The Slaying of Nishumbha

Verse 1 (markandeya.89.1)

राजोवाच विचित्रमिदमाख्यातं भगवन् भवता मम । देव्याश्चरितमाहात्म्यं रक्तबीजवधाश्रितम् ॥ 89.1 ॥

rājovāca vicitramidamākhyātaṁ bhagavan bhavatā mama devyāścaritamāhātmyaṁ raktabījavadhāśritam

The king said: Wondrous is this account, O venerable one, that you have related to me — the glorious deeds of the Devi centred upon the slaying of Raktabija.

Verse 2 (markandeya.89.2)

भूयश्चेच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं रक्तबीजे निपातिते । चकार शुम्भो यत्कर्म निशुम्भश्चातिकोपनः ॥ 89.2 ॥

bhūyaścecchāmyahaṁ śrotuṁ raktabīje nipātite cakāra śumbho yatkarma niśumbhaścātikopanaḥ

I wish to hear further: once Raktabija had been struck down, what deeds did Shumbha, and the exceedingly wrathful Nishumbha, then perform?

Verse 3 (markandeya.89.3)

ऋषिरुवाच चकार कोपमतुलं रक्तबीजे निपातिते । शुम्भासुरो निशुम्भश्च हतेष्वन्येषु चाहवे ॥ 89.3 ॥

ṛṣiruvāca cakāra kopamatulaṁ raktabīje nipātite śumbhāsuro niśumbhaśca hateṣvanyeṣu cāhave

The sage said: When Raktabija had been struck down and the other asuras slain in battle, Shumbha and Nishumbha gave way to matchless fury.

Verse 4 (markandeya.89.4)

हन्यमानं महासैन्यं विलोक्यामर्षमुद्वहन् । अभ्यधावन्निशुम्भोऽथ मुख्ययासुरसेनया ॥ 89.4 ॥

hanyamānaṁ mahāsainyaṁ vilokyāmarṣamudvahan abhyadhāvanniśumbho 'tha mukhyayāsurasenayā

Beholding his great army being slaughtered, and overcome with indignation, Nishumbha then charged forward with his foremost host of asuras.

Verse 5 (markandeya.89.5)

तस्याग्रतस्तथा पृष्ठे पार्श्वयोश्च महासुराः । संदष्टौष्ठपुटाः क्रुद्धा हन्तुं देवीमुपाययुः ॥ 89.5 ॥

tasyāgratastathā pṛṣṭhe pārśvayośca mahāsurāḥ saṁdaṣṭauṣṭhapuṭāḥ kruddhā hantuṁ devīmupāyayuḥ

Before him, behind him, and on both his sides, great asuras, their lips bitten in fury, advanced to slay the Devi.

Verse 6 (markandeya.89.6)

आजगाम महावीर्यः शुम्भोऽपि स्वबलैर्वृतः । निहन्तुं चण्डिकां कोपात्कृत्वा युद्धं तु मातृभिः ॥ 89.6 ॥

ājagāma mahāvīryaḥ śumbho 'pi svabalairvṛtaḥ nihantuṁ caṇḍikāṁ kopātkṛtvā yuddhaṁ tu mātṛbhiḥ

Shumbha too, of great valour, surrounded by his own forces, came forward in fury to slay Chandika, after first giving battle to the Mothers.

Verse 7 (markandeya.89.7)

ततो युद्धमतीवासीद्देव्या शुम्भनिशुम्भयोः । शरवर्षमतीवोग्रं मेघयोरिव वर्षतोः ॥ 89.7 ॥

tato yuddhamatīvāsīddevyā śumbhaniśumbhayoḥ śaravarṣamatīvograṁ meghayoriva varṣatoḥ

Then a battle raged fiercely between the Devi and Shumbha and Nishumbha — an exceedingly terrible shower of arrows, like two rain-clouds pouring down together.

