Devī Māhātmyam | Durgā Saptashatī | 8
Chapter 8
The Slaying of Raktabīja
॥ aṣṭamo'dhyāyaḥ ||
oṃ ṛṣiruvāca ॥ 1||
The Rishi said:
caṇḍe ca nihate daitye muṇḍe ca vinipātite ।
bahuleṣu ca sainyeṣu kṣayiteṣvasureśvaraḥ ॥ 2||
tataḥ kopaparādhīnacetāḥ śumbhaḥ pratāpavān ।
udyogaṃ sarvasainyānāṃ daityānāmādideśa ha ॥ 3||
1-3. After the Daitya Chaṇḍā was slain and Muṇḍa was laid low, and many of the battalions were destroyed, the lord of the asuras, powerful Śumbha, with mind overcome by anger, commanded then the mobilization of all the Daitya hosts:
adya sarvabalairdaityāḥ ṣaḍaśītirudāyudhāḥ ।
kambūnāṃ caturaśītirniryāntu svabalairvṛtāḥ ॥ 4||
4. 'Now let the eighty-six asuras - upraising their weapons - with all their forces and the eighty-four Kambu, surrounded by their own forces, go out.
koṭivīryāṇi pañcāśadasurāṇāṃ kulāni vai ।
śataṃ kulāni dhaumrāṇāṃ nirgacchantu mamājñayā ॥ 5||
5. 'Let the fifty asura families of Koṭivīryas and the hundred families of Dhaumras go forth at my command.
kālakā daurhṛdā maurvāḥ kālikeyāstathāsurāḥ ।
yuddhāya sajjā niryāntu ājñayā tvaritā mama ॥ 6||
6. 'Let the asuras Kalakas, Daurhrdas, the Mauryas and the Kalakeyas hasten at my command and march forth ready for battle.'
ityājñāpyāsurapatiḥ śumbho bhairavaśāsanaḥ ।
nirjagāma mahāsainyasahasrairbahubhirvṛtaḥ ॥ 7||
7. After issuing these orders, Śumbha, the lord of the asuras and a ferocious ruler, went forth, attended by many thousands of big forces.
āyāntaṃ caṇḍikā dṛṣṭvā tatsainyamatibhīṣaṇam ।
jyāsvanaiḥ pūrayāmāsa dharaṇīgaganāntaram ॥ 8||
8. Seeing that most terrible army coming, Chaṇḍikā filled into space between the earth and the sky with the twang of her bow-string.
tataḥ siṃho mahānādamatīva kṛtavānnṛpa ।
ghaṇṭāsvanena tānnādānambikā copabṛṃhayat ॥ 9||
9. Thereon her lion made an exceedingly loud roar, O King, and Ambikā magnified those roars with the clanging of the bell.
dhanurjyāsiṃhaghaṇṭānāṃ nādāpūritadiṅmukhā ।
ninādairbhīṣaṇaiḥ kālī jigye vistāritānanā ॥ 10||
10. Kālī, expanding her mouth wide and filling the quarters with the sound (hum) overwhelmed the noises of her bow-string, lion and bell by her terrific roars.
taṃ ninādamupaśrutya daityasainyaiścaturdiśam ।
devī siṃhastathā kālī saroṣaiḥ parivāritāḥ ॥ 11||
11. On hearing that roar the enraged asura battalions surrounded the lion, the Devi (Chaṇḍikā) and Kālī on all the four sides.
etasminnantare bhūpa vināśāya suradviṣām ।
bhavāyāmarasiṃhānāmativīryabalānvitāḥ ॥ 12||
brahmeśaguhaviṣṇūnāṃ tathendrasya ca śaktayaḥ ।
śarīrebhyo viniṣkramya tadrūpaiścaṇḍikāṃ yayuḥ ॥ 13||
12-13. At this moment, O King, in order to annihilate the enemies of devas and for the well-being of the supreme devas,
there issued forth, endowed with exceeding vigour and strength, Śaktis from the bodies of Brahma, Shiva, Guha, Vishnu and Indra, and with the form of those devas went to Chaṇḍikā.
