King Suratha, the Merchant Samadhi and Madhu-Kaitabh

The first adhyay (chapter) of the Durga Saptashati begins with King Suratha. Suratha was a righteous king, but enemies defeated him, and his own ministers seized his treasury and army. Heartbroken, the king rode alone into a deep forest. There he found the peaceful ashram of the sage Medha.

Near the ashram, the king met a vaishya (merchant) named Samadhi. Samadhi's greedy wife and sons had thrown him out of his own home for his wealth. Yet his mind kept worrying about them. The king, too, was restless, thinking of his lost kingdom, his elephants and his people.

The two went to the sage Medha and asked, 'We know this is just attachment, so why won't the mind let go?' The sage explained that this is the power of the goddess Mahamaya. She draws even wise minds into attachment, and when she is pleased, she is also the one who grants freedom.

The king asked, 'Who is this goddess?' The sage told a story. At the time of the great dissolution, when there was water everywhere, Lord Vishnu lay in Yoganidra on the serpent Shesh. From the wax of his ears came two mighty asuras, Madhu and Kaitabh, and they rushed to kill Brahma, who sat on the lotus rising from Vishnu's navel.

To wake Vishnu, Brahma praised the goddess Yoganidra. She left Vishnu's eyes, and the Lord awoke. Vishnu fought the two asuras for five thousand years. The goddess clouded their minds, and in their pride they said, 'We are pleased with you. Ask us for a boon.'

Vishnu said, 'Let the boon be that you both die at my hands.' Seeing water all around, the asuras cleverly said, 'Then kill us where there is no water.' The Lord placed them on his thigh and ended them with his Sudarshan chakra. 'This,' said the sage, 'is how the Devi herself appeared when Brahma praised her.'