The Hindu Goddess Durga was the original demon-slayer. As this sandstone carving made about 750 CE (from India) shows, she has a multitude of weapons that help her take down her opponents – in this case, the buffalo-demon Mahishasuramardini. The legend goes that the buffalo demon – who represents ignorance – was destroying the whole world, and none of the male deities could kill it. So the Gods made Durga and each armed her with their own weapons – you can Durga stabbing the trident of Shiva into Mahishasuamardini’s back. Notice that the Goddess has her thumb in the bull’s teeth: it is her own power that brings the demon down. Generally, the Divine Goddess represents the active force in the universe in Hindu theology.
