Chandi - Legends

Legends

The origin of the Goddess is given in the second chapter of Devi Mahatmya.

"The great Goddess was born from the energies of the male divinities when the gods became impotent in the long-drawn-out battle with the asuras. All the energies of the Gods became united and became supernova, throwing out flames in all directions. Then that unique light, pervading the Three Worlds with its lustre, combined into one, and became a female form."

"The Devi projected an overwhelming omnipotence. The three eyed goddess was adorned with the crescent moon. Her multiple arms held auspicious weapons and emblems, jewels and ornaments, garments and utensils, garlands and rosaries of beads, all offered by the gods. With her golden body blazing with the splendour of a thousand suns, seated on her lion vehicle, Chandi is one of the most spectacular of all personifications of Cosmic energy."

In other scriptures, Chandi is portrayed as "assisting" Kali in her battle with demon Raktabija. While Kali drank Raktabija's blood, which created new demons on falling on the ground; Chandi would desstroy the armies of demons created from his blood and finally killed Raktabija himself. In Skanda Purana, this story is retold and another story of Chandika killing demons Chanda and Manda is added.
There are various more stories regarding the incarnation of Devi Chandi or Chandika.
She is considered as Kaatyayini (Durga) itself, who had killed Mahishasura as well as Shumbha Nishumbha
According to Markandeya Purana, When Indra and the other gods were praying to Goddess Mahasaraswati, to relief them from the atterocities of Demons Shumbha and Nishumbha, Goddess Parvati (Maha Gauri) happened to hear their prayers. Out of curiosity, She asked them that whom are they addressing to in their prayers. From the body of the Goddess, a female came into existence and that was Devi Chandika. Chandika was also addressed as Ambika. Her actual name is believed to be Chandraghanta, one of the nine forms of Durga i.e. one of the Navdurgas. She has a third eye, through the eyebrows of which, Goddess Chamunda had manifested to kill demons Chand and Mund and later, the great demon Rakthbeej too, was killed by Kali. Chandika had slayed demons Dumralochan, Shumbha and Nishumbha.
According to Matsya Purana and as shown in one of the best known Indian TV serial Om Namah Shivaya, Goddess Parvati had done penance to please Lord Brahma. And as a reward for the penance, She requested for the recovery of her fair complexion as She had become dark by Shiva's magic. Brahma gave the desired boon and The darkness of the Goddess got separated from her and took form of another Goddess. That Goddess was addressed as the daughter of Parvati and as she had taken birth from the Kaushik (dark cell) of her mother, she was named as Kaushiki . Kaushiki had incarnated for the killing of the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha, who had got a boon that they would be killed by anjanmi (unborn) girl. And as Kaushiki had not taken any biological birth from her mother, She was the Ajanma girl according to the boon and also she had super natural powers, being the daughter of Goddess Shakti i.e. Parvati. Parvati, being a concerned mother, took part in the war against the demons. Henceforth, Parvati incarnated as Chandika, Chamunda and Kalika to kill the demons Dumralochan, Chanda & Munda and Rakthbeej respectively. These demons were sent by Shumbha and Nishumbha, who were finally killed by Kaushiki in her divine form. After the war, Kaushiki got merged into the body of her mother.