yasya devasya yadrūpaṃ yathā bhūṣaṇavāhanam ।
tadvadeva hi tacchaktirasurānyoddhumāyayau ॥ 14||
14. Whatever was the form of each deva, whatever his ornaments and vehicle, in that very form his Shakti advanced to fight with the asuras.
haṃsayuktavimānāgre sākṣasūtrakamaṇḍaluḥ ।
āyātā brahmaṇaḥ śaktirbrahmāṇītyabhidhīyate ॥ 15||
15. In a heavenly chariot drawn by swans advanced Brahma's Shakti carrying a rosary and Kamaṇḍalu. She is called Brahmāṇī.
māheśvarī vṛṣārūḍhā triśūlavaradhāriṇī ।
mahāhivalayā prāptā candrarekhāvibhūṣaṇā ॥ 16||
16. Maheśvarī arrived, seated on a bull, holding a fine trident, wearing bracelets of great snakes and adorned with a digit of the moon.
kaumārī śaktihastā ca mayūravaravāhanā ।
yoddhumabhyāyayau daityānambikā guharūpiṇī ॥ 17||
17. Ambikā Kaumārī, in the form of Guha, holding a spear in hand riding on a fine peacock, advanced to attack the asuras.
tathaiva vaiṣṇavī śaktirgaruḍopari saṃsthitā ।
śaṅkhacakragadāśārṅgakhaḍgahastābhyupāyayau ॥ 18||
18. Likewise the Shakti of Vishnu came, seated upon Garuda, holding conch, club, bow and sword in hand.
yajñavārāhamatulaṃ rūpaṃ yā bibhrato hareḥ ।
śaktiḥ sāpyāyayau tatra vārāhīṃ bibhratī tanum ॥ 19||
19. The Shakti of Hari, who assumed the incomparable form of a sacrificial boar, she also advanced there in a boar-like form.
nārasiṃhī nṛsiṃhasya bibhratī sadṛśaṃ vapuḥ ।
prāptā tatra saṭākṣepakṣiptanakṣatrasaṃhatiḥ ॥ 20||
20. Nārasimhī arrived there, assuming a body like that of a Narasimha, bringing down the constellations by the toss of her mane.
vajrahastā tathaivaindrī gajarājopari sthitā ।
prāptā sahasranayanā yathā śakrastathaiva sā ॥ 21||
21. Likewise the thousand-eyed Aindrī, holding a thunderbolt in hand and riding on the lord of elephants arrive just like Śakra (Indra).
tataḥ parivṛtastābhirīśāno devaśaktibhiḥ ।
hanyantāmasurāḥ śīghraṃ mama prītyāha caṇḍikām ॥ 22||
22. Then Shiva, surrounded by those śaktis of Devas, said to Chaṇḍikā, 'Let the asuras be killed forthwith by you for my gratification.'
tato devīśarīrāttu viniṣkrāntātibhīṣaṇā ।
caṇḍikā śaktiratyugrā śivāśataninādinī ॥ 23||
23. Thereupon from the body of Devi issued forth the Shakti of Chaṇḍikā, most terrific, exceedingly fierce and yelling like a hundred jackals.
sā cāha dhūmrajaṭilamīśānamaparājitā ।
dūta tvaṃ gaccha bhagavan pārśvaṃ śumbhaniśumbhayoḥ ॥ 24||
24. And that invincible (Shakti) told Shiva, of dark coloured matted locks:
'Go, my lord, as ambassador to the presence of Śumbha and Niśumbha.
brūhi śumbhaṃ niśumbhaṃ ca dānavāvatigarvitau ।
ye cānye dānavāstatra yuddhāya samupasthitāḥ ॥ 25||
25. 'Tell the two haughty asuras, Śumbha and Niśumbha, and the other asuras assembled there for battle.
