The Slaying of Chanda and Munda

Verse 1 (markandeya.87.1)

ऋषिरुवाच आज्ञप्तास्ते ततो दैत्याश्चण्डमुण्डपुरोगमाः । चतुरङ्गबलोपेता ययुरभ्युद्यतायुधाः ॥ 87.1 ॥

ṛṣiruvāca ājñaptāste tato daityāścaṇḍamuṇḍapurogamāḥ caturaṅgabalopetā yayurabhyudyatāyudhāḥ

The sage said: Thus commanded, the daityas, led by Chanda and Munda, set out equipped with the fourfold army, their weapons raised.

Verse 2 (markandeya.87.2)

ददृशुस्ते ततो देवीमीषद्धासां व्यवस्थिताम् । सिंहस्योपरि शैलेन्द्रशृङ्गे महति काञ्चने ॥ 87.2 ॥

dadṛśuste tato devīmīṣaddhāsāṁ vyavasthitām siṁhasyopari śailendraśṛṅge mahati kāñcane

There they beheld the Devi, seated with a faint smile upon the lion, on a great golden peak of the mountain-lord.

Verse 3 (markandeya.87.3)

ते दृष्ट्वा तां समादातुमुद्यमं चक्रुरुद्यताः । आकृष्टचापासिधरास्तथान्ये सत्समीपगाः ॥ 87.3 ॥

te dṛṣṭvā tāṁ samādātumudyamaṁ cakrurudyatāḥ ākṛṣṭacāpāsidharāstathānye satsamīpagāḥ

Seeing her, they made ready to seize her — some with bows and swords drawn, while others closed in near her.

Verse 4 (markandeya.87.4)

ततः कोपं चकारोच्चैरम्बिका तानरीन् प्रति । कोपेन चास्या वदनं मषीवर्णमभूत्तदा ॥ 87.4 ॥

tataḥ kopaṁ cakāroccairambikā tānarīn prati kopena cāsyā vadanaṁ maṣīvarṇamabhūttadā

Then Ambika grew greatly enraged against those foes, and through her fury her face turned dark as ink.

Verse 5 (markandeya.87.5)

भ्रुकुटीकुटिलात्तस्या ललाटफलकाद् द्रुतम् । काली करालवदना विनिष्क्रान्तासिपाशिनी ॥ 87.5 ॥

bhrukuṭīkuṭilāttasyā lalāṭaphalakād drutam kālī karālavadanā viniṣkrāntāsipāśinī

Suddenly, from her forehead contracted in a frown, there sprang forth Kali, of terrible countenance, armed with sword and noose.

Verse 6 (markandeya.87.6)

विचित्रखट्वाङ्गधरा नरमालाविभूषणा । द्वीपिचर्मपरीधाना शुष्कमांसातिभैरवा ॥ 87.6 ॥

vicitrakhaṭvāṅgadharā naramālāvibhūṣaṇā dvīpicarmaparīdhānā śuṣkamāṁsātibhairavā

Bearing a strange skull-topped staff, adorned with a garland of human heads, clad in a tiger's hide, most terrifying with her withered flesh.

Verse 7 (markandeya.87.7)

अतिविस्तारवदना जिह्वाललनभीषणा । निमग्नारक्तनयना नादापूरितदिङ्मुखा ॥ 87.7 ॥

ativistāravadanā jihvālalanabhīṣaṇā nimagnāraktanayanā nādāpūritadiṅmukhā

Her mouth gaping wide, terrifying with her lolling tongue, her eyes sunken and red, she filled every quarter of the sky with her roar.

Verse 8 (markandeya.87.8)

सा वेगेनाभिपतिता घातयन्ती महासुरान् । सैन्ये तत्र सुरारीणामभक्षयत तद्वलम् ॥ 87.8 ॥

sā vegenābhipatitā ghātayantī mahāsurān sainye tatra surārīṇāmabhakṣayata tadvalam

Falling upon them with great speed, slaying the great asuras, she devoured that army of the enemies of the gods right there.

Verse 9 (markandeya.87.9)

पार्ष्णिग्राहाङ्कुशग्राहि योधघण्टासमन्वितान् । समादायैकहस्तेन मुखे चिक्षेप वारणान् ॥ 87.9 ॥

pārṣṇigrāhāṅkuśagrāhi yodhaghaṇṭāsamanvitān samādāyaikahastena mukhe cikṣepa vāraṇān

Seizing with a single hand the elephants together with their goad-bearing riders, their warriors, and their bells, she flung them into her mouth.

