r̥ṣiruvāca . 1 .
The Rishi said:
caṇḍe ca nihate daitye muṇḍe ca vinipātite . bahuleṣu ca sainyeṣu kṣayiteṣvasureśvaraḥ . 2 .
When the daitya Chanda had been slain and Munda struck down, and many of his armies destroyed, the lord of the asuras —
tataḥ kopaparādhīnacetāḥ śumbhaḥ pratāpavān . udyogaṁ sarvasainyānāṁ daityānāmādideśa ha . 3 .
the mighty Shumbha, his mind given over to anger, commanded all the daitya armies to make ready for war.
adya sarvabalairdaityāḥ ṣaḍaśītirudāyudhāḥ . kambūnāṁ caturaśītirniryāntu svabalairvr̥tāḥ . 4 .
‘Today let the eighty-six Udayudha chiefs of the daityas march out with all their forces, and the eighty-four of the Kambus, each surrounded by his own army.’
koṭivīryāṇi pañcāśadasurāṇāṁ kulāni vai . śataṁ kulāni dhaumrāṇāṁ nirgacchantu mamājñayā . 5 .
‘Let the fifty asura clans of the Kotiviryas and the hundred clans of the Dhaumras go forth at my command.’
kālakā daurhr̥dā mauryāḥ kālakeyāstathāsurāḥ . yuddhāya sajjā niryāntu ājñayā tvaritā mama . 6 .
‘Let the asuras called Kalakas, Daurhridas, Mauryas and Kalakeyas, armed for battle, march out swiftly at my command.’
ityājñāpyāsurapatiḥ śumbho bhairavaśāsanaḥ . nirjagāma mahāsainyasahasrairbahubhirvr̥taḥ . 7 .
Having given these orders, Shumbha, the lord of the asuras, dreadful in his rule, went out surrounded by many thousands of great armies.
āyāntaṁ caṇḍikā dr̥ṣṭvā tat sainyamatibhīṣaṇam . jyāsvanaiḥ pūrayāmāsa dharaṇīgaganāntaram . 8 .
Seeing that most dreadful army approach, Chandika filled the space between earth and sky with the twang of Her bowstring.
tataḥ siṁho mahānādamatīva kr̥tavān nr̥pa . ghaṇṭāsvanena tannādamambikā copabr̥ṁhayat . 9 .
Then, O king, Her lion gave a mighty roar, and Ambika swelled that roar with the ringing of Her bell.
dhanurjyāsiṁhaghaṇṭānāṁ nādāpūritadiṅmukhā . ninādairbhīṣaṇaiḥ kālī jigye vistāritānanā . 10 .
When bowstring, lion and bell had filled every quarter with sound, Kali, opening Her mouth wide, rose above them all with Her own terrible roars.
taṁ ninādamupaśrutya daityasainyaiścaturdiśam . devī siṁhastathā kālī saroṣaiḥ parivāritāḥ . 11 .
Hearing that uproar, the daitya armies closed in from all four sides in fury, surrounding the Devi, the lion and Kali.
etasminnantare bhūpa vināśāya suradviṣām . bhavāyāmarasiṁhānāmativīryabalānvitāḥ . 12 .
Meanwhile, O king, for the destruction of the enemies of the gods and for the good of those lions among the immortals, the shaktis, great in valour and strength —
brahmeśaguhaviṣṇūnāṁ tathendrasya ca śaktayaḥ . śarīrebhyo viniṣkramya tadrūpaiścaṇḍikāṁ yayuḥ . 13 .
the shaktis of Brahma, Shiva, Guha (Kartikeya), Vishnu and Indra — came forth from their bodies and went to Chandika, each in the form of the god She came from.
yasya devasya yadrūpaṁ yathā bhūṣaṇavāhanam . tadvadeva hi tacchaktirasurān yoddhumāyayau . 14 .
Whatever form each god had, with his very ornaments and mount, in just that form his shakti came to fight the asuras.
haṁsayuktavimānāgre sākṣasūtrakamaṇḍaluḥ . āyātā brahmaṇaḥ śaktirbrahmāṇī sābhidhīyate . 15 .
Brahma's shakti came seated in a chariot drawn by swans, bearing a rosary and a water-pot; She is called Brahmani.
māheśvarī vr̥ṣārūḍhā triśūlavaradhāriṇī . mahāhivalayā prāptā candrarekhāvibhūṣaṇā . 16 .
