The Slaying of Mahishasura

Verse 1 (markandeya.83.1)

ऋषिरुवाच निहन्यमानं तत्सैन्यमवलोक्य महासुरः । सेनानीश्चिक्षुरः कोपाद्ययौ योद्धुमथाम्बिकाम् ॥ 83.1 ॥

ṛṣiruvāca nihanyamānaṁ tatsainyamavalokya mahāsuraḥ senānīścikṣuraḥ kopādyayau yoddhumathāmbikām

The sage said: Beholding that army being slaughtered, the great asura Chikshura, the general, in fury went forth to fight Ambika.

Verse 2 (markandeya.83.2)

स देवीं शरवर्षेण ववर्ष समरेऽसुरः । यथा मेरुगिरेः शृङ्गं तोयवर्षेण तोयदः ॥ 83.2 ॥

sa devīṁ śaravarṣeṇa vavarṣa samare ’suraḥ yathā merugireḥ śṛṅgaṁ toyavarṣeṇa toyadaḥ

That asura rained arrows upon the goddess in battle, as a rain-cloud rains water upon the peak of Mount Meru.

Verse 3 (markandeya.83.3)

तस्य च्छित्त्वा ततो देवी लीलयैव शरोत्करान् । जघान तुरगान् बाणैर्यन्तारं चैव वाजिनाम् ॥ 83.3 ॥

tasya cchittvā tato devī līlayaiva śarotkarān jaghāna turagān bāṇairyantāraṁ caiva vājinām

Then the goddess, cutting down his multitude of arrows as if in mere sport, slew his horses with her arrows, and his charioteer as well.

Verse 4 (markandeya.83.4)

चिच्छेद च धनुः सद्यो ध्वजं चातिसमुच्छ्रितम् । विव्याध चैव गात्रेषु च्छिन्नधन्वानमाशुगैः ॥ 83.4 ॥

ciccheda ca dhanuḥ sadyo dhvajaṁ cātisamucchritam vivyādha caiva gātreṣu cchinnadhanvānamāśugaiḥ

She instantly cut his bow and his lofty banner, and pierced with swift arrows the limbs of that man whose bow was now broken.

Verse 5 (markandeya.83.5)

स च्छिन्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वो हतसारथिः । अभ्यधावत तां देवीं खड्ग-चर्मधरोऽसुरः ॥ 83.5 ॥

sa cchinnadhanvā viratho hatāśvo hatasārathiḥ abhyadhāvata tāṁ devīṁ khaḍga-carmadharo ’suraḥ

That asura, his bow broken, his chariot gone, his horses and charioteer slain, rushed at the goddess bearing sword and shield.

Verse 6 (markandeya.83.6)

सिंहमाहत्य खड्गेन तीक्ष्णधारेण मूर्धनि । आजघान भुजे सव्ये देवीमप्यतिवेगवान् ॥ 83.6 ॥

siṁhamāhatya khaḍgena tīkṣṇadhāreṇa mūrdhani ājaghāna bhuje savye devīmapyativegavān

Striking the lion on the head with his sharp-edged sword, that most swift one also struck the goddess on her left arm.

Verse 7 (markandeya.83.7)

तस्याः खड्गो भुजं प्राप्य पफाल नृपनन्दन । ततो जग्राह शूलं स कोपादरुणलोचनः ॥ 83.7 ॥

tasyāḥ khaḍgo bhujaṁ prāpya paphāla nṛpanandana tato jagrāha śūlaṁ sa kopādaruṇalocanaḥ

O prince, his sword, upon reaching her arm, shattered into pieces; then, his eyes red with rage, he seized a spear.

Verse 8 (markandeya.83.8)

चिक्षेप च ततस्तत्तु भद्रकाल्यां महासुरः । जाज्वल्यमानं तेजोभी रविबिम्बमिवाम्बरात् ॥ 83.8 ॥

cikṣepa ca tatastattu bhadrakālyāṁ mahāsuraḥ jājvalyamānaṁ tejobhī ravibimbamivāmbarāt

Then that great asura hurled it at Bhadrakali — blazing with radiance, like the orb of the sun cast down from the sky.