trailokyamindro labhatāṃ devāḥ santu havirbhujaḥ ।
yūyaṃ prayāta pātālaṃ yadi jīvitumicchatha ॥ 26||
26. "Let Indra obtain the three worlds and let Devas enjoy the sacrificial oblations. You go to the nether world, if you wish to live.
balāvalepādatha cedbhavanto yuddhakāṅkṣiṇaḥ ।
tadāgacchata tṛpyantu macchivāḥ piśitena vaḥ ॥ 27||
27. "But if through pride of strength you are anxious for battle, come on then. Let my jackals be satiated with your flesh."'
yato niyukto dautyena tayā devyā śivaḥ svayam ।
śivadūtīti loke'smiṃstataḥ sā khyātimāgatā ॥ 28||
28. Because that Devi appointed "Shiva" himself as ambassador thenceforth she became renowned in this world as Śivadūtī.
te'pi śrutvā vaco devyāḥ śarvākhyātaṃ mahāsurāḥ ।
amarṣāpūritā jagmuryatra kātyāyanī sthitā ॥ 29||
29. Those great asuras, on their part, hearing the words of the Devi communicated by Shiva, were filled with indignation and went where Kātyāyanī stood.
tataḥ prathamamevāgre śaraśaktyṛṣṭivṛṣṭibhiḥ ।
vavarṣuruddhatāmarṣāstāṃ devīmamarārayaḥ ॥ 30||
30. Then in the very beginning, the enraged foes of Devas poured in front on the Devi showers of arrows, javelins and spears.
sā ca tān prahitān bāṇāñchūlaśaktiparaśvadhān ।
ciccheda līlayādhmātadhanurmuktairmaheṣubhiḥ ॥ 31||
31. And lightly, with the huge arrows shot from her full-drawn bow, she clove those arrows, spears, darts and axes hurled by them.
tasyāgratastathā kālī śūlapātavidāritān ।
khaṭvāṅgapothitāṃścārīnkurvatī vyacarattadā ॥ 32||
32. Then, in front of him (Śumbha), stalked Kālī, piercing the enemies to pieces with her spear and crushing them with her skull-topped staff.
kamaṇḍalujalākṣepahatavīryān hataujasaḥ ।
brahmāṇī cākarocchatrūnyena yena sma dhāvati ॥ 33||
33. And Brahmāṇī, wherever she moved, made the enemies bereft of valour and prowess by sprinkling on them the water from her Kamaṇḍalu.
māheśvarī triśūlena tathā cakreṇa vaiṣṇavī ।
daityāñjaghāna kaumārī tathā śaktyātikopanā ॥ 34||
34. The very wrathful Maheśvarī slew the Daityas with her trident, and Vaiṣṇavī, with her discus and Kaumārī, with her javelin.
aindrī kuliśapātena śataśo daityadānavāḥ ।
peturvidāritāḥ pṛthvyāṃ rudhiraughapravarṣiṇaḥ ॥ 35||
35. Torn to pieces by the thunderbolt which come down upon them, hurled by Aindrī, Daityas and Dānavas fell on the earth in hundreds, streams of blood flowing out of them.
tuṇḍaprahāravidhvastā daṃṣṭrāgrakṣatavakṣasaḥ ।
vārāhamūrtyā nyapataṃścakreṇa ca vidāritāḥ ॥ 36||
36. Shattered by the boar-formed goddess (Vārāhī) with blows of her snout, wounded in their chests by the point of her tusk and torn by her discus, (the asuras) fell down.
nakhairvidāritāṃścānyān bhakṣayantī mahāsurān ।
nārasiṃhī cacārājau nādāpūrṇadigambarā ॥ 37||
37. Nārasimhī, filling all the quarters and the sky with her roars, roamed about in the battle, devouring other great asuras torn by her claws.