Verse 10 (markandeya.87.10)

तथैव योधं तुरगै रथं सारथिना सह । निक्षिप्य वक्त्रे दशनैश्चर्वयन्त्यतिभैरवम् ॥ 87.10 ॥

tathaiva yodhaṁ turagai rathaṁ sārathinā saha nikṣipya vaktre daśanaiścarvayantyatibhairavam

In the same way she flung a warrior together with his horses, and a chariot together with its charioteer, into her mouth and, most terrifyingly, crushed them with her teeth.

Verse 11 (markandeya.87.11)

एकं जग्राह केशेषु ग्रीवायामथ चापरम् । पादेनाक्रम्य चैवान्यमुरसान्यमपोथयत् ॥ 87.11 ॥

ekaṁ jagrāha keśeṣu grīvāyāmatha cāparam pādenākramya caivānyamurasānyamapothayat

She seized one by the hair, another by the neck; treading upon yet another with her foot, she crushed another with her chest.

Verse 12 (markandeya.87.12)

तैर्मुक्तानि च शस्त्रणि महास्त्राणि तथासुरैः । मुखेन जग्राह रुषा दशनैर्मथितान्यपि ॥ 87.12 ॥

tairmuktāni ca śastraṇi mahāstrāṇi tathāsuraiḥ mukhena jagrāha ruṣā daśanairmathitānyapi

The weapons and the great missiles loosed by those asuras she caught in her mouth in fury, and crushed even with her teeth.

Verse 13 (markandeya.87.13)

बलिनां तद्बलं सर्वमसुराणां दुरात्मनाम् । ममर्दाभक्षयच्चान्यानन्यांश्चाताडयत्तथा ॥ 87.13 ॥

balināṁ tadbalaṁ sarvamasurāṇāṁ durātmanām mamardābhakṣayaccānyānanyāṁścātāḍayattathā

That entire army of the mighty, evil-souled asuras she crushed — some she devoured, and others still she struck down.

Verse 14 (markandeya.87.14)

असिना निहताः केचित्केचित्खट्वाङ्गताडिताः । जग्मुर्विनाशमसुरा दन्ताग्राभिहता रणे ॥ 87.14 ॥

asinā nihatāḥ kecitkecitkhaṭvāṅgatāḍitāḥ jagmurvināśamasurā dantāgrābhihatā raṇe

Some asuras were slain by her sword, some struck down by her skull-staff, and others met destruction on the battlefield, pierced by the points of her teeth.

Verse 15 (markandeya.87.15)

क्षणेन तन्महासैन्यमसुराणां निपातितम् । दृष्ट्वा चण्डोऽभिदुद्राव तां कालीमतिभीषणाम् ॥ 87.15 ॥

kṣaṇena tanmahāsainyamasurāṇāṁ nipātitam dṛṣṭvā caṇḍo 'bhidudrāva tāṁ kālīmatibhīṣaṇām

Seeing that great army of asuras laid low in a single moment, Chanda rushed toward that most terrifying Kali.

Verse 16 (markandeya.87.16)

शरवर्षैर्महाभीमैर्भीमाक्षीं तां महासुरः । छादयामास चक्रैश्च मुण्डः क्षिप्तैः सहस्रशः ॥ 87.16 ॥

śaravarṣairmahābhīmairbhīmākṣīṁ tāṁ mahāsuraḥ chādayāmāsa cakraiśca muṇḍaḥ kṣiptaiḥ sahasraśaḥ

The great asura Munda covered that terrible-eyed one with showers of dreadful arrows and with discuses hurled by the thousand.

Verse 17 (markandeya.87.17)

तानि चक्राण्यनेकानि विशमानानि तन्मुखम् । बभुर्यथार्कबिम्बानि सुबहूनि घनोदरम् ॥ 87.17 ॥

tāni cakrāṇyanekāni viśamānāni tanmukham babhuryathārkabimbāni subahūni ghanodaram

Those numerous discuses, entering her mouth, appeared like many orbs of the sun disappearing into the belly of a dense cloud.

Verse 18 (markandeya.87.18)

ततो जहासातिरुषा भीमं भैरवनादिनी । काली करालवक्त्रान्तर्दुर्दर्शदशनोज्ज्वला ॥ 87.18 ॥

tato jahāsātiruṣā bhīmaṁ bhairavanādinī kālī karālavaktrāntardurdarśadaśanojjvalā

Then Kali, whose voice roars terribly, her fearsome mouth blazing with dreadful teeth, laughed a fearsome laugh in utmost fury.

