnal) Durga puja in Bengal. Among the principal murtis
of the Devi worshipped by the Saktas is her form: Durga-
Mahishasuramardini.

The earliest images of a Mahishasuramardini found are terracotta

plaques from Nagar in Rajasthan, belonging to the 1st c. BCE – 1st c.
CE time period.
Photo 1: Mahisasuramardini

The four-armed devi in photo 1 is of 1st c. CE from Nagar Rajasthan,

and she is seen holding up a mahisha/buffalo (theriomorphic
representation of the asura), by pushing him up with her front right
hand and pulling his tongue with her front left hand. She carries a
rectangular armour or khetaka in her back-left hand, and a trisula in her
back-right hand. Her simha/lion vahana sits quietly below her, and
seems quite uninvolved in the tussle going on above him. Few more
similar images were found from Nagar (ranging from 1st c. BCE to 1st
c. CE), thus showing the presence of the devi worshippers (Sakta
group) in this region even in the pre-Kushana era (Agrawala, 1958).
Similar images of the devi from the Kushana period were also found
from Besnagar and Mathura (photo 2). The findings of these murtis in
the late 1940s- 50s dispelled the earlier theory (by Banerjea, 1941) that
Mahishasuramardini murtis were not extant prior to the Gupta period.
Mathura museum holds 6 statuettes of the Mahishasuramardini of the
Kushana period from various sites in and around Mathura, of which
one is four armed and the rest are 6 armed. According to Agrawala, a
plaque kept in the Mathura museum belonging to the Kushana era
depicting Mahishasuramardini is of particular interest. Here the devi is
6 armed, her upper hands hold an iguana, while her lower left hand
holds the asura and she carries a sword in her right hand. Interestingly
enough the asura here is in human form, and there is no buffalo
(Agrawala, p.123, 1958). Agrawala also quotes from Mrs. Odette
Viennot’s reports that an exhibit number 8622 in the Indian Museum
(Kolkata) is likely that of a Kushana period Mahisasuramardini , where
again she is holding an iguana in her upper arms (Agarwala, p. 124,
1958).
The pre Kushana and Kushana era Mahishasuramardinis are simple in
form and lack the complexities of the ‘Devi Mahatmya’ iconographic
descriptions. The devi wears the typical Kushana era styled dhoti and
girdle, and carries a sakti (spear) and trisula. One important aspect to
be noted here is that in the fight between devi and the mahisha, the
battle is more of a bare-handed fight than the use of weapons. The devi
has no attendants and even her vahana simha is absent most of the
times. Thus, the pre-Kushana and Kushana era Mahisasuramardinis
are more rustic in appearance, and can be said to be a pre-cursor or a
prototype of the devi that we find described in details in the ‘Devi-
Mahatyma’ (which was compiled around 4th c. CE). Besides Mathura,
the 1st BCE to 1st c. CE Mahisasurmardini sect was spread across other
parts that include Nagar, Bhita, Ahichchatra, etc.
Photo 2: Goddess Durga Slaying the Buffalo Demon
(Mahishasuramardini)
Kushan period, 2nd century CE, Uttar Pradesh, Mathura. Photo
Source

While identifying Durga in early Indian coins, it is believed that a 1st

c. BCE coin of the Azes, which depicts a female figure standing on a
lotus, one hand holding a lotus and the other in katyavilambita pose,
with the forepart of a lion by her side, and a bull (Shiva’s emblem) on
the reverse is among the earliest coins depicting Durga-simhavahini.
Some of Huvishka’s coins (2nd c. CE) depict the devi as Uma, where
she carries a lotus or a cornucopia/matulunga (OMMO written in Greek
characters), that were identified by Prof. E. J. Rapson and Jitendranath
Banerjea. While some have pointed out that the female deity shown on
Azes coins appear similar to that of the Syrian-Elamite goddess Nanaia
(seen in some Kushana era coins); however, the devi figure seen on
Azes coins is purely Indian in style, with her katihasta and trivanga
postures (Banerjea; Dasgupta).
There are also various seals of the devi found from different parts of
the country. A particular seal from Rajghat (Uttar Pradesh) is
interesting, where the devi carries a wreath in one hand and a four-
pronged sula in the other hand, with the letters Durggah written
in Gupta script. Another seal from Bhita (Uttar Pradesh) shows the devi
standing with a trident-axe in hand and in katihasta
pose. The Gupta period yielded another beautiful bronze murti of the
devi from Nalanda, where she is trinayani, with four arms carrying
aksmala, kamandala, and hooked staff (the fourth arm being broken).
Here interestingly we see a godha or an iguana below her, which got
associated with the devi in Sakta worship, and can be easily linked to
the Mauryan-Sunga period figures of Mother Goddesses seen with
alligators (Banerjea). There are also the usual figures of the lion and
bull near the base of this bronze murti. Another bronze murti of the
same period found at Deulbandi (Bangladesh) shows an eight armed
form of the devi, in sampadahasthanaka posture on a lion, who is
couchant on a padmasana and triratha stand. She carries sankha,
chakra, khadga, ghanta, trisul, khetaka, sara and dhanus in her 8 hands,
and her name as inscribed on the pedestal is Sarvaani, which is a name
for Gauri or Parvati, as Sarva is another name of Shiva.
Generally Sarvaani or Parvati is shown with four arms, carrying a
linga-aksmala, trisula, and a kamandula, and this form of the devi,
which is popular in medieval Bengal (seen in the photo 3), is also seen
in parts of south-east Asia, such as Java.
Photo 3: Parvati of Pala period from Bengal
Other seals from Nalanda of the late Gupta period show the devi
as Durga simhavahini where she is four armed, sitting on lion and on
padmaasana. It is also believed that simhavahini devi seen on the
Chandragupta Kumaradevi coins, and the lion slayer ones seen in gold
coins of Chandragupta-II all represent Durga.

