The Supreme Refuge

Offers the first comprehensive analysis of the Hindu Great Goddess Durga, tracing her evolution from a minor goddess into a transcendent supreme deity central to Hindu theology and the ultimate refuge accessible to all.This study provides the first comprehensive examination of the Hindu Great Goddess Durga, one of the most significant deities in the Hindu pantheon, who is celebrated annually during the Navaratra festival, a widely observed event across the Hindu world. Drawing on textual, inscriptional, and iconographic evidence, the study traces Durga's evolution from a minor goddess to her identification as the Mahadevi, or Great Goddess. It presents an alternative chronology for hymnic materials, aligning them more closely with early iconographic depictions and offering new insights into misidentified attributes of the goddess. The work incorporates evidence from beyond South Asia to contextualize external influences on Durga's persona and her central myths, particularly her defeat of the buffalo demon Mahiṣa. A detailed analysis of the myths in the influential Devi Mahatmya against earlier Puraṇic accounts highlights the text's sophisticated theological approach. Its strategy places Durga in a transcendent role while asserting her as the supreme deity and ultimate refuge, accessible to both kings and commoners in dire need of her support.