Raktadantika was the fierce form of the goddess

Durga Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around co ...

. Rakta-dantika means “teeth are red in cooler”. She incarnated to destroy the

asura Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indian religions, Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Deva (Hinduism), Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhism, Buddhi ...

Vaiprachitta. According to Devi Mahatmya, Devi Raktadantika was the incarnation of Goddess Durga. Her other beings are Nandadevi, Shakambhari, Bhramari and Bhimaa. Another account describes her as a form of

Kali Kali (; sa, काली, ), also referred to as Mahakali, Bhadrakali, and Kalika ( sa, कालिका), is a Hinduism, Hindu goddess who is considered to be the goddess of ultimate power, time, destruction and change in Shaktism. In t ...

, with an entirely red body.

Legend

Once upon a time, a demon named Vaiprachitta not powerful enough, and the devas were defeated by the demon. So, the Asuras shook the universe. To get over this, Goddess Durga incarnated as Raktadantika and killed them. She has been described as living in a pomegranate tree. Her red teeth are analogous to red pomegranate seed pods.

References

{{Reflist Durga Puja