The form Mother Goddess Durga took to kill buffalo-headed-demon Mahisha is referred as the Mahishasuramardini form. This form of Durga is beyond imagination. Words cannot capture the Mahishasuramardini form. But as we humans are used to forms, ancient sages of Hinduism gave a form to the unimaginable form. Below is a picture to help learn how to draw Mahishasuramardini form of Goddess Durga.
Demon Mahisha threatened the cosmic order. Demi gods, human beings and all living beings were helpless and they requested Mother Goddess Durga to subdue him.
To defeat the demon, the power of each god was given to Goddess Durga. Armed with the weapons of the gods, including Shiva's trident and Vishnu's discus, Durga rode out on her lion and defeated Mahisha in the battle.
In most of the Mahishasuramardini form, demon Mahisha appears from the severed neck of the buffalo as a man with a sword and shield. Durga carries two quivers of arrows over her shoulder, and holds a sword and trident with which she kills the demon. Her lion-mount joins in the fight, biting Mahisha's leg. The energy and activity of the demon and the lion contrast with Durga, who is calm and serene as she defeats the demon.
In most of the Mahishasuramardini form, demon Mahisha appears from the severed neck of the buffalo as a man with a sword and shield. Durga carries two quivers of arrows over her shoulder, and holds a sword and trident with which she kills the demon. Her lion-mount joins in the fight, biting Mahisha's leg. The energy and activity of the demon and the lion contrast with Durga, who is calm and serene as she defeats the demon.
The number of hands of Mahishasuramardini Durga varies from murti to murti. There are four, eight, ten, twelve and eighteen armed murtis. All hands hold a weapon. In majority of the figures, Durga kills the demon with a trident.
Related
Story of Goddess Durga defeating demon Mahisha
Regular Mahishasuramardini Drawings that you see online are not based on scriptures like the below one:
Drawing of Mahishasuramardini based on Scriptures
Story of Goddess Durga defeating demon Mahisha