The Slaying of Shumbha

Verse 1 (markandeya.90.1)

ऋषिरुवाच निशुम्भं निहतं दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरं प्राणसंमितम् । हन्यमानं बलं चैव शुम्भः क्रुद्धोऽब्रवीद्वचः ॥ 90.1 ॥

ṛṣiruvāca niśumbhaṁ nihataṁ dṛṣṭvā bhrātaraṁ prāṇasaṁmitam hanyamānaṁ balaṁ caiva śumbhaḥ kruddho 'bravīdvacaḥ

The sage said: Seeing his brother Nishumbha, dear to him as his own life, slain, and his army being cut down, Shumbha spoke these words in fury.

Verse 2 (markandeya.90.2)

बलावलेपाद् दुष्टे त्वं मा दुर्गे गर्वमावह । अन्यासां बलमाश्रित्य युध्यसे यातिमानिनी ॥ 90.2 ॥

balāvalepād duṣṭe tvaṁ mā durge garvamāvaha anyāsāṁ balamāśritya yudhyase yātimāninī

"Wicked one, do not carry such pride in your strength, O Durga! You fight only by relying on the power of others, yet you think yourself so great."

Verse 3 (markandeya.90.3)

श्रीदेव्युवाच एकैवाहं जगत्यत्र द्वितीया का ममापरा । पश्यैता दुष्ट मय्येव विशन्त्यो मद्विभूतयः ॥ 90.3 ॥

śrīdevyuvāca ekaivāhaṁ jagatyatra dvitīyā kā mamāparā paśyaitā duṣṭa mayyeva viśantyo madvibhūtayaḥ

The Goddess said: I alone exist in this world; what second being is there besides me? Behold, O wicked one—these are but my own powers, now returning into me.

Verse 4 (markandeya.90.4)

ऋषिरुवाच ततः समस्तास्ता देव्यो ब्रह्माणीप्रमुखा लयम् । तस्या देव्यास्तनौ जग्मुरेकावासीत्तदाम्बिका ॥ 90.4 ॥

ṛṣiruvāca tataḥ samastāstā devyo brahmāṇīpramukhā layam tasyā devyāstanau jagmurekāvāsīttadāmbikā

The sage said: Then all those goddesses, headed by Brahmani, merged back into the body of that Devi; Ambika alone remained standing there.

Verse 5 (markandeya.90.5)

श्रीदेव्युवाच अहं विभूत्या बहुभिरिह रूपैर्यदास्थिता । सत्संहृतं मयैकैव तिष्ठाम्याजौ स्थिरो भव ॥ 90.5 ॥

śrīdevyuvāca ahaṁ vibhūtyā bahubhiriha rūpairyadāsthitā satsaṁhṛtaṁ mayaikaiva tiṣṭhāmyājau sthiro bhava

The Goddess said: I, who stood here manifest through my own power in so many forms, have now drawn them all back into myself; alone I stand in this battle. Be steadfast!

Verse 6 (markandeya.90.6)

ऋषिरुवाच ततः प्रववृते युद्धं देव्याः शुम्भस्य चोभयोः । पश्यतां सर्वदेवानामसुराणां च दारुणम् ॥ 90.6 ॥

ṛṣiruvāca tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṁ devyāḥ śumbhasya cobhayoḥ paśyatāṁ sarvadevānāmasurāṇāṁ ca dāruṇam

The sage said: Then a terrible battle broke out between the Goddess and Shumbha, the two of them, as all the gods and all the demons looked on.

Verse 7 (markandeya.90.7)

शरवर्षैः शितैः शस्त्रैस्तथा चास्त्रैः सुदारुणैः । तयोर्युद्धमभूद् भूयः सर्वलोकभयङ्करम् ॥ 90.7 ॥

śaravarṣaiḥ śitaiḥ śastraistathā cāstraiḥ sudāruṇaiḥ tayoryuddhamabhūd bhūyaḥ sarvalokabhayaṅkaram

With showers of sharp arrows, with weapons, and with terrible missile-spells, their battle raged on further still, striking terror into every world.