Verse 19 (markandeya.87.19)

उत्थाय च महासिंहं देवी चण्डमधावत । गृहीत्वा चास्य केशेषु शिरस्तेनासिनाच्छिनत् ॥ 87.19 ॥

utthāya ca mahāsiṁhaṁ devī caṇḍamadhāvata gṛhītvā cāsya keśeṣu śirastenāsinācchinat

Mounting her great lion, the Devi charged at Chanda; seizing him by the hair, she severed his head with that very sword.

Verse 20 (markandeya.87.20)

छिन्ने शिरसि दैत्येन्द्रश्चक्रे नादं सुभैरवम् । तेन नादेन महता त्रासितं भुवनत्रयम् ॥ 87.20 ॥

chinne śirasi daityendraścakre nādaṁ subhairavam tena nādena mahatā trāsitaṁ bhuvanatrayam

When his head was severed, that lord of daityas let out a most terrifying cry — and by that great cry the three worlds were struck with fear.

Verse 21 (markandeya.87.21)

अथ मुण्डोऽभ्यधावत्तां दृष्ट्वा चण्डं निपातितम् । तमप्यपातयद् भूमौ सा खड्गाभिहतं रुषा ॥ 87.21 ॥

atha muṇḍo 'bhyadhāvattāṁ dṛṣṭvā caṇḍaṁ nipātitam tamapyapātayad bhūmau sā khaḍgābhihataṁ ruṣā

Then, seeing Chanda fallen, Munda charged at her; him too, in fury, she struck down to the ground with her sword.

Verse 22 (markandeya.87.22)

हतशेषं ततः सैन्यं दृष्ट्वा चण्डं निपातितम् । मुण्डं च सुमहावीर्यं दिशो भेजे भयातुरम् ॥ 87.22 ॥

hataśeṣaṁ tataḥ sainyaṁ dṛṣṭvā caṇḍaṁ nipātitam muṇḍaṁ ca sumahāvīryaṁ diśo bheje bhayāturam

The remnant of the army, seeing Chanda fallen and Munda of such great valour also slain, fled in terror in every direction.

Verse 23 (markandeya.87.23)

शिरञ्चण्डस्य काली च गृहीत्वा मुण्डमेव च । प्राह प्रचण्डाट्टहासमिश्रमभ्येत्य चण्डिकाम् ॥ 87.23 ॥

śirañcaṇḍasya kālī ca gṛhītvā muṇḍameva ca prāha pracaṇḍāṭṭahāsamiśramabhyetya caṇḍikām

Then Kali, taking up the heads of both Chanda and Munda, approached Chandika and spoke, her words mingled with a violent, ringing laughter.

Verse 24 (markandeya.87.24)

मया तवात्रोपहृतौ चण्डमुण्डौ महापशू । युद्धयज्ञे स्वयं शुम्भं निशुम्भं च हनिष्यसि ॥ 87.24 ॥

mayā tavātropahṛtau caṇḍamuṇḍau mahāpaśū yuddhayajñe svayaṁ śumbhaṁ niśumbhaṁ ca haniṣyasi

'By me here have Chanda and Munda been offered to you, two great sacrificial beasts in the sacrifice of battle — now you yourself shall slay Shumbha and Nishumbha.'

Verse 25 (markandeya.87.25)

ऋषिरुवाच तावानीतौ ततो दृष्ट्वा चण्डमुण्डौ महासुरौ । उवाच कालीं कल्याणी ललितं चण्डिका वचः ॥ 87.25 ॥

ṛṣiruvāca tāvānītau tato dṛṣṭvā caṇḍamuṇḍau mahāsurau uvāca kālīṁ kalyāṇī lalitaṁ caṇḍikā vacaḥ

The sage said: Then, seeing those two great asuras Chanda and Munda thus brought before her, the auspicious Chandika spoke graceful words to Kali.

Verse 26 (markandeya.87.26)

श्रीदेव्युवाच यस्माच्चण्डं च मुण्डं च गृहीत्वा त्वमुपागता । चामुण्डेति ततो लोके ख्याता देवि भविष्यसि ॥ 87.26 ॥

śrīdevyuvāca yasmāccaṇḍaṁ ca muṇḍaṁ ca gṛhītvā tvamupāgatā cāmuṇḍeti tato loke khyātā devi bhaviṣyasi

The auspicious Devi said: 'Since you have brought me Chanda and Munda, seizing them yourself, you, O Devi, shall henceforth be known in the world by the name Chamunda.'