caṇḍāṭṭahāsairasurāḥ śivadūtyabhidūṣitāḥ ।
petuḥ pṛthivyāṃ patitāṃstāṃścakhādātha sā tadā ॥ 38||
38. Demoralised by the violent laughter of Śivadūtī, the asuras fell down on the earth; she then devoured them who had fallen down.
iti mātṛgaṇaṃ kruddhaṃ mardayantaṃ mahāsurān ।
dṛṣṭvābhyupāyairvividhairneśurdevārisainikāḥ ॥ 39||
39. Seeing the enraged band of Mothers crushing the great asuras thus by various means, the troops of the enemies of devas took to their heels.
palāyanaparāndṛṣṭvā daityānmātṛgaṇārditān ।
yoddhumabhyāyayau kruddho raktabījo mahāsuraḥ ॥ 40||
40. Seeing the asuras harassed by the band of Mothers and fleeing, the great asura Raktā strode forward to fight in wrath.
raktabinduryadā bhūmau patatyasya śarīrataḥ ।
samutpatati medinyāṃ tatpramāṇo mahāsuraḥ ॥ 41||
41. Whenever from his body there fell to the ground a drop of blood, at that moment rose up from the earth asura of his stature.
yuyudhe sa gadāpāṇirindraśaktyā mahāsuraḥ ।
tataścaindrī svavajreṇa raktabījamatāḍayat ॥ 42||
42. The great asura fought with Indra's śakti with club in his hand; then Aindrī also struck Raktabīja with her thunderbolt.
kuliśenāhatasyāśu bahu susrāva śoṇitam ।
samuttasthustato yodhāstadrūpāstatparākramāḥ ॥ 43||
43. Blood flowed quickly and profusely from him who was wounded by the thunderbolt. From the blood rose up (fresh) combatants of his form and valour.
yāvantaḥ patitāstasya śarīrādraktabindavaḥ ।
tāvantaḥ puruṣā jātāstadvīryabalavikramāḥ ॥ 44||
44. As many drops of blood fell from his body, so may persons came into being, with his courage, strength and valour.
te cāpi yuyudhustatra puruṣā raktasambhavāḥ ।
samaṃ mātṛbhiratyugraśastrapātātibhīṣaṇam ॥ 45||
45. And those persons also sprung up from his blood fought there with the Mothers in a more dreadful manner hurling the very formidable weapons.
punaśca vajrapātena kṣatamasya śiro yadā ।
vavāha raktaṃ puruṣāstato jātāḥ sahasraśaḥ ॥ 46||
46. And again when his head was wounded by the fall of her thunder-bolt, his blood flowed, and therefrom were born persons in thousands.
vaiṣṇavī samare cainaṃ cakreṇābhijaghāna ha ।
gadayā tāḍayāmāsa aindrī tamasureśvaram ॥ 47||
47. Vaiṣṇavī struck him with her discus in the battle, Aindrī beat that lord of asuras with her club.
vaiṣṇavīcakrabhinnasya rudhirasrāvasambhavaiḥ ।
sahasraśo jagadvyāptaṃ tatpramāṇairmahāsuraiḥ ॥ 48||
48. The world was pervaded by thousands of great asuras who were of his stature and who rose up from the blood that flowed from him when cloven by the discus of Vaiṣṇavī.
śaktyā jaghāna kaumārī vārāhī ca tathāsinā ।
māheśvarī triśūlena raktabījaṃ mahāsuram ॥ 49||
49. Kaumārī struck the great asura Raktabīja with her spear, Vārāhī with her sword, and Maheśvarī with her trident.
sa cāpi gadayā daityaḥ sarvā evāhanat pṛthak ।
mātṝḥ kopasamāviṣṭo raktabījo mahāsuraḥ ॥ 50||
50. And Raktabīja, that great asura also, filled with wrath, struck every one of the Mothers severally with his club.
tasyāhatasya bahudhā śaktiśūlādibhirbhuvi ।
papāta yo vai raktaughastenāsañchataśo'surāḥ ॥ 51||
51. From the stream of blood which fell on the earth from him when he received multiple wounds by the spears, darts and other weapons, hundreds of asuras came into being.
