Durga, Kali, and the Matrikas Battle the Demon Raktabija: Scene from the Devi Mahatmya

Durga, Kali, and the Matrikas Battle the Demon Raktabija: Scene from the Devi Mahatmya

Nainsukh

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Following the route of the Daitya army, the demon Raktabija attacks the goddess Kali. Initially, this foe seemed invincible because with each drop of his blood that fell on the ground another demon sprang up. However, the emaciated Kali was able to consume the falling blood, allowing the demon to be defeated. Here, Raktabija defends himself from Durga’s multi-armed assault, while the demons being created out of his wounds stand along Kali’s extended tongue.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Durga, Kali, and the Matrikas Battle the Demon Raktabija: Scene from the Devi MahatmyaDurga, Kali, and the Matrikas Battle the Demon Raktabija: Scene from the Devi MahatmyaDurga, Kali, and the Matrikas Battle the Demon Raktabija: Scene from the Devi MahatmyaDurga, Kali, and the Matrikas Battle the Demon Raktabija: Scene from the Devi MahatmyaDurga, Kali, and the Matrikas Battle the Demon Raktabija: Scene from the Devi Mahatmya

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.