Divine Retribution In Hinduism
1. Durga
📚Skanda Purana 1.3a.11.27📚
Then, the Goddess who tormented Mahiṣa, cut off his head with a sharp-edged sword and stood on his head and danced.” (source)
2. Kali
📚Devi Bhagavatam Purana 5.26.62-65📚
Vyāsa said :– O King! Hearing thus the words of Ambikā, Kālikā spoke to Her again :– “In this war-sacrifice there is this axe which is like a sacrificial post; I will offer these two as victims to Thy sacrifice. Thus no act of envy will be committed (i.e., killing in a sacrifice is not considered as envy).” Thus saying, the Kālikā Devī cut off their heads with great force and gladly drank their blood. Thus seeing the two Asuras killed, Ambikā said gladly :– Thou hast done the service to the gods; so I will give Thee an excellent boon. O Kālikā! As Thou hast killed Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa, henceforth Thou wilt be renowned in this world as Cāmuṇḍā.” (source)
3. Vishnu
📚Shrimad Bhagavatam 8.10.57📚
Thereafter, two very powerful demons named Mäli and Sumält were killed by the Supreme Lord, who severed their heads with His disc. Then Malyavan, another demon, attacked the Lord. With his sharp club, the demon, who was roaring like a lion, attacked Garuda, the lord of the birds, who are born from eggs. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original person, used His disc to cut off the head of that enemy also.” (source)
📚Mahabharata 3.202.35📚
Markandeya continued, ‘Then Govinda began to reflect but uncovered space found he none and when he could not discover any spot that was uncovered on earth or in the sky, that foremost Deity then beheld his thighs to be absolutely uncovered. And there, O king, the illustrious Deity cut off the heads of Madhu and Kaitabha with his keenedged discus!” (source)
4. Krishna
📚Shrimad Bhagavatam 10.59.14📚
The Lord severed the heads, thighs, arms, legs and armor of these opponents led by Pīṭha and sent them all to the abode of Yamarāja. Narakāsura, the son of the earth, could not contain his fury when he saw the fate of his military leaders. Thus he went out of the citadel with elephants born from the Milk Ocean who were exuding mada from their foreheads out of excitement.” (source)
📚Shiva Purana 2.5.55.30📚
At the bidding of Śiva, lord Kṛṣṇa, the destroyer of heroic enemies, chopped off several arms of Bāṇa by means of Sudarśana.” (source)
📚Harivamsa Purana 2.85.62📚
O Janamejaya, while thus slain by Narayana Krishna the Asuras, stricken with fear, rose up into the sky. O Lord, as soon as they rose up into the sky Jayanta and Pravara killed them all with arrows burning like fire. At that time the heads of the Asuras, fell down on earth like palm fruits from the tree.” (source)
5. Mahamaya
📚Devi Bhagavatam 5.14.40-56📚
Mahā Māyā then, became very angry and began to hurl arrows after arrows so incessantly that all the armours of all the Dānavas became pierced and were cut down to pieces.” (source)
6. Ram
📚Valmiki Ramayana 3.26.13-15📚
While Duushana came falling on, he that Raghava sheared off his shoulders that have wrist-ornaments on his arms with two arrows. When Duushana’s arms are thus sheared in the van of war, his gigantic mace slipped and spun in his own front, like the flagstaff with flag raised in honour of Indra, and collapsed. With both of his arms strewn around Duushana fell down onto earth like a haughty and gigantic elephant when both of its tusks are broken down. On seeing Duushana eliminated and fallen to ground, all the beings have applauded Rama saying, ‘good, good…”’ (source)
7. Chandika
📚Devi Bhagavatam 5.30.37-64📚
Vyāsa said :– O King! Thus saying the Caṇḍikā Devī instantly cut off the head of Niśumbha by Her axe with great caution. The head thus severed from the body by the blow of the Devī, the headless Demon began to roam there with great force with club in his hand. The Devas then got very much frightened; The Devī, then, cut off the hands and feet of that headless Demon with sharpened arrows. That vicious wretch fell down lifeless, on the ground like a mountain.” (source)
8. Methods to Intimidate the Enemies
📚Agni Purana 234.8-16📚
I shall describe the strategies of illusion (to be practised by a king):….Severed heads of the enemy should be exhibited on (the terrace of) palaces…” (source)