taiścāsurāsṛksambhūtairasuraiḥ sakalaṃ jagat ।
vyāptamāsīttato devā bhayamājagmuruttamam ॥ 52||
52. And those asuras that were born from the blood of Raktabīja pervaded the whole world; Devas got intensely alarmed at this.
tān viṣaṇṇān surān dṛṣṭvā caṇḍikā prāhasatvaram ।
uvāca kālīṃ cāmuṇḍe vistīrṇaṃ vadanaṃ kuru ॥ 53||
macchastrapātasambhūtān raktabindūn mahāsurān ।
raktabindoḥ pratīccha tvaṃ vaktreṇānena veginā ॥ 54||
53-54. Seeing Devas dejected, Chaṇḍikā laughed and said to Kālī:
'O Chāmuṇḍā, open out your mouth wide; with this mouth quickly take in the drops of blood generated by the blow of my weapon and (also) the great asuras born of the drops of blood of Raktabīja.
bhakṣayantī cara raṇe tadutpannānmahāsurān ।
evameṣa kṣayaṃ daityaḥ kṣeṇarakto gamiṣyati ॥ 55||
55. 'Roam about in the battle-field, devouring the great asuras that spring from him. So shall this Daitya, with his blood emptied, perish.
bhakṣyamāṇāstvayā cogrā na cotpatsyanti cāpare ।
ityuktvā tāṃ tato devī śūlenābhijaghāna tam ॥ 56||
56. 'As you go on devouring these, other fierce (asuras) will not be born.'
Having enjoined her thus, the Devi next smote him (Raktabīja) with her dart.
mukhena kālī jagṛhe raktabījasya śoṇitam ।
tato'sāvājaghānātha gadayā tatra caṇḍikām ॥ 57||
57. Then Kālī drank Raktabīja's blood with her mouth. Then and there he struck Chaṇḍikā with his club.
na cāsyā vedanāṃ cakre gadāpāto'lpikāmapi ।
tasyāhatasya dehāttu bahu susrāva śoṇitam ॥ 58||
yatastatastadvaktreṇa cāmuṇḍā sampratīcchati ।
mukhe samudgatā ye'syā raktapātānmahāsurāḥ ॥ 59||
tāṃścakhādātha cāmuṇḍā papau tasya ca śoṇitam ।
devī śūlena vajreṇa bāṇairasibhirṛṣṭibhiḥ ॥ 60||
58-60. The blow of his club caused her not even the slightest pain. And from his stricken body wherever blood flowed copiously, there Chāmuṇḍā swallowed it with her mouth.
The Chāmuṇḍā devoured those great asuras who sprang up from the flow of blood in her mouth, and drank his (Raktabīja's ) blood.
jaghāna raktabījaṃ taṃ cāmuṇḍāpītaśoṇitam ।
sa papāta mahīpṛṣṭhe śastrasaṅghasamāhataḥ ॥ 61||
61. The Devi (Kauśikī) smote Raktabīja with her dart, thunderbolt, arrows, swords, and spears, when Chāmuṇḍā went on drinking his blood.
nīraktaśca mahīpāla raktabījo mahāsuraḥ ।
tataste harṣamatulamavāpustridaśā nṛpa ॥ 62||
62. Stricken with a multitude of weapons and bloodless, the great asura (Raktabīja) fell on the ground, O King.
teṣāṃ mātṛgaṇo jāto nanartāsṛṅmadoddhataḥ ॥ 63||
63. Thereupon Devas attained great joy, O King. The band of Mothers who sprang from them danced, being intoxicated with blood.
॥ svasti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe sāvarṇike manvantare devīmāhātmye raktabījavadho nāmāṣṭamo'dhyāyaḥ ॥ 8॥
Here ends the eighth chapter called 'The Slaying of Raktabīja' of Devi-Māhātmya in Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, during the period of Sāvarṇi, the Manu.