Verse 9 (markandeya.83.9)

दृष्ट्वा तदापतच्छूलं देवी शूलममुञ्चत । तच्छूलं शतधा तेन नीतं स च महासुरः ॥ 83.9 ॥

dṛṣṭvā tadāpatacchūlaṁ devī śūlamamuñcata tacchūlaṁ śatadhā tena nītaṁ sa ca mahāsuraḥ

Seeing that spear hurtling toward her, the goddess released her own; by it, his spear was shattered into a hundred pieces — and that great asura's end came with it.

Verse 10 (markandeya.83.10)

हते तस्मिन् महावीर्ये महिषस्य चमूपतौ । आजगाम गजारूढश्चामरस्त्रिदशार्दनः ॥ 83.10 ॥

hate tasmin mahāvīrye mahiṣasya camūpatau ājagāma gajārūḍhaścāmarastridaśārdanaḥ

When that mighty general of Mahisha had been slain, Chamara, the tormentor of the gods, came forward mounted on an elephant.

Verse 11 (markandeya.83.11)

सोऽपि शक्तिं मुमोचाथ देव्यास्तामम्बिका द्रुतम् । हुङ्काराभिहतां भूमौ पातयामास निष्प्रभाम् ॥ 83.11 ॥

so ’pi śaktiṁ mumocātha devyāstāmambikā drutam huṅkārābhihatāṁ bhūmau pātayāmāsa niṣprabhām

He too hurled a spear at the goddess; but Ambika, swiftly striking it down with a mere "hum" sound, cast it to the ground, its power spent.

Verse 12 (markandeya.83.12)

भग्नां शक्तिं निपतितां दृष्ट्वा क्रोधसमन्वितः । चिक्षेप चामरः शूलं बाणैस्तदपि साच्छिनत् ॥ 83.12 ॥

bhagnāṁ śaktiṁ nipatitāṁ dṛṣṭvā krodhasamanvitaḥ cikṣepa cāmaraḥ śūlaṁ bāṇaistadapi sācchinat

Seeing his spear broken and fallen, Chamara, filled with rage, hurled a trident; that too she shattered with her arrows.

Verse 13 (markandeya.83.13)

ततः सिंहः समुत्पत्य गजकुम्भान्तरे स्थितः । बाहुयुद्धेन युयुधे तेनोच्चैस्त्रिदशारिणा ॥ 83.13 ॥

tataḥ siṁhaḥ samutpatya gajakumbhāntare sthitaḥ bāhuyuddhena yuyudhe tenoccaistridaśāriṇā

Then the lion, leaping up and positioning himself between the frontal lobes of the elephant's head, fought fiercely in hand-to-hand combat with that enemy of the gods.

Verse 14 (markandeya.83.14)

युधायमानो ततस्तौ तु तस्मान्नागान्महीं गतौ । युयुधातेऽतिसंरब्धौ प्रहारैरतिदारुणैः ॥ 83.14 ॥

yudhāyamāno tatastau tu tasmānnāgānmahīṁ gatau yuyudhāte ’tisaṁrabdhau prahārairatidāruṇaiḥ

Then, still fighting, the two of them came down from that elephant to the ground, and, filled with fury, fought on with most terrible blows.

Verse 15 (markandeya.83.15)

ततो वेगात्खमुत्पत्य निपत्य च मृगारिणा । करप्रहारेण शिरश्चामरस्य पृथक्कृतम् ॥ 83.15 ॥

tato vegātkhamutpatya nipatya ca mṛgāriṇā karaprahāreṇa śiraścāmarasya pṛthakkṛtam

Then, leaping swiftly into the air and falling back down, the lion, with a stroke of his paw, severed Chamara's head from his body.

