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Devi Mahatmya / Chapter 10

Chapter 10 · Markandeya Purana canto 90

The slaying of Sumbha

शुम्भवधोनाम

32 verses.

Verses follow the standard 700-verse numbering of the Durga Saptashati. Pargiter numbered the Purana differently, so his English was matched to each Sanskrit verse by its content; at a few joins a word or two may sit with the neighbouring verse. Lines found only in some printed editions are marked.

Artist's impression of this chapter.
Artist's impression.

Verses 1 to 9

1ऋषिरुवाच ॥

1The rishi spoke:

2निशुम्भं निहतं दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरं प्राणसंमितम् । हन्यमानं बलं चैव शुम्भः क्रुद्धोऽब्रवीद्वचः ॥

2Seeing his brother Nisumbha slain, who was dear to him as his life, and his army being slaughtered, Sumbha in wrath spoke thus—“O Durga,

3बलावलेपाद् दुष्टे त्वं मा दुर्गे गर्वमावह । अन्यासां बलमाश्रित्य युध्यसे यातिमानिनी ॥

3who art tainted with the arrogance of strength, bring not thy pride here, thou who, trusting in the strength of the other goddesses, dost fight in exceeding haughtiness!”

4श्रीदेव्युवाच ॥

4The goddess spoke:

5एकैवाहं जगत्यत्र द्वितीया का ममापरा । पश्यैता दुष्ट मय्येव विशन्त्यो मद्विभूतयः ॥

5Alone verily am I in the world here; what other goddess is there besides me? See, vile one! that these goddesses, who have their divine power from me, are entering into me indeed.

5aऋषिरुवाच ॥

5aA line found in some editions; Pargiter does not translate it.

6ततः समस्तास्ता देव्यो ब्रह्माणीप्रमुखा लयम् । तस्या देव्यास्तनौ जग्मुरेकावासीत्तदाम्बिका ॥

6Then all those goddesses, Brahmani and the others, became absorbed into the goddess’ breasts; Ambika then remained alone indeed.

7श्रीदेव्युवाच ॥

7The goddess spoke:

8अहं विभूत्या बहुभिरिह रूपैर्यदास्थिता । सत्संहृतं मयैकैव तिष्ठाम्याजौ स्थिरो भव ॥

8Whereas I existed with my divine power in many forms here—that has been drawn in by me, truly alone I stand now. Be thou steadfast in combat!

9ऋषिरुवाच ॥

9The rishi spoke:

Verses 10 to 19

10ततः प्रववृते युद्धं देव्याः शुम्भस्य चोभयोः । पश्यतां सर्वदेवानामसुराणां च दारुणम् ॥

10Thereupon commenced a battle between them both, the goddess and Sumbha, while all the gods and the Asuras looked on—a battle without quarter.

11शरवर्षैः शितैः शस्त्रैस्तथा चास्त्रैः सुदारुणैः । तयोर्युद्धमभूद् भूयः सर्वलोकभयङ्करम् ॥

11With showers of arrows, with sharp weapons and also with pitiless missiles both engaged anew in a combat which set all the world in fear.

12दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि शतशो मुमुचे यान्यथाम्बिका । बभञ्ज तानि दैत्येन्द्रस्तत्प्रतीघातकर्तृभिः ॥

12And the lord of the Daityas broke the heavenly missiles, which Ambika discharged in hundreds, with weapons that parried them.

13मुक्तानि तेन चास्त्राणि दिव्यानि परमेश्वरी । बभञ्ज लीलयैवोग्रहुङ्कारोच्चारणादिभिः ॥

13And the supreme goddess in merest play broke the heavenly missiles that he discharged, with fierce shouts, ejaculations and other sounds.

14ततः शरशतैर्देवीमाच्छादयत सोऽसुरः । सा च तत्कुपिता देवी धनुश्चिच्छेद चेषुभिः ॥

14Then the Asura covered the goddess with hundreds of arrows, and the god dess enraged thereat split his bow also with her arrows.

15छिन्ने धनुषि दैत्येन्द्रस्तथा शक्तिमथाददे । चिच्छेद देवी चक्रेण तामप्यस्य करे स्थिताम् ॥

15And when his bow was split the lord of the Daityas took up his spear. The goddess split it, as he held it in his hand, with a discus.

16ततः खड्गमुपादाय शतचन्द्रं च भानुमत् । अभ्यधावत्तदा देवीं दैत्यानामधिपेश्वरः ॥

16Next the supreme monarch of the Daityas, seizing his scymitar and sun-like shield, on which a hundred moons were pourtrayed, rushed at the goddesst at that monent.

