Armed heavily with ‘Tapobala’ (power of extreme meditation), Andhakaasura desired to abduct Devi Parvati and Mahadeva fought with him in the frightful ‘Mahakalavana’ near Avantika. As the Demon was not coming under control even after a long drawn battle, Rudra Deva had to finally utilise the most powerful Shakti called ‘Pashupati Astra’.As blood flowed in streams from the Daitya’s body, each drop of blood produced an ‘Andhakasura’ and to lick up the drops of blood, Maha Deva had to create innumerable ‘Matrikas’such as Mahewari, Braahmi, Kaumari, Malini, Sowparni, Vyayavya, Shaakri, Nairruti, Shouri, Sowmya, Shiva, Duuti, Chamunda, Varuni, Vaarahi, Naarasimhi and so on. All the Marikaas accomplished the deed of lickng the blood drops and enjoyed the same. But the progeny of the Matrikas also gave birth to Andhakasuras with a ‘shula’ and a ‘mudgara’and kept on pestering Shiva. Mahedeva approached Vishnu for help and the latter created ‘Sushka Revati’ who dried up the blood of all the Andhakas. It was then easy for Shiva to target the Daitya’s head and the destoyed. Andhakasura eulogized Parama Shiva who was pleased and bestowed ‘Ganeshatwa’ or the Title of ‘Ganas’.
But the innumerable ‘Matrikas’ who were created by Shiva threatened him saying that they would gradually eat up humanity; Shiva warned the Matrikas that they were only to perform virtuous deeds but not kill human beings; nonetheless, these Matrikas defied the instructions and were let loose eating up men, women and children. Shiva meditated Nrisimha Deva who appeared and destroyed all the vicious Matrikas. Shiva displayed his gratitude to Nrisimha Deva and prayed to him as follows:
Namastestu Janannatha Narasimhavapurdharah,
Daitya naathasrujaa purna nakha shakti viraajita/
Tatah Sakalasamlagna Hemapingala Vigrah,
Natosmi Padmanaabha twaam Surashakrajagadguro/
Kalpaantaambhoda nirghosha Suyakoti samaprabha,
Sahasrayamasamkrodha Sahasrendra paraakrama/
Sahasradhanadaspheeta Sahasra varunaatmaka,
Sahasra kaala rachita Sahasra niyatendriya/
Sasrabhumahaadhairya Sahasraananta murtiman,
Sasra chandra pratima Sahasra graha vikrama/
Sahasra Rudra tejaska Sahasra Brahma Samstuta/
Sahasra baahuvegogra Sahasraasya nireekshana/
Sahasrayantra mathana Sahasra vadhamochana/
(Jagannadha! You had assumed the Form of Nrisimha and with the sharpness and might of your nails had torn apart Hiranyakashipu and tasted his blood, my reverences to you; Padmanabha!You are all pervading, your physique is of molten gold colour and you are the mentor of Devaraj Indra, my sincere greetings to you; Your lion’s-growl is like the continuous reverberation of black clouds at the Pralaya Time, your splendour is like that of crores of Suns, your rage is like that of thousands of Yamas, your valour is like that of thousands of Indras, your opulence is like that of thousands of Kuberas, your profusion is comparable to that of thousands of Varunas, abundance of your fortitude is comparable to that of thousands of Prithvi, your unique courage was amply scripted of the thousands of ‘Kaalas’ or times rolled by, your poise and coolness of attitude is comparable to thousands of Chandramas, your energy is thousand times more forceful than those of Navagrahas, your radiance is comparable to thousands of Rudras, thousands of Brahamas are ready to commend you, you are of thousands of hands, faces and eyes; your swiftness and momentum is of the highest order, your Shakti is such that it could devastate thousands of ‘yantras’/ machines in one go; and your competence is such that you could make or mar thousands of persons at a time.) Having said this, Bhagavan! I created countless ‘Matrikas’to demolish Andhakasura, but these Shaktis are not obeying me; how could I knock down them all! That was how Shiva conluded his appeal to Nrisimha. Then Srihari-the Incarnation of Nrisimha- segregated Vageeswari from the tongue, Maya from the hridaya / heart, Bhavamalini from the Guhya Pradesha and Kalika from the extraordinarly strong bones of Sushkarevati and created afresh thirty two Matrikas from his own body and these new Matrikas are:
Ghantaakarni, Trailokyamohini, Punyamayi Sarvasattva- vashamkari, Chakra hridaya, Panchavi Vyomacharini, Shankhini, Lekhini and Kaala samkarshini who are the deputies of Vageeswari. The deputies of Maya are Sankarshini, Ashraddha, Beejabhaava, Aparaajita, Kalyani, Madhudamshtri, Kamala, and Utpalahastika. The deputies of Bhavamalini are Ajita, Sukshma -hridaya, Vruddha, Vesharama darshini, Nrisimha bhairava, Bilwa, Garudmad -hridaya, and Jaya. The deputies of Kalika/ Sushkarevati are: Aakarshini, Sambhata, Uttaramalika, Jwaalaamukhi, Bheeshanika, Kamadhenu, Baalika and Padmakara.
Each one of these Matrikas is of extraordinary Shakti and capacity to destroy the Trilokas! Nrisimha Deva instructed the Matrikas that just as human beings and animals / birds etc. bring up their progeny, they should also safeguard them and ensure no untoward incident should occur to them; the Matrikas should hold Rudra in their high esteem and he would too bestow them powers to be utilised for the welfare of every being; when human beings perform puja to them they too respond to their wishes for fulfllment.
Sushkaam sampujayishyanti eye cha Purtaardhino janaah,
Teshaam putrapradaa Devi bhavishyati na shamshayaha/
(Those who worship Sushkara Revati Devi for excellent progeny and fulfillment of worldy desires would certainly be granted by her.)