Durga enthroned facing, seated on recumbent lion left, holding

cornucopia and diadem, Brāhmī legend at right: Lichchhavayah:
Gupta period , gold dinar, c. 335-375 CE (photo source)
Seal from Nalanda, Gupta period, depicting Durga Simhavahini,
600-700 CE, National Museum (Delhi).

Durga in her Mahishasuramardini form, while being present in

iconography from the pre-Kushana period, became popular in Hindu
temple iconography mainly from the Gupta period in eastern India,
from where it rapidly spread to all parts of the country and even to
foreign lands.

Images or Murtis of Mahishasuramardini

Mahishasuramardini destroying the buffalo with two bare hands.

Stone. Mathura. Circa 200. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. She
holds a khadga, solar and lunar symbols. Photo courtesy: John
Anderson

Centre of Vijayawada and Amaravathi CEO E. Sivanagi Reddy

found the sculpture at Gurajala in Guntur district [Credit: Deccan
Chronicle]. Dr. Reddy said that the iconographical style of the
sculpture suggests that it belongs to post Ikshvaku period. The
simple ornamentation and the typical animal form of Mahishasura
is identical to the style of Vishnukundinas. The idol is seen with
a saree and all ornaments and killing the demon, Mahishasura,
piercing him with the trident.
She holds a sword in her right hand and the tail of the demon, in
the shape of a buffalo, in her left hand. She holds a trident and a
mace in her additional two hands. A small head gear, necklace, ear
ornaments, bangles and armlets suggest the typical style of
Vishnukundinas, said Dr Reddy. This also suggests that the Saktite
religion survived in Palnadu region along with Shaivism and
Vaishnavism. source
Cave 6 Shakti Durga as Mahishasura-mardini. Gupta year 82 (401
CE). photo from Wikipedia

mid-7th century CE, North India, from the V&A’s

collections. Source
Aihole, 8th c. CE
8th c. CE, UP, Source

Durga, Pala period, Bengal. Source

Relief sculpture of Mahishasuramardini in an exterior niche of the
Vaital Deul temple, c. 750 CE, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India. Source
The Goddess Durga Slaying the Buffalo Demon
(Mahishasuramardini) | 8th c. CE, Odisha, India | Philadelphia
Museum of Art. source
8th – 9th century Durga Mahishasuramardini, Sirpur
Chhattisgarh. From Wikipedia
Mahishasuramardini,9th century, Indonesia
Mahishasuramardini, 9th century, Borobudur. photo source
Durga Slaying the Buffalo Demon
Indonesia, Central Java, 9th-10th century Sculpture
Volcanic stone

Source
East Java, 13th c. CE Source
Durga killing the buffalo demon, 900-1000. India. Granite. The
Avery Brundage Collection. Photo from the internet
mid-10th c.CE, MP, India Source
Napier Museum
Mahisasuramardini, Pala, Bengal, 10th-11th c.CE. Source
Mahishasuramardini, Odisha, 13th c. CE, British Museum,
London. Source
Kadamba dynasty, 12th-13th century CE, Archaeological museum
in old Goa
Mahishasuramardini, Dulmi, Manbhum district in Bihar. British
Library
Kerala, 17th c. CE (photo from the internet)
Bengal Terracotta, post 16th century CE. Photo by Ajoy Konar.
Some paintings of the Devi

1820-1825. Trichinopoly, India

Simhavahini, Rajasthan
Odisha Patachitra
Bengal, Kalighat patachitra, 19th c. CE
calendar art of early 20th century, Kolkata, West Bengal

References

Agarwala, R., C. The Goddess Mahiṣāsuramardinī in Early Indian

Art. Artibus Asiae Vol. 21, No. 2 (1958), pp. 123-130.
Banerjea, J. 1941. Development of Hindu Iconography.

Iyer, K. B. An Early Gupta Seal of the Mahiṣāsuramardinī. Artibus

Asiae. Vol. 31, No. 2/3 (1969), pp. 179-184.

Majumdar, R.C. (ed.); K.K. Dasgupta (Joint Ed.). A Comprehensive

History of India: Volume III: Part I.

(photos taken from the internet and used here are purely for
representative purposes, and have no commercial use)