Dushana is the name of two demons in Hindu religions
stories. One is mentioned in the epic Ramayana and the other is associated with
the Ujjain Mahakaleshwar Temple.
In the Ramayana, Dushana was one of the generals of Ravana.
He was the companion of Khara, brother of Ravana. Dushana along with Khara
attacked Rama in retaliation of cutting of the nose of Surpanakha, sister of
Ravana. The demon was killed by Rama in the Dandaka forest.
Dushana, another powerful demon, lived during the Satya Yuga
in the Ratnamala hills near Avanti, the present day Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh.
He killed all the living beings that came across his way. He ate the flesh of
human beings. The people in the region were terrified and took the help of a
pious Shiva devotee meditating in a cave on the hills. To defeat cannibal
Dushana, he performed intense austerities with Shiva in mind. Soon Shiva
appeared on the Ratnamala hills and annihilated the demon.
The pious Shiva devotee and the people of the region
requested Shiva to stay on the hill and protect them. She accepted the request
of the people and took the form of Mahakala and appeared in the form of
Jyotirlinga in the Ujjain Mahakaleshwar Temple.