Glory of Parashakti

Time and again in diferent yugas, various incarnations in

diferent forms take place to protect the good and destroy
the propagators of evil and thereby establish dharma.
Parashakti as the Mother Goddess is the embodiment of
compassion on the one hand, and, on the other, also the
vanquisher of evil. Among her many leelas, her incarnation
as Lalitambika to vanquish Bandasura is described in detail
in the Lalita Sahasranama Stotra, which is believed to be the essence of Mantra Sastra, said Sri Goda Venkateswara
Sastrigal in a lecture.

It is said that the celestial beings were unable to bear the

atrocities of a fierce demon called Bandasura who was born
in a unique manner. The fire from Siva’s third eye had
reduced Manmatha to ashes. The celestial beings
sympathised with him and collected the ashes and prayed to Siva to give life to Manmatha. By Siva’s grace a being arose from the ashes. It was not Manmatha but Bandasura. He did penance and gained extraordinary powers and began
harassing all including the celestials. On the advice of
Narada, Indra propitiated Goddess Parashakti. He performed a yagna and from this yagna there arose the divine form of Lalita Maha Tripurasundari. The celestials extolled her and sought from her the boon to kill Bandasura.

They wanted to make her the Queen to whom they would

pay obeisance. Siva appeared as Kameswara and married her. After a fierce fight she won over Bandasura and also brought back Manmatha to life. Such is her compassion that she bestows many graces on her bhaktas and fulfils their desires both worldly and spiritual. She grants all round prosperity and also ensures for her devotees protection from the forest fire of samsara. She is capable of removing the darkness of ignorance.