Killing the Kafir by Hindu Gods in Vedas

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.

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.

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.

📖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!

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.

📖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.

📖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.

📖Shrimad Bhagavatam 10.41.36-37
Fools, get out of here quickly! Don’t beg like this if You want to stay alive. When someone is too bold, the King’s men arrest him and kill him and take all his property. As the washerman thus spoke brazenly, the son of Devaki became angry, and then merely with His fingertips He separated the man’s head from his body.

📖Padma Purana 6.252.13-20
All those, protected by Kṛṣṇa, having saluted and praised Kṛṣṇa, went to their respective countries. Then, going to Indraprastha with the two (i.e. Bhīma and Arjuna), Kṛṣṇa made Yudhiṣṭhira perform the Rājasūya sacrifice. There, after the sacrifice was over, the chief honour was given to Kṛṣṇa with the consent of Bhīṣma. There Śiśupāla spoke many abusive words to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa too cut off his head with the Sudarśana (disc).

📖Shrimad Bhagavatham 10.74.39-44
Upon hearing such intolerable blasphemy of the Lord, several members of the assembly covered their ears and walked out, angrily cursing the King of Cedi. Anyone who fails to immediately leave the place where he hears criticism of the Supreme Lord or His faithful devotee will certainly fall down, bereft of his pious credit. Then the sons of Pändu became furious, and together with the warriors of the Matsya, Kaikaya and Srijaya clans, they rose up from their seats with weapons poised, ready to kill Sisupala. Undaunted, Sisupala then took up his sword and shield in the midst of all the assembled kings, O Bhärata, and hurled insults at those who sided with Lord Krsna. At that point the Supreme Lord stood up and checked His devotees. He then angrily sent forth His razor-sharp disc and severed the head of His enemy as he was attacking. When Sisupäla was thus killed, a great roar and howl went up from the crowd. Taking advantage of that disturbance, the few kings who were supporters of Sisupala quickly left the assembly out of fear for their lives.

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.

• Mahamaya is Supreme Great Goddess. She is infinite, birthless, deathless, beyond time and space, beyond from all. Mahamaya is Goddess Mahalakshmi. Mata Lakshmi is supreme great Goddess

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.

7. Chandika

📖Devi Bhagavatam 5.30.37-6
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.

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.

8. Hanuman

📖Valmiki Ramayana 5.54.24-28
The demons, who were running hither and thither to protect their houses and who lost their spirits and abundant wealth, created a tumultuous nose, saying “Alas! The fire-god has come really in a form of this monkey! Some women crying and carrying their suckling’s with their hair dishevelled, fell down from their houses, which were enveloped with fire, and shone like flashes of lightning falling from clouds in the sky. As the fire does not get satisfied with any amount of firewood and straw fed to it, Hanuma was not wearied in killing any number of demons. The earth was not then wearied in receiving the number of demons killed by Hanuma (in her lap).

📖Shiva Purana 2.5.10.35-36
Other Asuras too, children and old men were completely burnt out, O Vyāsa, at the bidding of Śiva and speedily reduced to ashes. Just as the universe is burnt at the end of a Kalpa so also every thing and every one there, whether woman or man or vehicles, was reduced to ashes by that fire.

9. Indra

📖Shiva Purana 2.3.14.8-14
My son Marici begot Kasyapa who married thirteen daughters of Daksa. The eldest of them Diti bore two sons: Hiranyakasipu the elder and Hiranyaksa the younger. When these two began to harass the gods, Visnu assumed the forms of Man lion and Boar and killed them. Then gods became fearless and happy. The distressed Diti sought refuge in Kasyapa and serving him with devotion and observing the sacred rites she conceived. On coming to know of it, Indra entered her womb forcibly and cut it off many a time with his thunderbolt. By the power of her sacred rites, the child in the womb did not die as she was sleeping at that time, by a stroke of good luck. They were cut into seven pieces and so she had seven sons. These sons became gods by the name of Maruts.