Verse 16 (markandeya.83.16)

उदग्रश्च रणे देव्या शिलावृक्षादिभिर्हतः । दन्तमुष्टितलैश्चैव करालश्च निपातितः ॥ 83.16 ॥

udagraśca raṇe devyā śilāvṛkṣādibhirhataḥ dantamuṣṭitalaiścaiva karālaśca nipātitaḥ

Udagra was slain by the goddess in battle with rocks, trees, and the like; and Karala too was struck down with blows of her fists, teeth, and palms.

Verse 17 (markandeya.83.17)

देवी क्रुद्धा गदापातैश्चूर्णयामास चोद्धतम् । वाष्कलं भिन्दिपालेन बाणैस्ताम्रं तथान्धकम् ॥ 83.17 ॥

devī kruddhā gadāpātaiścūrṇayāmāsa coddhatam vāṣkalaṁ bhindipālena bāṇaistāmraṁ tathāndhakam

The enraged goddess pulverized the arrogant Vashkala with blows of her mace; she felled Tamra with a javelin, and Andhaka with her arrows.

Verse 18 (markandeya.83.18)

उग्रास्यमुग्रवीर्यञ्च तथैव च महाहनुम् । त्रिनेत्रा च त्रिशूलेन जघान परमेश्वरी ॥ 83.18 ॥

ugrāsyamugravīryañca tathaiva ca mahāhanum trinetrā ca triśūlena jaghāna parameśvarī

And the three-eyed Supreme Sovereign slew Ugrasya, Ugravirya, and likewise Mahahanu, with her trident.

Verse 19 (markandeya.83.19)

बिडालस्यासिना कायात् पातयामास वै शिरः । दुर्धरं दुर्मुखं चोभौ शरैर्निन्ये यमक्षयम् । कालं च कालदण्डेन कालरात्रिरपातयत् ॥ 83.19 ॥

biḍālasyāsinā kāyāt pātayāmāsa vai śiraḥ durdharaṁ durmukhaṁ cobhau śarairninye yamakṣayam kālaṁ ca kāladaṇḍena kālarātrirapātayat

With her sword she struck Bidala's head from his body; with her arrows she sent both Durdhara and Durmukha to the abode of Yama; and Kalaratri felled Kala with the Staff of Time.

Verse 20 (markandeya.83.20)

अग्रदर्शनमत्युग्रैः खड्गपातैरताडयत् । असिनैवासिलोमानमच्छिदत् सा रणोत्सवे । गणैः सिंहेन देव्या च जयक्ष्वेडाकृतोत्सवैः ॥ 83.20 ॥

agradarśanamatyugraiḥ khaḍgapātairatāḍayat asinaivāsilomānamacchidat sā raṇotsave gaṇaiḥ siṁhena devyā ca jayakṣveḍākṛtotsavaiḥ

She struck down Agradarshana with most fierce strokes of her sword, and with that very sword cut down Asiloman, in that festival of battle celebrated with shouts of victory by her hosts, the lion, and the goddess herself.

Verse 21 (markandeya.83.21)

एवं संक्षीयमाणे तु स्वसैन्ये महिषासुरः । माहिषेण स्वरूपेण त्रासयामास तान् गणान् ॥ 83.21 ॥

evaṁ saṁkṣīyamāṇe tu svasainye mahiṣāsuraḥ māhiṣeṇa svarūpeṇa trāsayāmāsa tān gaṇān

Thus, as his own army was being destroyed, Mahishasura, in his own buffalo form, began to terrify those hosts of hers.

Verse 22 (markandeya.83.22)

कांश्चित्तुण्डप्रिहारेण खुरक्षेपैस्तथापरान् । लाङ्गूलताडितांश्चान्यान् शृङ्गाभ्याञ्च विदारितान् ॥ 83.22 ॥

kāṁścittuṇḍaprihāreṇa khurakṣepaistathāparān lāṅgūlatāḍitāṁścānyān śṛṅgābhyāñca vidāritān

Some he struck with blows of his snout, others with the kicks of his hooves, others he lashed with his tail, and others he tore apart with his horns.

