Goddess Durga: The Warrior Goddess Who Rides a Lion
Meet Goddess Durga — the powerful warrior goddess who rides a lion and protects the world from evil. An empowering story for kids.
What if all the most powerful gods in the universe combined their energy to create one incredible warrior — and she turned out to be the strongest of them all?
That’s the story of Goddess Durga — and it’s one of the most empowering stories in all of mythology.
How Durga Was Created
A terrible buffalo demon named Mahishasura had grown so powerful that none of the gods could defeat him. Not Brahma. Not Vishnu. Not Shiva. Nobody.
So all the gods combined their powers — their light, their energy, their weapons — and from this incredible fusion, Goddess Durga appeared. She was more powerful than any single god because she contained the strength of ALL of them.
Each god gave her a weapon:
- Shiva gave her his trident
- Vishnu gave her his disc
- Vayu (wind god) gave her a bow and arrows
- The mountain god gave her a lion to ride
With ten arms holding ten divine weapons, riding a fierce lion, Durga went to battle.
The Battle with Mahishasura
The battle between Durga and Mahishasura lasted nine days and nine nights (this is where the Navratri festival comes from!).
Mahishasura kept changing forms — he became a buffalo, then a lion, then an elephant, then a man with a sword. Every time he changed, Durga matched him blow for blow.
On the tenth day, Durga finally defeated the demon. This victory is celebrated as Vijayadashami (also called Dussehra) — the triumph of good over evil.
Why Durga Is Called “Ma”
Here’s something beautiful: despite being the fiercest warrior, Durga is lovingly called “Ma Durga” — Mother Durga. She fights not out of anger, but out of love and protection.
Think of it like this: a mother will do anything to protect her children. That’s exactly what Durga does for the entire world. She’s fierce because she cares deeply.
The Nine Nights of Navratri
During Navratri, families celebrate Durga for nine nights. Each night honors a different form of the goddess:
- Some nights are about strength and courage
- Some are about knowledge and wisdom
- Some are about peace and purity
Families dance the Garba (a circular dance) and Dandiya (a stick dance) together. It’s one of the most fun and energetic Hindu festivals!
What Durga Teaches Kids
Durga’s story carries powerful messages:
- Strength comes in all forms — The most powerful warrior turned out to be a goddess
- Stand up against bullies — Durga teaches that fighting injustice is right
- Teamwork creates miracles — She was created from the combined power of all the gods
- Being protective is an act of love — Fierceness and kindness aren’t opposites
For Girls (and Boys!) Everywhere
Durga is an incredible role model. She shows that being strong, brave, and powerful is not about gender — it’s about heart. She rode into battle when no one else could, and she won.
If you ever feel like something is too hard or too scary, think of Durga on her lion, holding ten weapons, facing the biggest challenge in the universe — and winning.
See Durga in Our Books
The Marvelous Hindu Deities features Goddess Durga in a dynamic illustration showing her with her lion mount and powerful presence. And during Navratri, My Little Shloka and Mantra Book provides devotional chants the whole family can participate in.