📖Devi Bhagavatam Purana 6.2.1-11
Vyāsa said :– The extremely covetous Indra, then, mounted on his Airāvata elephant and determined to kill the Muni. He went to him and saw him immersed in deep Samādhi, firmly seated in his posture and with his speech controlled. At that time, a halo of light emanated from his body and he looked like a second Sun and a blazing fire. Indra became very sad and dejected when he saw that. Indra then thought within himself thus :– “Oh! Can I slay this Muni, free from any vicious inclinations, and endowed with the power of Tapas, blazing like a fire! This is quite against the Dharma. But, Alas! He wants to usurp my position; how can I, then, neglect such an enemy?” Thus cogitating, Indra hurled at the Muni his swift going, infallible thunderbolt, the Muni remaining engaged in his penance and shining like the Sun and Moon. The ascetic, struck thus, fell on the ground and died, like a mountain peak struck by thunder falling on the ground and presenting a wondrous sight. Indra became very glad when he killed the Muni.

📖Devi Bhagavatam Purana 6.2.1-14
Indra, then, went back soon to his own abode; on the other hand, the high-souled Muni, though killed, looked as it were, living by the lustre of his own body. Indra, then, seeing him lying like a living man thought that the Muni might get alive and so became very sad. While he was thus arguing in his mind, he saw before him a wood cutter named Takṣa and began to speak to him for his own selfish ends thus “O Artisan! Cut all the heads of this Muni and keep my word; this highly lustrous Muni is looking as it were alive; therefore, if you sever his heads, he cannot be alive.” Takṣa then cursed him and spoke thus. “O King of the Devas! The neck of this Muni is very big and therefore cannot be severed; my axe is not at all fit for this work . Specially I cannot do such a blameable act. You have done a very heinous crime, quite against the law of the good persons; I fear sin; I will not be able to cut the heads of a dead man. This Muni is lying dead; what use is there in severing his head again? O Pākaśāsana! The killer of the demon Pāka! Why do you fear in this?

📖Devi Bhagavatam Purana 6.1.1-12
The powerful Vritra entered into a treaty and kept himself peaceful when Indra and Viṣṇu violated truth and treacherously killed him by Jalaphena (the watery foams).

📖Padma Purana 2.24.34-51
He thought of a stratagem to kill him. He sent Rambha (after telling her:) “With this or that trick, delude the great demon. O auspicious one, do that to delude the great demon, so that by killing him I shall get happiness.”Very wise Vrtra, confiding (in Indra) in all matters, and knowing Indra to be a great friend, was not afraid of him. Moving (i.e. he moved) in the great auspicious forest…Vrtra, having come there, saw that Rambha, with charming, large eyes with his mind full of sexual desire.

📖Padma Purana 2.25.11-20
O you beautiful lady, I have sought your shelter. Protect me from the (disturbance caused by) sexual desire. O you of large eyes, resort to me, who am, O dear one, distressed by sexual desire. There is no doubt that today I shall submit myself to you; O hero, you should do whatever I tell you to do. “O you noble one, let it be so; I shall do all that (you will tell me to do).” Having thus established a relation with her, the very powerful best demon enjoyed in that very meritorious forest. The great demon was very much stupefied by her singing, dancing, charming smile and sexual intercourse (with her). She said to that noble and best demon: “(Please) drink wine; (please) drink madhu-mādhavī (a kind of intoxicating drink).” He said to that Rambhā of large eyes and of a moonlike face: “O good lady, I am a brāhmaṇa’s son, who has mastered the Vedas and the Vedāṅgas. How shall I drink wine (an act) that is condemned?” But that respectable lady Rambhā lovingly gave wine to him against his will. Due to civility for her he drank wine at that time. When he was extremely stupefied by the wine, and lost his senses, just then Indra struck him with his thunderbolt. Then that killer of Vṛtra (i.e. Indra) was tainted with such sins as killing a brāhmaṇa. Then the brāhmaṇas said: “O Indra, you have committed a sin.

📖Mahabharata 9.43.32-46
Vaishampayana said, “Listen to that history, O ruler of men! Hear of those occurrences as they happened! Hear how Vasava, in days of yore, broke his treaty with Namuchi! The Asura Namuchi, from fear of Vasava, had entered a ray of the Sun. Indra then made friends with Namuchi and entered into a covenant with him, saying, ‘O foremost of Asuras, I shall not slay you, O friend, with anything that is wet or with anything that is dry! I shall not slay you in the night or in the day! I swear this to you by truth. Having made this covenant, the lord Indra one day beheld a fog. He then, O king, cut off Namuchi’s head, using the foam of water (as his weapon). The severed head of Namuchi thereupon pursued Indra from behind, saying unto him from a near point these words, ‘O slayer of a friend, O wretch!’ Urged on incessantly by that head, Indra repaired to the Grandsire and informed him, in grief, of what had occurred. The Supreme Lord of the universe said unto him, ‘Performing a sacrifice, bathe with due rites, O chief of the celestials, in Aruna, that tirtha which saves from the fear of sin!