Maheshwari came riding a bull, holding a fine trident, with great serpents for bracelets and the crescent moon for Her ornament.
kaumārī śaktihastā ca mayūravaravāhanā . yoddhumabhyāyayau daityānambikā guharūpiṇī . 17 .
Kaumari, spear in hand and riding a splendid peacock, came to fight the daityas: Ambika in the form of Guha.
tathaiva vaiṣṇavī śaktirgaruḍopari saṁsthitā . śaṅkhacakragadāśārṅgakhaḍgahastābhyupāyayau . 18 .
So too Vaishnavi, the shakti of Vishnu, came seated on Garuda, with conch, discus, mace, the Sharnga bow and a sword in Her hands.
yajñavārāhamatulaṁ rūpaṁ yā bibhrato hareḥ . śaktiḥ sāpyāyayau tatra vārāhīṁ bibhratī tanum . 19 .
The shakti of Hari, who takes the matchless form of the sacrificial boar, came there too, bearing a boar's body.
nārasiṁhī nr̥siṁhasya bibhratī sadr̥śaṁ vapuḥ . prāptā tatra saṭākṣepakṣiptanakṣatrasaṁhatiḥ . 20 .
Narasimhi came there bearing a body like Narasimha's, the tossing of Her mane scattering the hosts of stars.
vajrahastā tathaivaindrī gajarājopari sthitā . prāptā sahasranayanā yathā śakrastathaiva sā . 21 .
So too came Aindri, thunderbolt in hand, seated on the king of elephants, with a thousand eyes: as Indra is, so was She.
tataḥ parivr̥tastābhirīśāno devaśaktibhiḥ . hanyantāmasurāḥ śīghraṁ mama prītyā''ha caṇḍikām . 22 .
Then Shiva, surrounded by these shaktis of the gods, said to Chandika: ‘Let the asuras be slain at once, for My gladness.’
tato devīśarīrāttu viniṣkrāntātibhīṣaṇā . caṇḍikāśaktiratyugrā śivāśataninādinī . 23 .
Then from the Devi's body came forth the shakti of Chandika Herself, most terrible and fierce, howling like a hundred jackals.
sā cāha dhūmrajaṭilamīśānamaparājitā . dūta tvaṁ gaccha bhagavan pārśvaṁ śumbhaniśumbhayoḥ . 24 .
That unconquered Devi said to Shiva of the smoke-grey matted locks: ‘O Bhagwan, go as My messenger to Shumbha and Nishumbha.’
brūhi śumbhaṁ niśumbhaṁ ca dānavāvatigarvitau . ye cānye dānavāstatra yuddhāya samupasthitāḥ . 25 .
‘Tell Shumbha and Nishumbha, those two exceedingly proud danavas, and whatever other danavas are gathered there for battle:’
trailokyamindro labhatāṁ devāḥ santu havirbhujaḥ . yūyaṁ prayāta pātālaṁ yadi jīvitumicchatha . 26 .
‘Let Indra have the three worlds, and let the devas receive the offerings of the yajna. Go down to Patala, if you wish to live.’
balāvalepādatha cedbhavanto yuddhakāṅkṣiṇaḥ . tadāgacchata tr̥pyantu macchivāḥ piśitena vaḥ . 27 .
‘But if, in the pride of your strength, you long for battle, then come, and let My jackals be sated with your flesh.’
yato niyukto dautyena tayā devyā śivaḥ svayam . śivadūtīti loke'smiṁstataḥ sā khyātimāgatā . 28 .
Because that Devi appointed Shiva Himself as Her messenger, She became famed in this world as Shivaduti.
te'pi śrutvā vaco devyāḥ śarvākhyātaṁ mahāsurāḥ . amarṣāpūritā jagmuryatra kātyāyanī sthitā . 29 .
The great asuras, hearing the Devi's words as Sharva (Shiva) told them, were filled with rage and went to where Katyayani stood.
tataḥ prathamamevāgre śaraśaktyr̥ṣṭivr̥ṣṭibhiḥ . vavarṣuruddhatāmarṣāstāṁ devīmamarārayaḥ . 30 .
Then, swollen with fury, the enemies of the gods struck first, raining arrows, spears and lances upon the Devi.
sā ca tān prahitān bāṇāñchūlaśaktiparaśvadhān . ciccheda līlayā''dhmātadhanurmuktairmaheṣubhiḥ . 31 .
