Vamana Purana — Manifestation of Katyayani, Shloka 36
The Manifestation of Katyayani (Durga) and the Humbling of the Vindhya by Agastya
एवं त्वगस्त्येन महाचलेन्द्रः स नीचशृङ्गे हि कृतो महर्षे तस्योर्ध्वशृङ्गे मुनिसंस्तुता सा दुर्गा स्थिता दानवनाशनार्थम्
evaṃ tvagastyena mahācalendraḥ sa nīcaśṛṅge hi kṛto maharṣe tasyordhvaśṛṅge munisaṃstutā sā durgā sthitā dānavanāśanārtham
Thus, by Agastya, that great lord of mountains was indeed made to have a low peak, O great sage. Upon its higher summit, the Goddess Durgā—praised by sages—was established for the purpose of destroying the Dānavas.
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FAQs
Protection of the world is portrayed as a coordinated dharmic order: sages restrain disorder through tapas, and the Devī safeguards creation by removing demonic oppression.
Carita/Vamśānucarita-type material embedded in a tīrtha-mahātmya: it explains why a place becomes sacred (Devī’s abiding) and connects geography to cosmic history.
The ‘lowered peak’ signifies checked arrogance; the Devī on the ‘higher summit’ represents transcendent protective power stationed at a liminal height—an image of dharma watching over the world.