How did Lord Shiva create Veerbhadra and Mahakali

Question

How and why did Shiva create Veerbhadra and MahaKali. Who were the nine Durgas accompanying MahaKali?

Answer 1

Birth of Virabhadra is described in Chapter 32 Rudra Samhita Sati Khanda of Shiva Mahapurana. The same legend can also be found in other Puranas.

When Sati immolated Herself in Yajna fire, Shiva ganas and divine sage Narada informed everything that happened at Yajna to Lord Shiva. Shiva then threw a lock of his Jata/hair and Veerabhadra with Bhadrakali were born.

उत्पाटयौकां जटां रुद्री लोकसंहारकारक:।
अास्फालयामास रुषा पर्वतस्य तदोपरि।।२० ।।

Then Rudra, the destroyer of the universe, plucked a lock of hair from his head and threw it over the mountain.

तोदनाच द्विधा भूता सा जटा च मुने! प्रभो!।
सम्बभूव महारावो महाप्रलयभीषणः।।२१।।

O Master, with the throwing of the lock of hair, it was turned into two pieces and the deafening sound resembling the sound of the time of dissolution was heard.

तञ्जटायाः समुद्भूतो वीरभद्री महाबल:।
पूर्वभागेन देवर्षे महाभीमो गणाग्रणीः॥२२।।

O Divine sage, from the fore-part of the matted lock of hair, the immensely terrific and great warrior who was the leader of his force, known as Virabhadra was born.

स भूमिं विश्वतो वृत्य चात्यतिष्ठद्दशाङ्गुलम्।
प्रलयानलसङ्काशः प्रोन्नतो दोः सहस्रवाम्।।२३।।

He looked like the flames of the fire of the time of dissolution, having two thousand hands. He enveloped the world all around and towered over it ten inches more.

कोपनिःश्वासतस्तत्र महारुद्रस्य चेशितुः।
जातं ज्वराणां शतक सन्निपातास्त्रयोदश।२४।।

At that time with the enraged breathing of Siva, a hundred types of fevers, and thirteen types of mental humours came Out.

महाकाली समुत्पन्ना तञ्जटापरभागत:।
महाभयङ्करा तात ! भूतकोटिभिरावृता।।२५॥

From the other part of the matted lock of hair, Mahakali was born. O Dear one, she was terrible to look at, and was Surrounded by crores of goblins.

Then Lord Shiva orders Virabhadra and Bhadrakali to destroy Yajna.

ब्रहोवाच
इत्युक्तं तद्वचः श्रुत्वा सन्तुष्टो मङ्गलापतिः।
वीरभद्र! जयेति त्वं प्रोक्ताशीः प्राह तं पुनः।।४५।।

Brahma Said, “Thus listening to the words of Virabhadra, Lord Siva, the spouse of Sati, felt delighted and said, 'O Virabhadra, by victorious.'

महेश्वर उवाच
शृणु मद्वचनं तात! वीरभद्र! सुचेतसा।
करणीयं प्रयतेन तद्द्भुतं मे प्रतोषकम्।।४६।

You listen to me, whatever has to be done by youthere, which would delight me.

यागं कर्तुं समुद्युक्तो दक्षो विधिसुतः खलः।।
मद्विरोधी विशेषेण महागर्वोऽबुधोऽधुना।।४७।।

Presently, Daksa Prajapati, the son of Brahma, is getting ready to perform a yajna. He is my adversary besides being a wicked, unwise and conceited person.

तन्मर्ख भस्मसात्कृत्वा सयागपरिवारकम्।
पुनरायाहि मत्स्थानं सत्वरं गणसत्तम!।।४८।।

You reduce his yajna as well as those present there to ashes. Thereafter, O VĨrabhadra, the best of my ganas, you return to me quickly.

सुरा भवन्तु गन्धर्वा यक्षा वान्ये च केचना तानप्यद्यैव सहसा भस्मसात्कुरु सत्वरम्॥४९ ।।
तत्रास्तु विष्णुर्ब्रह्मा वा शचीशो वा यमोऽपि वा। अपि चाद्यैव तान्सर्वान्पातयस्व प्रयत्नतः ।।५०।।
सुरा भवन्तु गन्धर्वा यक्षा वान्ये च केचना तानप्यद्यैव सहसा भस्मसात्कुरु सत्वरम्।।५१।।

The gods, Gandharvas, Yaksas and others, whosoever be present there should be reducedto ashes. Even if Visnu, Brahma, Indra or Yama are present there, fell them to the ground making all the strenuous efforts.

In chapter 33, various Goddesses accompanied by Mahakali are mentioned.

तुष्टुवुश्च गणा वीरं शिपिविष्टे प्रचेष्टितम्।
चक्रुः कुतूहलं सर्वे तस्मिश्च गमनोत्सवे।।१०।।

Having he same features and costumes as Siva, the ganas of the great warrior, offered prayers at the time of start and they displayed their enthusiasm.

काली कात्यायनीशानी चामुण्डा मुण्डमर्दिनी।
भद्रकाली तथा भद्रा त्वरिता वैष्णवी तथा।११।।

एताभिर्नवदुर्गाभिर्महाकाली समन्विता।
ययौ दक्षविनाशाय सर्वभूतगणैः सह।।१२।।

The goddesses like Kālī, Kātyāyanī, šānī, Cămundă, Mundamardinī, Bhadrakālī, Bhadrā, Tvaritā, Vaisņavī, Mahākālī, Bhairava, and KSetrapalas, at the command of Siva, quickly marched on for the destruction of the yajnia of Daksa.

डाकिनी शाकिनी चैव भूतप्रमथगुह्यका:।
कूष्माण्डाः पर्पटाश्चैव चटका ब्रह्मराक्षसाः।।१३।।
भैरवाः क्षेत्रपालाश्च दक्षयज्ञविनाशकाः।
निर्ययुस्त्वरितं वीराः शिवाज्ञाप्रतिपालकाः।।१४।।

Besides the Dākinīs, Sakinis, pramathaganas, Guhyakas, Kasmandas, Parpatas, Catakas, Brahmarāksas, Bhairvas and KSetrapalas, obeying the command of Siva started for the destruction of Daksa's sacrifice.

तथैव योगिनीचक्रं चतुःषष्टिगणान्वितम्।
निर्ययौ सहसा क्रुद्धं दक्षयज्ञं विनाशितुम्।।१५।।

Similarly the sixty four yoginis marched on for the destructions of the yajna of Daksa.

Next verses mention total strength of ganas assigned to each Goddess.