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Devi Mahatmya / Chapter 7

Chapter 7 · Markandeya Purana canto 87

The slaying of C'anda and Munda

चण्डमुण्डवधोनाम

27 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 10

1ऋषिरुवाच ॥

1The rishi spoke:

2आज्ञप्तास्ते ततो दैत्याश्चण्डमुण्डपुरोगमाः । चतुरङ्गबलोपेता ययुरभ्युद्यतायुधाः ॥

2Then at his command the Daityas, led by C'anda and Munda, and arrayed in the four-fold order of an army, marched with weapons uplifted.

3ददृशुस्ते ततो देवीमीषद्धासां व्यवस्थिताम् । सिंहस्योपरि शैलेन्द्रशृङ्गे महति काञ्चने ॥

3Soon they saw the goddess, slightly smiling, seated upon the lion, on a huge golden peak of the majestic mountain.

4ते दृष्ट्वा तां समादातुमुद्यमं चक्रुरुद्यताः । आकृष्टचापासिधरास्तथान्ये सत्समीपगाः ॥

4On seeing her some of them made a strenuous effort to capture her, and others approached her holding their bows bent and their swords drawn.

5ततः कोपं चकारोच्चैरम्बिका तानरीन् प्रति । कोपेन चास्या वदनं मषीवर्णमभूत्तदा ॥

5Thereat Ambika uttered her wrath aloud against those foes, and her countenance then grew dark as ink in her wrath.

6भ्रुकुटीकुटिलात्तस्या ललाटफलकाद् द्रुतम् । काली करालवदना विनिष्क्रान्तासिपाशिनी ॥

6Out from the surface of her forehead, which was rugged with frowns, issued suddenly Kali of the terrible countenance, armed with a sword and noose,

7विचित्रखट्वाङ्गधरा नरमालाविभूषणा । द्वीपिचर्मपरीधाना शुष्कमांसातिभैरवा ॥

7bearing a many-coloured skull-topped staff, decorated with a garland of skulls, clad in a tiger’s skin, very appalling because of her emaciated flesh, exceedingly wide of mouth,

8अतिविस्तारवदना जिह्वाललनभीषणा । निमग्नारक्तनयना नादापूरितदिङ्मुखा ॥

8lolling out her tongue terribly, having deep-sunk reddish eyes, and filling the regions of the sky with her roars.

9सा वेगेनाभिपतिता घातयन्ती महासुरान् । सैन्ये तत्र सुरारीणामभक्षयत तद्वलम् ॥

9She fell upon the great Asuras impetuously, dealing slaughter among the host, and devoured that army of the gods’ foes there.

10पार्ष्णिग्राहाङ्कुशग्राहि योधघण्टासमन्वितान् । समादायैकहस्तेन मुखे चिक्षेप वारणान् ॥

10Taking up the elephants with one hand she flung them into her mouth, together with their rear-men and drivers and their warrior-riders and bells.

Verses 11 to 20

11तथैव योधं तुरगै रथं सारथिना सह । निक्षिप्य वक्त्रे दशनैश्चर्वयन्त्यतिभैरवम् ॥

11Flinging likewise warrior with his horses, and chariot with its driver into her mouth, she ground them most frightfully with her teeth.

12एकं जग्राह केशेषु ग्रीवायामथ चापरम् । पादेनाक्रम्य चैवान्यमुरसान्यमपोथयत् ॥

12She seized one by the hair, and another by the neck; and she kicked another with her foot, and crushed another against her breast.

13तैर्मुक्तानि च शस्त्रणि महास्त्राणि तथासुरैः । मुखेन जग्राह रुषा दशनैर्मथितान्यपि ॥

13And she seized with her mouth the weapons and the great arms which those Asuras abandoned, and crunched them up with her teeth in her fury.

14बलिनां तद्बलं सर्वमसुराणां दुरात्मनाम् । ममर्दाभक्षयच्चान्यानन्यांश्चाताडयत्तथा ॥

14She crushed all that host of mighty and high-spirited Asuras; and devoured some and battered others;

15असिना निहताः केचित्केचित्खट्वाङ्गताडिताः । जग्मुर्विनाशमसुरा दन्ताग्राभिहता रणे ॥

15some were slain with her sword, some were struck with her skull-topped staff, and other Asuras met their death being wounded with the edge of her teeth.

