The Tale of Nine Incarnations
Mahasarswati
Once upon a time, demons known as Shumbh and Nishumbh, defeated mortals and immortals in a long fierce battle. When the immortals noticed they could not win, they ran away from the battle and worshipped lord Vishnu, who was pleased by their hymns. To defend them lord Vishnu produced a flame from his divine body. The flame then took the shape of a beautiful woman called Mahasarswati. Enchanted by her divine beauty, the demons sent their sargeant. Surgriva to her, with a message of marriage. Mahasarswati accepted their proposal with a condition if they could win her in the battle field. Shumbh and Nishumbha sent their General Dumraaksha to bring her forcibly, who was slaughtered by the goodess.
A good number of his army-men were also killed by the goddess. After that, a demon called 'Rak-tabeej' was sent to bring the goddess forcibly, so that the commanders could marry her. 'Raktabeej' fought a fierce battle. He had been gifted with a boon by which his blood-drops falling on the earth were converted to the new demons instantly. The goddess then produced two yoginies-i.e. mates-these were called Ajay and Vijay. They drank the blood of the demon ion the battle field the earth, when the goddess beheaded the demon. In the end, Shumbh and Nishumbh were also killed by the goddess.
Yogmaya
The famous epic 'Bhagwata Purana' depicts the story of goddess Yogmaya as follows:
In Dwapra Age, king Kansa ruled over Mathura and the adjoing states, Some astrologers of the reign, forecast his end at the hands of the 8th son born to his own real sister Devaki, who was already wedded to king Vasudev. Therefore, Kansa imprisoned Vasudev & Devaki, and snatched away their each offspring to kill them mercilessly. Devaki became pregnant for the 8th time now. She was confined ti tge jail under strict supervision of the guards. Outside, it was raining torrentially that night when Devaki delivered her 8th son Krishna. At the same time goddess 'yogmaya' was born to Ma Yashoda, in the town of Gokula. It was through the powers of yogmaya that all guards of Mathura-Jail became drowsy and King exchanged his son secretly with the instant born daughter of Yashoda, in Gokula. He came back to Devaki in the jails and placed Yogmaya there. Kansa entered in the morning and snatched the daughter from his sister's hands, tried to fly away in the skies & assumed the shape of a goddess. There was a loud broadcast "O' King you can not escape your death! Devaki's 8th son is growing in Gokula".
The same goddess Yogmaya helped Lored Krishna in killing Kansa, Charmera, Putna and other mighty demons. The goddess is supposed to live with Lord Krishna in the forms of Yogvidya and Mahavidya.
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