The goddess Durga is a warlike form of the Great Goddess. Durga is probably represented here in her form as Bhadrakali, a benevolent form of the goddess Kali, whose name means "time" and is therefore associated with death, change, and destruction. In the best‑known story about Durga, she destroys a buffalo demon, and in a dance celebrating her victory she rages out of control, shaking the worlds. Her husband, Shiva, lies down beneath her feet to absorb the impact of her dance. Upon realizing she is trampling her husband, Durga comes to her senses and restores peace.

Adapted from

• "Durga," in_ Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection,_ ed. Bonnie Pitman (Dallas: Dallas Museum of Art; New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2012), 100.

• Frederick M. Asher, "Durga," in The Arts of India, South East Asia, and the Himalayas, Anne R. Bromberg (Dallas: Dallas Museum of Art; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2013), 83.