Verse 23 (markandeya.83.23)

वेगेन कांश्चिदपरान् नादेन भ्रमणेन च । निश्वासपवनेनान्यान् पातयामास भूतले ॥ 83.23 ॥

vegena kāṁścidaparān nādena bhramaṇena ca niśvāsapavanenānyān pātayāmāsa bhūtale

Some others he felled to the ground with his sheer speed, with his roar, with his whirling movement, and others still with the mere blast of his breath.

Verse 24 (markandeya.83.24)

निपात्य प्रमथानीकमभ्यधावत सोऽसुरः । सिंहं हन्तुं महादेव्याः कोपं चक्रे ततोऽम्बिका ॥ 83.24 ॥

nipātya pramathānīkamabhyadhāvata so ’suraḥ siṁhaṁ hantuṁ mahādevyāḥ kopaṁ cakre tato ’mbikā

Having felled her army of attendants, that asura charged forward to slay the lion; then Ambika grew wrathful.

Verse 25 (markandeya.83.25)

सोऽपि कोपान्महावीर्यः खुरक्षुण्णमहीतलः । शृङ्गाभ्यां पर्वतानुच्चैश्चिक्षेप च ननाद च ॥ 83.25 ॥

so ’pi kopānmahāvīryaḥ khurakṣuṇṇamahītalaḥ śṛṅgābhyāṁ parvatānuccaiścikṣepa ca nanāda ca

He too, that great and mighty one, in fury, pawing the ground to pieces with his hooves, hurled mountains high into the air with his horns and bellowed.

Verse 26 (markandeya.83.26)

वेगभ्रमणविक्षुण्णा मही तस्य व्यशीर्यत । लाङ्गूलेनाहतश्चाब्धिः प्लावयामास सर्वतः ॥ 83.26 ॥

vegabhramaṇavikṣuṇṇā mahī tasya vyaśīryata lāṅgūlenāhataścābdhiḥ plāvayāmāsa sarvataḥ

The earth crumbled, torn up by his furious whirling motion; and the ocean, struck by his tail, flooded out on every side.

Verse 27 (markandeya.83.27)

धुतशृङ्गविभिन्नाश्च खण्डं खण्डं ययुर्घना । श्वासानिलास्ताः शतशो निपेतुर्नभसोऽचलाः ॥ 83.27 ॥

dhutaśṛṅgavibhinnāśca khaṇḍaṁ khaṇḍaṁ yayurghanā śvāsānilāstāḥ śataśo nipeturnabhaso ’calāḥ

The clouds, torn apart by the tossing of his horns, broke into fragment upon fragment; and by the blast of his breath, mountains by the hundreds fell from the sky.

Verse 28 (markandeya.83.28)

इति क्रोधसमाध्मातमापतन्तं महासुरम् । दृष्ट्वा सा चण्डिका कोपं तद्वधाय तदाकरोत् ॥ 83.28 ॥

iti krodhasamādhmātamāpatantaṁ mahāsuram dṛṣṭvā sā caṇḍikā kopaṁ tadvadhāya tadākarot

Beholding that great asura, swollen with rage, rushing thus upon her, Chandika grew wrathful, resolved then upon his destruction.

Verse 29 (markandeya.83.29)

सा क्षिप्त्वा तस्य वै पाशं तं बबन्ध महासुरम् । तत्याज माहिषं रूपं सोऽपि बद्धो महामृधे ॥ 83.29 ॥

sā kṣiptvā tasya vai pāśaṁ taṁ babandha mahāsuram tatyāja māhiṣaṁ rūpaṁ so ’pi baddho mahāmṛdhe

Casting her noose, she bound that great asura fast; and he, thus bound in that great battle, abandoned his buffalo form.