Verse 8 (markandeya.89.8)

चिच्छेदास्ताञ्छरांस्ताभ्यां चण्डिका स्वशरोत्करैः । ताडयामास चाङ्गेषु शस्त्रौघैरसुरेश्वरौ ॥ 89.8 ॥

cicchedāstāñcharāṁstābhyāṁ caṇḍikā svaśarotkaraiḥ tāḍayāmāsa cāṅgeṣu śastraughairasureśvarau

Chandika cut to pieces the arrows loosed by those two with her own multitude of arrows, and struck those two lords of asuras upon their limbs with a torrent of weapons.

Verse 9 (markandeya.89.9)

निशुम्भो निशितं खड्गं चर्म चादाय सुप्रभम् । अताडयन्मूर्ध्नि सिंहं देव्या वाहनमुत्तमम् ॥ 89.9 ॥

niśumbho niśitaṁ khaḍgaṁ carma cādāya suprabham atāḍayanmūrdhni siṁhaṁ devyā vāhanamuttamam

Nishumbha, taking up a sharpened sword and a bright shield, struck the Devi's excellent mount, the lion, upon its head.

Verse 10 (markandeya.89.10)

ताडिते वाहने देवी क्षुरप्रेणासिमुत्तमम् । निशुम्भस्याशु चिच्छेद चर्म चाप्यष्टचन्द्रकम् ॥ 89.10 ॥

tāḍite vāhane devī kṣurapreṇāsimuttamam niśumbhasyāśu ciccheda carma cāpyaṣṭacandrakam

When her mount was struck, the Devi swiftly cut off, with a razor-tipped arrow, that excellent sword; and she cut away too Nishumbha's shield marked with eight moons.

Verse 11 (markandeya.89.11)

छिन्ने चर्मणि खड्गे च शक्तिं चिक्षेप सोऽसुरः । तामप्यस्य द्विधा चक्रे चक्रेणाभिमुखागताम् ॥ 89.11 ॥

chinne carmaṇi khaḍge ca śaktiṁ cikṣepa so 'suraḥ tāmapyasya dvidhā cakre cakreṇābhimukhāgatām

His shield and sword thus cut away, that asura hurled a spear at her; that too, as it came rushing toward her, she split in two with her discus.

Verse 12 (markandeya.89.12)

कोपाध्मातो निशुम्भोऽथ शूलं जग्राह दानवः । आयातं मुष्टिपातेन देवी तच्चाप्यचूर्णयत् ॥ 89.12 ॥

kopādhmāto niśumbho 'tha śūlaṁ jagrāha dānavaḥ āyātaṁ muṣṭipātena devī taccāpyacūrṇayat

Then Nishumbha, swollen with rage, seized a trident, that demon; and as it came at her, the Devi shattered it to dust with a blow of her fist.

Verse 13 (markandeya.89.13)

अथादाय गदां सोऽपि चिक्षेप चण्डिकां प्रति । सापि देव्या त्रिशूलेन भिन्ना भस्मत्वमागता ॥ 89.13 ॥

athādāya gadāṁ so 'pi cikṣepa caṇḍikāṁ prati sāpi devyā triśūlena bhinnā bhasmatvamāgatā

Then, taking up a mace, he too hurled it toward Chandika; that too, pierced by the Devi's trident, was reduced to ashes.

Verse 14 (markandeya.89.14)

ततः परशुहस्तं तमायान्त दैत्यपुङ्गवम् । आहत्य देवी बाणौघैरपातयत भूतले ॥ 89.14 ॥

tataḥ paraśuhastaṁ tamāyānta daityapuṅgavam āhatya devī bāṇaughairapātayata bhūtale

Then, as that foremost of daityas came on, axe in hand, the Devi struck him with a shower of arrows and felled him to the ground.

Verse 15 (markandeya.89.15)

तस्मिन्निपतिते भूमौ निशुम्भे भीमविक्रमे । भ्रातर्यतीव संक्रुद्धः प्रययौ हन्तुमम्बिकाम् ॥ 89.15 ॥

tasminnipatite bhūmau niśumbhe bhīmavikrame bhrātaryatīva saṁkruddhaḥ prayayau hantumambikām

Seeing Nishumbha, of such terrible prowess, thus fallen to the earth, his brother, overcome with fury, advanced to slay Ambika.

