Why Did Devi Resort The Help of 8 Matrikas To Destroy Asuras?

Devi and the AshtaMatrkas vanquishing Asuras

 The 8 Mother deities are independent shaktis, absolute energies of the celebrated Gods of Hinduism.

 As per the Devi Mahatmyam which finds reference in Markandeya Purana, the 8 Mothers are:

(1) Brāhmī, the Shakti ( energy ) of Lord Brahma.

(2) Vaiṣṇavī, the energy of Lord Vishnu.

(3) Māheśvarī, the energy of Maheshwara

(4) Indrāṇī, the energy of Lord Indra

(5) Kaumārī, the energy of Kartikeya

(6) Vārāhī, the energy of Varaha

(7) Cāṃuṇḍī, as Kali who destroys Chanda and Munda

(8)  Nārasiṃhī, as the energy of Nrsimha

 Devi, along with these 8 divine mothers, battle the asuras in the mentioned Purana.

 There is an interesting conversation between Devi and an Asura in the 10th Chapter of Devi Mahatmyam.

निशुम्बं निहतं दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरं प्राण सम्मितम् ।हन्यमानं बलं चैव शुम्बः क्रुद्धो'ब्रवीद् वचः 

niśumbaṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā bhrātaraṃ prāṇa sammitam। hanyamānaṃ balaṃ caiva śumbaḥ kruddho'bravīd vacaḥ 

Meaning: Seeing his dear brother Nishumbha being slain and killed, and his army getting slaughtered, Shumbha angrily says...

बला वलेपाद् दुष्टे त्वं मा दुर्गे गर्वमा वह । अन्यासां बलमा श्रित्य युद्ध्यसे या ति मानिनी

balā valepād duṣṭe tvaṃ mā durge garvamā vaha । anyāsāṃ balamā śritya yuddhyase yā ti māninī

Meaning: 'O Durga, you are full of pride of strength. Do not exhibit it here! Though you are extremely arrogant, You resort the strength of others to fight!'

Devi Durga then replies..

एकै वा हं जगत्य त्र द्वितीया का ममा परा । पश्यै ता दुष्ट मय्येव विशन्त्यो मद् विभूतयः 

ekai vā haṃ jagatya tra dvitīyā kā mamā parā । paśyai tā duṣṭa mayyeva viśantyo mad vibhūtayaḥ 

Meaning: It is me alone in this Universe. Who else is there beside me? Look, O unpleasant one, these Matrikas are my Own powers, entering into my Own Self!

ततः समस्तास् ता देव्यो ब्रह्माणी प्रमुखा लयम् । तस्या देव्यास् तनौ जग्मुरे कै वा सीत् तदाम्बिका

tataḥ samastās tā devyo brahmāṇī pramukhā layam । tasyā devyās tanau jagmure kai vā sīt tadāmbikā

Meaning: Then all the Matrikas ( Brahmani and the rest ) merged into the being of Devi. Then, Ambika alone remained...

So it is Devi Herself who is the manifest variations of the Mothers who fought the Asuras.

This truth has been beautifully expressed in the Rig Veda. There is Devi Sukta which was received by Rishika Vāgāmbhṛṇī which speaks about Devi as being the absolute consciousness..

This entire portion of Rig Veda ( Sukta 125, Mandala 10 ) speaks on How Devi alone empowers and provides energy to every entity and aspect of the Universe. It is Devi who pervades the Universe. Every being can only eat or even breath due to Devi. She is the queen who governs the Universe. Everything is Her form..

Video: Devi Sukta, Rig Veda with meaning, recited by student Shravanthi & Me

READ MORE: 

(1) Word-to-word meaning and commentary on Devi Suktam