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Long time ago there ruled a Daitya named Danu. He had two sons - Rambh and Karambh. None of them had any son so they decided to please their Yaksh Deity Maalvat. Rambh sat amidst Panchaagni and Karambh sat inside waters. For eliminating Karambh (sitting in water), Vishnu assumed the form of a crocodile and devoured him. Seeing this Rambh got very disappointed and wanted to end his life, that Agni (or Brahmaa Jee) met him on the way and stopped him doing so. In consolation Rambh asked for a son who could not be defeated by any Devtaa, or human being or animal, from Agni Dev.

Now he could get this son only from a female whom he met immediately after this meeting, fell in love with, and wedded. So as he was returning, he met a young she-buffalo on his way. She tempted him and out of love he wedded her. (For its background information read Dattaatreya-5). When she had conceived, he hid her in Paataal Lok to protect her from her fellow he-buffaloes. However a mighty he-buffalo chased her, but when Rambh came to her rescue, that he-buffalo killed him. His wife buffalo burnt herself on his pyre, but the child came out alive from the fire and Rambh too came alive. [Vaaman Puraan, 17th Chapter; and Devee Bhaagvat, 5th Skandh] The child was named as Mahish, being born from a she-buffalo and the re-born Rambh was named Raktbeej. According to Agni Dev's Var the child became invincible and Raktbeej became his minister.

Thus Rambh had a son named Mahish from a she-buffalo and Karambh already had a daughter named Mahishee. After Devee had killed Mahish, Mahishee's cousin, she undertook a severe penance in order to take revenge on the Devtaa, and got a Var that she should be killed only by the child born from the union of Vishnu and Shiv.

Read Further:  Mahishaasur,  Raktbeej

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