17तस्यापतत एवाशु खड्गं चिच्छेद चण्डिका । धनुर्मुक्तैः शितैर्बाणैश्चर्म चार्ककरामलम् । अश्वांश्च पातयामास रथं सारथिना सह ॥

17Just as he was falling upon her, C'andika hastily split his scymitar with sharp arrows shot from her bow, and his shield also which was spotless as the sun’s rays. With his steeds wounded, with his bow split,

18हताश्वः स तदा दैत्यश्छिन्नधान्वा विसारथिः । जग्राह मुद्गरं घोरमम्बिकानिधनोद्यतः ॥

18without a charioteer, the Daitya then grasped his terrible mace, being ready to slay Ambika.

19चिच्छेदापततस्तस्य मुद्गरं निशितैः शरैः । तथापि सोऽभ्यधावत्तां मुष्टिमुद्यम्य वेगवान् ॥

19As he was falling upon her, she clove his mace with sharp arrows; nevertheless raising his fist he rushed swiftly at her.

Verses 20 to 29

20स मुष्टिं पातयामास हृदये दैत्यपुङ्गवः । देव्यास्तं चापि सा देवी तलेनोरस्यताडयत् ॥

20The lordly Daitya brought his fist down on the goddess’ heart, and the goddess also smote him on his breast with her palm.

21तलप्रहाराभिहतो निपपात महीतले । स दैत्यराजः सहसा पुनरेव तथोत्थितः ॥

21Wounded by the blow of her palm the Daitya king fell suddenly on the earth; and again indeed he rose up,

22उत्पत्य च प्रगृह्योच्चैर्देवीं गगनमास्थितः । तत्रापि सा निराधारा युयुधे तेन चण्डिका ॥

22and springing upward he seized the goddess and mounted on high into the sky. There also C'andika, being without any support, fought with him.

23नियुद्धं खे तदा दैत्यश्चण्डिका च परस्परम् । चक्रतुः प्रथमं सिद्धमुनिविस्मयकारकम् ॥

23The Daitya and C'andika then fought at first with each other in the sky in a close combat, which wrought dismay among the Siddhas and munis;

24ततो नियुद्धं सुचिरं कृत्वा तेनाम्बिका सह । उत्पात्य भ्रामयामास चिक्षेप धरणीतले ॥

24after carrying on the close combat for a very long time with him, Ambika lifted him up then and whirled him around and flung him on the earth.

25स क्षिप्तो धरणीं प्राप्य मुष्टिमुद्यम्य वेगितः । अभ्यधावत दुष्टात्मा चण्डिकानिधनेच्छया ॥

25When flung thus he touched the earth, he raised his fist hastily and rushed, evil of soul as he was, with the wish to kill C'andika.

26तमायान्तं ततो देवी सर्वदैत्यजनेश्वरम् । जगत्यां पातयामास भित्त्वा शूलेन वक्षसि ॥

26Seeing him, the lord of all the Daitya folk, approaching, the goddess then pierced him in the breast with a dart and felled him down on the earth.

27स गतासुः पपातोर्व्यां देवीशूलाग्रविक्षतः । चालयन् सकलां पृथ्वीं साब्धिद्वीपां सपर्वताम् ॥

27Shattered by the point of the goddess’ dart he fell lifeless on the ground, shaking the whole earth and its seas, islands and mountains.

28ततः प्रसन्नमखिलं हते तस्मिन् दुरात्मनि । जगत्स्वास्थ्यमतीवाप निर्मलं चाभवन्नभः ॥

28When that evil-souled demon was slain, the universe became placid, the earth regained perfect well-being, and the sky grew pure.

29उत्पातमेघाः सोल्का ये प्रागासंस्ते शमं ययुः । सरितो मार्गवाहिन्यस्तथासंस्तत्र पातिते ॥

29Portent-clouds, which were full of flame before, became tranquil, and the rivers kept within their channels,

Verses 30 to 32

30ततो देवगणाः सर्वे हर्षनिर्भमानसाः । बभूवुर्निहते तस्मिन् गन्धर्वा ललितं जगुः ॥

30when he was stricken down there. All the bands of gods then grew exceedingly joyful in mind, when he was slain;

31अवादयंस्तथैवान्ये ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः । ववुः पुण्यास्तथा वाताः सुप्रभोऽभूद्दिवाकरः ॥

31the Gandharvas sang out sweetly, and others of them sounded their instruments, and the bevies of Apsarases danced; and favourable breezes blew, very brilliant grew the sun, and the tranquil sacred fires blazed freely,

32जज्वलुश्चाग्नयः शान्ताः शान्ता दिग्जनितस्वनाः ॥

32and tranquil became the strange sounds that had occurred in the regions of the sky:

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