Verse 16 (markandeya.89.16)

स रथस्थस्तथात्युच्चैर्गृहीतपरमायुधैः । भुजैरष्टाभिरतुलैर्व्याप्याशेषं बभौ नभः ॥ 89.16 ॥

sa rathasthastathātyuccairgṛhītaparamāyudhaiḥ bhujairaṣṭābhiratulairvyāpyāśeṣaṁ babhau nabhaḥ

Seated on his chariot, holding his supreme weapons raised high, he filled the entire sky with his eight matchless arms.

Verse 17 (markandeya.89.17)

तमायान्तं समालोक्य देवी शङ्खमवादयत् । ज्याशब्दं चापि धनुषश्चकारातीव दुःसहम् ॥ 89.17 ॥

tamāyāntaṁ samālokya devī śaṅkhamavādayat jyāśabdaṁ cāpi dhanuṣaścakārātīva duḥsaham

Seeing him approach, the Devi blew her conch, and made the twang of her bowstring utterly unbearable.

Verse 18 (markandeya.89.18)

पूरयामास ककुभो निजघण्टास्वनेन च । समस्तदैत्यसैन्यानां तेजोवधविधायिना ॥ 89.18 ॥

pūrayāmāsa kakubho nijaghaṇṭāsvanena ca samastadaityasainyānāṁ tejovadhavidhāyinā

She filled the quarters too with the sound of her own bell, whose ringing brought about the destruction of all the daitya armies' vigour.

Verse 19 (markandeya.89.19)

ततः सिंहो महानादैस्त्याजितेभमहामदैः । पूरयामास गगनं गां तथैव दिशो दश ॥ 89.19 ॥

tataḥ siṁho mahānādaistyājitebhamahāmadaiḥ pūrayāmāsa gaganaṁ gāṁ tathaiva diśo daśa

Then the lion too, with its great roars, which robbed elephants of their very frenzy, filled the sky, the earth, and all ten directions.

Verse 20 (markandeya.89.20)

ततः काली समुत्पत्य गगनं क्ष्मामताडयत् । कराभ्यां तन्निनादेन प्राक्स्वनास्ते तिरोहिताः ॥ 89.20 ॥

tataḥ kālī samutpatya gaganaṁ kṣmāmatāḍayat karābhyāṁ tanninādena prāksvanāste tirohitāḥ

Then Kali, leaping up into the sky, struck the earth with both her hands; and by the sound of that, all the previous sounds were drowned out.

Verse 21 (markandeya.89.21)

अट्टाट्टहासमशिवं शिवदूती चकार ह । तैः शब्दैरसुरास्त्रेसुः शुम्भः कोपं परं ययौ ॥ 89.21 ॥

aṭṭāṭṭahāsamaśivaṁ śivadūtī cakāra ha taiḥ śabdairasurāstresuḥ śumbhaḥ kopaṁ paraṁ yayau

Shivaduti too let out an inauspicious, dreadful peal of laughter; by those sounds the asuras trembled with fear, and Shumbha rose to the height of fury.

Verse 22 (markandeya.89.22)

दुरात्मंस्तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति व्याजहाराम्बिका यदा । तदा जयेत्यभिहितं देवैराकाशसंस्थितैः ॥ 89.22 ॥

durātmaṁstiṣṭha tiṣṭheti vyājahārāmbikā yadā tadā jayetyabhihitaṁ devairākāśasaṁsthitaiḥ

When Ambika cried, 'Stand, stand, O evil one!', the gods stationed in the sky then acclaimed her with cries of 'Victory!'

Verse 23 (markandeya.89.23)

शुम्भेनागत्य या शक्तिर्मुक्ता ज्वालातिभीषणा । आयान्ती वह्निकूटाभा सा निरस्ता महोल्कया ॥ 89.23 ॥

śumbhenāgatya yā śaktirmuktā jvālātibhīṣaṇā āyāntī vahnikūṭābhā sā nirastā maholkayā

The most terrifying, flame-wreathed spear that Shumbha hurled, coming on like a mass of fire, was struck down by the Devi with a great meteor.