And She, as if at play, cut down the arrows, tridents, spears and axes they hurled, with great shafts loosed from Her ringing bow.
tasyāgratastathā kālī śūlapātavidāritān . khaṭvāṅgapothitāṁścārīn kurvatī vyacarattadā . 32 .
Then Kali went about the field before Her, piercing the enemies with the blows of Her spear and crushing them with Her skull-topped staff.
kamaṇḍalujalākṣepahatavīryān hataujasaḥ . brahmāṇī cākarocchatrūn yena yena sma dhāvati . 33 .
And wherever Brahmani ran, She sprinkled the water of Her water-pot on the enemies and robbed them of their valour and strength.
māheśvarī triśūlena tathā cakreṇa vaiṣṇavī . daityāñjaghāna kaumārī tathā śaktyātikopanā . 34 .
Maheshwari slew the daityas with Her trident, Vaishnavi with Her discus, and Kaumari, in great wrath, with Her spear.
aindrīkuliśapātena śataśo daityadānavāḥ . peturvidāritāḥ pr̥thvyāṁ rudhiraughapravarṣiṇaḥ . 35 .
Torn apart by the blows of Aindri's thunderbolt, daityas and danavas fell to the earth by the hundred, pouring out streams of blood.
tuṇḍaprahāravidhvastā daṁṣṭrāgrakṣatavakṣasaḥ . vārāhamūrtyā nyapataṁścakreṇa ca vidāritāḥ . 36 .
Shattered by the blows of Varahi's snout, their chests torn by the tips of Her tusks, and ripped by Her discus, they fell.
nakhairvidāritāṁścānyān bhakṣayantī mahāsurān . nārasiṁhī cacārājau nādāpūrṇadigambarā . 37 .
Narasimhi roamed the battle, devouring other great asuras torn open by Her claws, filling the quarters and the sky with Her roar.
caṇḍāṭṭahāsairasurāḥ śivadūtyabhidūṣitāḥ . petuḥ pr̥thivyāṁ patitāṁstāṁścakhādātha sā tadā . 38 .
Struck down by the fierce laughter of Shivaduti, asuras fell to the earth, and as they fell She devoured them.
iti mātr̥gaṇaṁ kruddhaṁ mardayantaṁ mahāsurān . dr̥ṣṭvā'bhyupāyairvividhairneśurdevārisainikāḥ . 39 .
Seeing the band of Mothers in their wrath crushing the great asuras by so many means, the soldiers of the gods' enemies fled.
palāyanaparān dr̥ṣṭvā daityān mātr̥gaṇārditān . yoddhumabhyāyayau kruddho raktabījo mahāsuraḥ . 40 .
Seeing the daityas, harried by the Mothers, bent on flight, the great asura Raktabija came forward in anger to fight.
raktabinduryadā bhūmau patatyasya śarīrataḥ . samutpatati medinyāṁ tatpramāṇo mahāsuraḥ . 41 .
Whenever a drop of blood fell from his body to the ground, a great asura of his own size sprang up from the earth.
yuyudhe sa gadāpāṇirindraśaktyā mahāsuraḥ . tataścaindrī svavajreṇa raktabījamatāḍayat . 42 .
That great asura fought Indra's shakti with a mace in his hand; then Aindri struck Raktabija with Her thunderbolt.
kuliśenāhatasyāśu bahu susrāva śoṇitam . samuttasthustato yodhāstadrūpāstatparākramāḥ . 43 .
Struck by the thunderbolt, he bled at once and freely, and from that blood rose warriors of his form and his valour.
yāvantaḥ patitāstasya śarīrādraktabindavaḥ . tāvantaḥ puruṣā jātāstadvīryabalavikramāḥ . 44 .
As many drops of blood as fell from his body, so many men were born, with his vigour, strength and prowess.
te cāpi yuyudhustatra puruṣā raktasambhavāḥ . samaṁ mātr̥bhiratyugraśastrapātātibhīṣaṇam . 45 .
And those men born of his blood fought the Mothers there, a battle made most dreadful by the fall of fierce weapons.
punaśca vajrapātena kṣatamasya śiro yadā . vavāha raktaṁ puruṣāstato jātāḥ sahasraśaḥ . 46 .
And when his head was wounded again by a blow of the thunderbolt, the blood flowed, and from it men were born in their thousands.
vaiṣṇavī samare cainaṁ cakreṇābhijaghāna ha . gadayā tāḍayāmāsa aindrī tamasureśvaram . 47 .
