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Finding
the object of Diti's penance, he cursed her to beget a Mahisha -
bison. Unmindful of the curse or its aftermath, she continued with
tenacity unheard of. Lord Brahma, whom she propitiated appeared
before her and said that though her son's face bears semblance to
buffalo, his body would be normal like that of humans. She was
satisfied. So the son born to her bore the head of buffallo over the
human form.
This origin of Mahishasura is at varience with another legend and according to it, he was born to a
demon called Rambhu. This is equally fantastic. The story goes that Karambhu and Rambhu were
demon brothers,sons of Danuvu . were worried about lice defeats meeted out to whole danava race
by Devendra, though some powerful
demon kings now and then imprisoned gods, their born foes and sworn
enemies. They wanted to obtain boons of immortality and immunity to
tide over the constant menace. Karambhu and Rambhu went under water
for uninterrupted penance, but Devendra taking the form of crocodile
killed Karambhu. Thereupon Rambhu did penance to get a son to
wreaking vengeance on Devendra, propitiating Lord Siva. When the
fruit eluded his grasp even after several years, he decided to cut
his head and offer it to the Lord. Appearing at the nick of moment,
the Lord said that he would beget a son with whomsoever he had
intercourse, and that one would fulfil his desire. Highly elated, he
started his journey homeward, but on the way, there came into his
sight an enchanting young she - buffalo grazing. A single look upset
him. He then took the form of he - buffalo and gratified his lust.
The result - birth of Mahishasura. This is elaborately recounted ,
in the Devibhagavatha.
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