16क्षणेन तन्महासैन्यमसुराणां निपातितम् । दृष्ट्वा चण्डोऽभिमैर्भोमाक्षीं तां महासुरः ॥

16Seeing all that host of Asuras laid low in a moment, C'anda rushed against her, Kali, who was exceedingly appalling.

17शरवर्षैर्महाभीमैर्भीमाक्षीं तां महासुरः । छादयामास चक्रैश्च मुण्डः क्षिप्तैः सहस्रशः ॥

17Munda the great Asura covered her, the terrible-eyed goddess, with very terrible showers of arrows and with discuses hurled in thousands.

18तानि चक्राण्यनेकानि विशमानानि तन्मुखम् । बभुर्यथार्कबिम्बानि सुबहूनि घनोदरम् ॥

18Those discuses seemed to be penetrating her countenance in multitudes, like as very many solar orbs might penetrate the body of a thunder-cloud.

19ततो जहासातिरुषा भीमं भैरवनादिनी । काली करालवक्त्रान्तर्दुर्दर्शदशनोज्ज्वला ॥

19Thereat Kali, who was roaring frightfully, laughed terribly with excessive fury, showing the gleam of her unsightly teeth within her dreadful mouth.

20उत्थाय च महासिंहं देवी चण्डमधावत । गृहीत्वा चास्य केशेषु शिरस्तेनासिनाच्छिनत् ॥

20And the goddess, mounting upon her great lion, rushed at C'anda, and seizing him by his hair struck off his head with her sword.

Verses 20a to 27

20aछिन्ने शिरसि दैत्येन्द्रश्चक्रे नादं सुभैरवम् । तेन नादेन महता त्रासितं भुवनत्रयम् ॥

20aA line found in some editions; Pargiter does not translate it.

21अथ मुण्डोऽभ्यधावत्तां दृष्ट्वा चण्डं निपातितम् । तमप्यपातयद् भूमौ सा खड्गाभिहतं रुषा ॥

21And Munda also rushed at her when he saw C'anda laid low; him also she felled to the ground, stricken with her scymitar in her fury.

22हतशेषं ततः सैन्यं दृष्ट्वा चण्डं निपातितम् । मुण्डं च सुमहावीर्यं दिशो भेजे भयातुरम् ॥

22Then the army, so much as escaped unslain, seeing C'anda laid low and most valiant Munda also, seized with panic fled in all directions.

23शिरञ्चण्डस्य काली च गृहीत्वा मुण्डमेव च । प्राह प्रचण्डाट्टहासमिश्रमभ्येत्य चण्डिकाम् ॥

23And Kali, holding C'anda’s head and Munda also, approached C'andika and said, her voice mingled with passionate loud laughter—

24मया तवात्रोपहृतौ चण्डमुण्डौ महापशू । युद्धयज्ञे स्वयं शुम्भं निशुम्भं च हनिष्यसि ॥

24“Here I have brought thee C'anda and Munda, two great beasts; thou thyself shalt slay S'umbha and Nisumbha in the battle-sacrifice.”

25ऋषिरुवाच ॥

25The rishi spoke:

26तावानीतौ ततो दृष्ट्वा चण्डमुण्डौ महासुरौ । उवाच कालीं कल्याणी ललितं चण्डिका वचः ॥

26Thereon, seeing those two great Asuras C'anda and Munda brought to her, auspicious C'andika spoke to Kali this witty speech,

26aश्रीदेव्युवाच ॥

26aA line found in some editions; Pargiter does not translate it.

27यस्माच्चण्डं च मुण्डं च गृहीत्वा त्वमुपागता । चामुण्डेति ततो लोके ख्याता देवि भविष्यसि ॥

27“Because thou hast seized both C'anda and Munda and brought them, thou, O goddess, shalt therefore be famed in the world by the name C'amunda!”

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