In the battle Vaishnavi struck him with Her discus, and Aindri beat that lord of asuras with a mace.
vaiṣṇavīcakrabhinnasya rudhirasrāvasambhavaiḥ . sahasraśo jagadvyāptaṁ tatpramāṇairmahāsuraiḥ . 48 .
From the blood that flowed when Vaishnavi's discus cut him, great asuras of his size were born in their thousands, and the world was filled with them.
śaktyā jaghāna kaumārī vārāhī ca tathāsinā . māheśvarī triśūlena raktabījaṁ mahāsuram . 49 .
Kaumari struck the great asura Raktabija with Her spear, Varahi with Her sword, and Maheshwari with Her trident.
sa cāpi gadayā daityaḥ sarvā evāhanat pr̥thak . mātaॄḥ kopasamāviṣṭo raktabījo mahāsuraḥ . 50 .
And Raktabija, that great asura, filled with rage, struck every one of the Mothers in turn with his mace.
tasyāhatasya bahudhā śaktiśūlādibhirbhuvi . papāta yo vai raktaughastenāsañchataśo'surāḥ . 51 .
Wounded again and again by spears, tridents and other weapons, he shed streams of blood upon the ground, and from them asuras arose in their hundreds.
taiścāsurāsr̥ksambhūtairasuraiḥ sakalaṁ jagat . vyāptamāsīttato devā bhayamājagmuruttamam . 52 .
The whole world was filled with those asuras born of the asura's blood, and the gods fell into the greatest fear.
tān viṣaṇṇān surān dr̥ṣṭvā caṇḍikā prāha satvarā . uvāca kālīṁ cāmuṇḍe vistīrṇaṁ vadanaṁ kuru . 53 .
Seeing the gods downcast, Chandika spoke swiftly to Kali: ‘O Chamunda, open Your mouth wide.’
macchastrapātasambhūtān raktabindūn mahāsurān . raktabindoḥ pratīccha tvaṁ vaktreṇānena veginā . 54 .
‘With this swift mouth of Yours, take in the drops of blood that fall at the stroke of My weapons, and the great asuras born of those drops.’
bhakṣayantī cara raṇe tadutpannān mahāsurān . evameṣa kṣayaṁ daityaḥ kṣīṇarakto gamiṣyati . 55 .
‘Range over the battlefield, devouring the great asuras born of it. So this daitya, his blood spent, will come to his end.’
bhakṣyamāṇāstvayā cogrā na cotpatsyanti cāpare . ityuktvā tāṁ tato devī śūlenābhijaghāna tam . 56 .
‘As You devour these fierce ones, no others will arise.’ Having said this to Her, the Devi then struck him with Her spear.
mukhena kālī jagr̥he raktabījasya śoṇitam . tato'sāvājaghānātha gadayā tatra caṇḍikām . 57 .
Kali took Raktabija's blood into Her mouth. Then he struck Chandika there with his mace,
na cāsyā vedanāṁ cakre gadāpāto'lpikāmapi . tasyāhatasya dehāttu bahu susrāva śoṇitam . 58 .
but the blow of the mace caused Her not the slightest pain. From his wounded body much blood flowed,
yatastatastadvaktreṇa cāmuṇḍā sampratīcchati . mukhe samudgatā ye'syā raktapātānmahāsurāḥ . 59 .
and wherever it fell, Chamunda caught it in Her mouth. The great asuras who sprang up in Her mouth from the falling blood —
tāṁścakhādātha cāmuṇḍā papau tasya ca śoṇitam . devī śūlena vajreṇa bāṇairasibhirr̥ṣṭibhiḥ . 60 .
those Chamunda devoured, and She drank his blood. Then the Devi, with spear, thunderbolt, arrows, swords and lances,
jaghāna raktabījaṁ taṁ cāmuṇḍāpītaśoṇitam . sa papāta mahīpr̥ṣṭhe śastrasaṅghasamāhataḥ . 61 .
struck down that Raktabija, whose blood Chamunda had drunk. Smitten by that host of weapons, he fell to the ground —
nīraktaśca mahīpāla raktabījo mahāsuraḥ . tataste harṣamatulamavāpustridaśā nr̥pa . 62 .
the great asura Raktabija, drained of blood, O king. Then, O king, the gods were filled with a joy beyond compare,
teṣāṁ mātr̥gaṇo jāto nanartāsr̥ṅmadoddhataḥ . 63 .
and the band of Mothers who had come forth from them danced, wild with the drink of blood.