Verse 24 (markandeya.89.24)

सिंहनादेन शुम्भस्य व्याप्तं लोकत्रयान्तरम् । निर्घातनिःस्वनो घोरो जितवानवनीपते ॥ 89.24 ॥

siṁhanādena śumbhasya vyāptaṁ lokatrayāntaram nirghātaniḥsvano ghoro jitavānavanīpate

O king, the space of the three worlds was filled with Shumbha's lion-like roar; and that dreadful, thunderclap-like sound overwhelmed all else.

Verse 25 (markandeya.89.25)

शुम्भमुक्ताञ्छरान्देवी शुम्भस्तत्प्रहिताञ्छरान् । चिच्छेद स्वशरैरुग्रैः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥ 89.25 ॥

śumbhamuktāñcharāndevī śumbhastatprahitāñcharān ciccheda svaśarairugraiḥ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ

The Devi cut to pieces, with her own fierce arrows, the arrows loosed by Shumbha; and Shumbha likewise cut to pieces those sent by the Devi — by the hundred and by the thousand.

Verse 26 (markandeya.89.26)

ततः सा चण्डिका क्रुद्धा शूलेनाभिजघान तम् । स तदाभिहतो भूमौ मूर्च्छितो निपपात ह ॥ 89.26 ॥

tataḥ sā caṇḍikā kruddhā śūlenābhijaghāna tam sa tadābhihato bhūmau mūrcchito nipapāta ha

Then Chandika, enraged, struck him with her trident; struck by that blow, he fell to the ground in a swoon.

Verse 27 (markandeya.89.27)

ततो निशुम्भः सम्प्राप्य चेतनामात्तकार्मुकः । आजघान शरैर्देवीं कालीं केसरिणं तथा ॥ 89.27 ॥

tato niśumbhaḥ samprāpya cetanāmāttakārmukaḥ ājaghāna śarairdevīṁ kālīṁ kesariṇaṁ tathā

Then, regaining consciousness and taking up his bow, Nishumbha loosed arrows at the Devi, at Kali, and at the lion.

Verse 28 (markandeya.89.28)

पुनश्च कृत्वा बाहूनामयुतं दनुजेश्वरः । चक्रायुधेन दितिजश्छादयामास चण्डिकाम् ॥ 89.28 ॥

punaśca kṛtvā bāhūnāmayutaṁ danujeśvaraḥ cakrāyudhena ditijaśchādayāmāsa caṇḍikām

That lord of the danavas then again put forth ten thousand arms, and with discus-weapons covered Chandika entirely.

Verse 29 (markandeya.89.29)

ततो भगवती क्रुद्धा दुर्गा दुर्गार्तिनाशिनी । चिच्छेद तानि चक्राणि स्वशरैः सायकांश्च तान् ॥ 89.29 ॥

tato bhagavatī kruddhā durgā durgārtināśinī ciccheda tāni cakrāṇi svaśaraiḥ sāyakāṁśca tān

Then the blessed Durga, who destroys distress, in fury cut to pieces those discuses and those sharp arrows with her own arrows.

Verse 30 (markandeya.89.30)

ततो निशुम्भो वेगेन गदामादाय चण्डिकाम् । अभ्यधावत वै हन्तुं दैत्यसेनासमावृतः ॥ 89.30 ॥

tato niśumbho vegena gadāmādāya caṇḍikām abhyadhāvata vai hantuṁ daityasenāsamāvṛtaḥ

Then Nishumbha, taking up his mace with great speed, surrounded by the daitya army, charged forward to slay Chandika.

Verse 31 (markandeya.89.31)

तस्यापतत एवाशु गदां चिच्छेद चण्डिका । खड्गेन शितधारेण स च शूलं समाददे ॥ 89.31 ॥

tasyāpatata evāśu gadāṁ ciccheda caṇḍikā khaḍgena śitadhāreṇa sa ca śūlaṁ samādade

As soon as he closed in, Chandika, with a sword of keen edge, cut down that mace at once; whereupon he took up a trident.

