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c. 1740

The Great Goddess Durga Slaying Demons

Artist/maker unknown

The male gods could not defeat the powerful buffalo demon, Mahisha, so they pooled their powers to create the Great Goddess, Durga. In this energetically whirling image, the eight-armed goddess holds all the gods' weapons and battles a host of demons. She sits on a lotus flower saddle atop her ferocious lion mount as the beast uses his jaws and claws to grab Mahisha.

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