Verse 30 (markandeya.83.30)

ततः सिंहोऽभवत् सद्यो यावत्तस्याम्बिका शिरः । छिनत्ति तावत्पुरुषः खड्गपाणिरदृश्यत ॥ 83.30 ॥

tataḥ siṁho ’bhavat sadyo yāvattasyāmbikā śiraḥ chinatti tāvatpuruṣaḥ khaḍgapāṇiradṛśyata

He then instantly became a lion; and just as Ambika was about to sever his head, he appeared as a man, sword in hand.

Verse 31 (markandeya.83.31)

तत एवाशु पुरुषं देवी चिच्छेद सायकैः । तं खड्गचर्मणा सार्धं ततः सोऽभून्महागजः ॥ 83.31 ॥

tata evāśu puruṣaṁ devī ciccheda sāyakaiḥ taṁ khaḍgacarmaṇā sārdhaṁ tataḥ so ’bhūnmahāgajaḥ

At once the goddess cut down that man, along with his sword and shield, with her arrows; then he became a great elephant.

Verse 32 (markandeya.83.32)

करेण च महासिंहं तं चकर्ष जगर्ज च । कर्षतस्तु करं देवी खड्गेन निरकृन्तत ॥ 83.32 ॥

kareṇa ca mahāsiṁhaṁ taṁ cakarṣa jagarja ca karṣatastu karaṁ devī khaḍgena nirakṛntata

With his trunk he seized that great lion and trumpeted; but as he was dragging at him, the goddess severed his trunk with her sword.

Verse 33 (markandeya.83.33)

ततो महासुरो भूयो माहिषं वपुरास्थितः । तथैव क्षोभयामास त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् ॥ 83.33 ॥

tato mahāsuro bhūyo māhiṣaṁ vapurāsthitaḥ tathaiva kṣobhayāmāsa trailokyaṁ sacarācaram

Then that great asura again assumed his buffalo form, and in that very form once more threw the three worlds, with all their moving and unmoving beings, into turmoil.

Verse 34 (markandeya.83.34)

ततः क्रुद्धा जगन्माता चण्डिका पानमुत्तमम् । पपौ पुनः पुनश्चैव जहासारुणलोचना ॥ 83.34 ॥

tataḥ kruddhā jaganmātā caṇḍikā pānamuttamam papau punaḥ punaścaiva jahāsāruṇalocanā

Then the enraged Mother of the world, Chandika, drank again and again of the finest wine, and laughed, her eyes red.

Verse 35 (markandeya.83.35)

ननर्द चासुरः सोऽपि बलवीर्यमदोद्धतः । विषाणाब्याञ्च चिक्षेप चण्डिकां प्रति भूधरान् ॥ 83.35 ॥

nanarda cāsuraḥ so ’pi balavīryamadoddhataḥ viṣāṇābyāñca cikṣepa caṇḍikāṁ prati bhūdharān

And that asura too roared, swollen with the pride of his strength and prowess, and hurled mountains at Chandika with his horns.

Verse 36 (markandeya.83.36)

सा च तान् प्रहितांस्तेन चूर्णयन्ती शरोत्करैः । उवाच तं मदोद्धूतमुखरागाकुलाक्षरम् ॥ 83.36 ॥

sā ca tān prahitāṁstena cūrṇayantī śarotkaraiḥ uvāca taṁ madoddhūtamukharāgākulākṣaram

And she, pulverizing with showers of her arrows those mountains hurled by him, spoke to him — his speech now confused, his face flushed with the pride of drink.

Verse 37 (markandeya.83.37)

देव्युवाच गर्ज गर्ज क्षणं मूढ मधु यावत्पिबाम्यहम् । मया त्वयि हतेऽत्रैव गर्जिष्यन्त्याशु देवताः ॥ 83.37 ॥

devyuvāca garja garja kṣaṇaṁ mūḍha madhu yāvatpibāmyaham mayā tvayi hate ’traiva garjiṣyantyāśu devatāḥ

The goddess said: Roar, roar for a moment, fool, while I drink this wine! Once you are slain by me, right here, the gods will soon be roaring in your place.