📖Rig Veda 1.101.1
Offer adoration with oblations to him who is delighted (with praise), who, with Ṛjiśvan, destroyed the pregnant wives of Kṛṣṇa; desirous of protection, we invoke, to become our friend, him, who is the showerer (of benefits), who holds the thunderbolt in his right hand, attended by the Maruts.

📖Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.17.15
Thereafter, Bṛhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods, offered oblations in the fire so that the sons of Rajī would fall from moral principles. When they fell, Lord Indra killed them easily because of their degradation. Not a single one of them remained alive

10. Parshuram

📖Shrimad Bhagavatam 9.15.14
Learned scholars accept this Paraśurāma as the celebrated incarnation of Vāsudeva who annihilated the dynasty of Kārtavīrya. Paraśurāma killed all the kṣatriyas on earth twenty-one times.

11. Ram and Lakshman

📖Valmiki Ramayana 3.18.20-21
She is freakish, knavish and overtly ruttish, oh, tigerly man, it will be apt of you to deface this paunchy demoness” Thus Rama said to Lakshmana. Thus said to that mighty Lakshmana he infuriately drew sword and chopped off her ears and nose before the very eyes of Rama.

📖Valmiki Ramayana 3.69.15-17
Closeting Soumitri in her embrace she told him this sentence, “I am Ayomukhi, by my name… you won me by your heroic personality, by that way, none can win me over… thus, you alone are my lover… oh, hero, oh, my husband… you will romance with me on mountaintops, in rivers, and on sandy isles, till the end of this life…” So is the love prattle of that demoness Ayomukhi. When said that way that enemy- suppressor Lakshmana became furious, and upraising his sword he sheared off her nose, one ear, and one of her breasts.

📖Shrimad Bhagavatam 10.47.17
Like a hunter, He cruelly shot the king of the monkeys with arrows. Because He was conquered by a woman, He disfigured another woman who came to Him with lusty desires. And even after consuming the gifts of Bali Mahārāja, He bound him up with ropes as if he were a crow. So let us give up all friendship with this dark-complexioned boy, even if we can’t give up talking about Him.

References: 

1. Reference: Skanda Purana 1.3a.11.27
2. Reference: Devi Bhagavatam Purana 5.26.62-65
3. Reference: Shrimad Bhagavatam 8.10.57
4. Reference: Mahabharata 3.202.35
5. Reference: Shrimad Bhagavatam 10.59.14
6. Reference: Shiva Purana 2.5.55.30
7. Reference: Harivamsa Purana 2.85.62
8. Reference : Shrimad Bhagavatam 10.41.36-37
9. Reference: Padma Purana 6.252.13-20
10. Reference: Shrimad Bhagavatham 10.74.39-44
11. Reference: Devi Bhagavatam 5.14.40-56
12. Reference: Valmiki Ramayana 3.26.13-15
13. Reference: Devi Bhagavatam 5.30.37-64
14. Reference: Agni Purana 234.8-16
15. Reference: Valmiki Ramayana 5.54.24-28
16. Reference: Shiva Purana 2.5.10.35-36
17. Reference: Shiva Purana 2.3.14.8-14
18. Reference: Devi Bhagavatam Purana 6.2.1-11
19. Reference: Devi Bhagavatam Purana 6.2.1-14
20. Reference: Devi Bhagavatam Purana 6.1.1-12
21. Reference: Padma Purana 2.24.34-51
22. Reference: Padma Purana 2.25.11-20
23. Reference: Mahabharata 9.43.32-46
24. Reference: Rig Veda 1.101.1
25. Reference: Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.17.15
26. Reference: Shrimad Bhagavatam 9.15.14
27. Reference: Valmiki Ramayana 3.18.20-21
28. Reference: Valmiki Ramayana 3.69.15-17
29. Reference: Shrimad Bhagavatam 10.47.17