Verse 32 (markandeya.89.32)

शूलहस्तं समायान्तं निशुम्भममरार्दनम् । हृदि विव्याध शूलेन वेगाविद्धेन चण्डिका ॥ 89.32 ॥

śūlahastaṁ samāyāntaṁ niśumbhamamarārdanam hṛdi vivyādha śūlena vegāviddhena caṇḍikā

As Nishumbha, tormentor of the gods, came on with trident in hand, Chandika pierced his heart with her own swiftly-hurled trident.

Verse 33 (markandeya.89.33)

भिन्नस्य तस्य शूलेन हृदयान्निःसृतोऽपरः । महाबलो महावीर्यस्तिष्ठेति पुरुषो वदन् ॥ 89.33 ॥

bhinnasya tasya śūlena hṛdayānniḥsṛto 'paraḥ mahābalo mahāvīryastiṣṭheti puruṣo vadan

As his heart was pierced by that trident, another being of immense strength and valour issued forth from within it, crying 'Stand, stand!'

Verse 34 (markandeya.89.34)

तस्य निष्क्रामतो देवी प्रहस्य स्वनवत्ततः । शिरश्चिच्छेद खड्गेन ततोऽसावपतद् भुवि ॥ 89.34 ॥

tasya niṣkrāmato devī prahasya svanavattataḥ śiraściccheda khaḍgena tato 'sāvapatad bhuvi

As he thus emerged, the Devi, laughing aloud, severed his head with her sword, and he then fell to the earth.

Verse 35 (markandeya.89.35)

ततः सिंहश्चखादोग्रं दंष्ट्राक्षुण्णशिरोधरान् । असुरांस्तांस्तथा काली शिवदूती तथापरान् ॥ 89.35 ॥

tataḥ siṁhaścakhādograṁ daṁṣṭrākṣuṇṇaśirodharān asurāṁstāṁstathā kālī śivadūtī tathāparān

Then the lion, its fangs crushing their throats, devoured those asuras terribly; and Kali and Shivaduti likewise devoured the others.

Verse 36 (markandeya.89.36)

कौमारीशक्तिनिर्भिन्नाः केचिन्नेशुर्महासुराः । ब्रह्माणीमन्त्रपूतेन तोयेनान्ये निराकृताः ॥ 89.36 ॥

kaumārīśaktinirbhinnāḥ kecinneśurmahāsurāḥ brahmāṇīmantrapūtena toyenānye nirākṛtāḥ

Some great asuras were pierced by Kaumari's spear and perished; others were repelled by Brahmani's mantra-sanctified water.

Verse 37 (markandeya.89.37)

माहेश्वरीत्रिशूलेन भिन्नाः पेतुस्तथापरे । वाराहीतुण्डघातेन केचिच्चूर्णोकृता भुवि ॥ 89.37 ॥

māheśvarītriśūlena bhinnāḥ petustathāpare vārāhītuṇḍaghātena keciccūrṇokṛtā bhuvi

Others, pierced by Maheshvari's trident, fell; and some were pounded to dust upon the ground by the blows of Varahi's snout.

Verse 38 (markandeya.89.38)

खण्डं खण्डं च चक्रेण वैष्णव्या दानवाः कृताः । वज्रेण चैन्द्रीहस्ताग्रविमुक्तेन तथापरे ॥ 89.38 ॥

khaṇḍaṁ khaṇḍaṁ ca cakreṇa vaiṣṇavyā dānavāḥ kṛtāḥ vajreṇa caindrīhastāgravimuktena tathāpare

By Vaishnavi's discus the danavas were cut limb from limb; and by the thunderbolt loosed from Aindri's hand, others still were destroyed.

Verse 39 (markandeya.89.39)

केचिद्विनेशुरसुराः केचिन्नष्टा महाहवात् । भक्षिताश्चापरे कालीशिवदूतीमृगाधिपैः ॥ 89.39 ॥

kecidvineśurasurāḥ kecinnaṣṭā mahāhavāt bhakṣitāścāpare kālīśivadūtīmṛgādhipaiḥ

Some asuras perished in this way, some fled from that great battle, and others still were devoured by Kali, by Shivaduti, and by the lord of the lions.