Verse 38 (markandeya.83.38)

ऋषिरुवाच एवमुक्त्वा समुत्पत्य सारूढा तं महासुरम् । पादेनाक्रम्य कण्ठे च शूलेनैनमताडयत् ॥ 83.38 ॥

ṛṣiruvāca evamuktvā samutpatya sārūḍhā taṁ mahāsuram pādenākramya kaṇṭhe ca śūlenainamatāḍayat

The sage said: Having spoken thus, she leapt up and mounted that great asura; pressing his throat down with her foot, she struck him with her trident.

Verse 39 (markandeya.83.39)

ततः सोऽपि पदाक्रान्तस्तया निजमुखात्ततः । अर्धनिष्क्रान्त एवासीद् देव्या वीर्येण संवृतः ॥ 83.39 ॥

tataḥ so ’pi padākrāntastayā nijamukhāttataḥ ardhaniṣkrānta evāsīd devyā vīryeṇa saṁvṛtaḥ

Then he too, pinned down beneath her foot, began to emerge half-way out from his own buffalo mouth, but was held fast, restrained by the goddess's power.

Verse 40 (markandeya.83.40)

अर्धनिष्क्रान्त एवासौ युध्यमानो महासुरः । तया महासिना देव्या शिरश्छित्त्वा निपातितः ॥ 83.40 ॥

ardhaniṣkrānta evāsau yudhyamāno mahāsuraḥ tayā mahāsinā devyā śiraśchittvā nipātitaḥ

That great asura, thus half-emerged and still fighting, was felled by the goddess, who severed his head with her great sword.

Verse 41 (markandeya.83.41)

एवं स महिषो नाम ससैन्यः ससुहृद्गणः । त्रैलोक्यं मोहयित्वा तु तया देव्या विनाशितः ॥ 83.41 ॥

evaṁ sa mahiṣo nāma sasainyaḥ sasuhṛdgaṇaḥ trailokyaṁ mohayitvā tu tayā devyā vināśitaḥ

Thus was that one named Mahisha, together with his army and his host of companions, who had bewildered the three worlds, destroyed by that goddess.

Verse 42 (markandeya.83.42)

त्रैलोक्यस्थैस्तदा भूतैर्महिषे विनिपातिते । जयेत्युक्तं ततः सर्वैः सदेवासुरमानवैः ॥ 83.42 ॥

trailokyasthaistadā bhūtairmahiṣe vinipātite jayetyuktaṁ tataḥ sarvaiḥ sadevāsuramānavaiḥ

When Mahisha had thus been struck down, all the beings dwelling in the three worlds — gods, asuras, and men alike — then cried out, "Victory!"

Verse 43 (markandeya.83.43)

ततो हाहाकृतं सर्वं दैत्यसैन्यं ननाश तत् । प्रहर्षञ्च परं जग्मुः सकला देवतागणाः ॥ 83.43 ॥

tato hāhākṛtaṁ sarvaṁ daityasainyaṁ nanāśa tat praharṣañca paraṁ jagmuḥ sakalā devatāgaṇāḥ

Then that entire host of the daityas, crying out in dismay, was destroyed; and all the hosts of the gods were filled with the greatest joy.

Verse 44 (markandeya.83.44)

तुष्टुवुस्तां सुरा देवीं सह दिव्यैर्महर्षिभिः । जगुर्गन्धर्वपतयो ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः ॥ 83.44 ॥

tuṣṭuvustāṁ surā devīṁ saha divyairmaharṣibhiḥ jagurgandharvapatayo nanṛtuścāpsarogaṇāḥ

The gods, together with the celestial great sages, praised that goddess; the lords of the gandharvas sang, and the hosts of apsarases danced.