Verse 8 (markandeya.90.8)

दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि शतशो मुमुचे यान्यथाम्बिका । बभञ्ज तानि दैत्येन्द्रस्तत्प्रतीघातकर्तृभिः ॥ 90.8 ॥

divyānyastrāṇi śataśo mumuce yānyathāmbikā babhañja tāni daityendrastatpratīghātakartṛbhiḥ

Whatever divine weapons Ambika loosed by the hundreds, that lord of the daityas shattered them with counter-weapons of his own.

Verse 9 (markandeya.90.9)

मुक्तानि तेन चास्त्राणि दिव्यानि परमेश्वरी । बभञ्ज लीलयैवोग्रहुङ्कारोच्चारणादिभिः ॥ 90.9 ॥

muktāni tena cāstrāṇi divyāni parameśvarī babhañja līlayaivograhuṅkāroccāraṇādibhiḥ

And the divine weapons that he in turn released, the Supreme Goddess destroyed as though in mere sport, uttering fierce, thunderous cries of Hum.

Verse 10 (markandeya.90.10)

ततः शरशतैर्देवीमाच्छादयत सोऽसुरः । सा च तत्कुपिता देवी धनुश्चिच्छेद चेषुभिः ॥ 90.10 ॥

tataḥ śaraśatairdevīmācchādayata so 'suraḥ sā ca tatkupitā devī dhanuściccheda ceṣubhiḥ

Then that demon covered the Goddess with hundreds of arrows; and she, enraged at this, cut his bow to pieces with her own shafts.

Verse 11 (markandeya.90.11)

छिन्ने धनुषि दैत्येन्द्रस्तथा शक्तिमथाददे । चिच्छेद देवी चक्रेण तामप्यस्य करे स्थिताम् ॥ 90.11 ॥

chinne dhanuṣi daityendrastathā śaktimathādade ciccheda devī cakreṇa tāmapyasya kare sthitām

When his bow was severed, the lord of the daityas seized a spear; the Goddess cut that too, still in his very hand, with her discus.

Verse 12 (markandeya.90.12)

ततः खड्गमुपादाय शतचन्द्रं च भानुमत् । अभ्यधावत्तदा देवीं दैत्यानामधिपेश्वरः ॥ 90.12 ॥

tataḥ khaḍgamupādāya śatacandraṁ ca bhānumat abhyadhāvattadā devīṁ daityānāmadhipeśvaraḥ

Then, taking up a sword and a shield marked with a hundred moons, radiant as the sun, that lord of the daityas rushed at the Goddess.

Verse 13 (markandeya.90.13)

तस्यापतत एवाशु खड्गं चिच्छेद चण्डिका । धनुर्मुक्तैः शितैर्बाणैश्चर्म चार्ककरामलम् ॥ 90.13 ॥

tasyāpatata evāśu khaḍgaṁ ciccheda caṇḍikā dhanurmuktaiḥ śitairbāṇaiścarma cārkakarāmalam

As he charged, Chandika instantly cut his sword to pieces, and with sharp arrows loosed from her bow she cut his shield as well, bright as the sun's own rays.

Verse 14 (markandeya.90.14)

अश्वांश्च पातयामास रथं सारथिना सह । हताश्वः स तदा दैत्यश्छिन्नधान्वा विसारथिः । जग्राह मुद्गरं घोरमम्बिकानिधनोद्यतः ॥ 90.14 ॥

aśvāṁśca pātayāmāsa rathaṁ sārathinā saha hatāśvaḥ sa tadā daityaśchinnadhānvā visārathiḥ jagrāha mudgaraṁ ghoramambikānidhanodyataḥ

She brought down his horses, and his chariot together with its charioteer. His horses slain, his bow cut, his charioteer gone, that demon then seized a terrible mace, bent on Ambika's destruction.

Verse 15 (markandeya.90.15)

चिच्छेदापततस्तस्य मुद्गरं निशितैः शरैः । तथापि सोऽभ्यधावत्तां मुष्टिमुद्यम्य वेगवान् ॥ 90.15 ॥

cicchedāpatatastasya mudgaraṁ niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ tathāpi so 'bhyadhāvattāṁ muṣṭimudyamya vegavān

As he rushed forward, she cut his mace to pieces with her sharp arrows; yet still, swift as ever, he charged at her with his fist raised.

Verse 16 (markandeya.90.16)

स मुष्टिं पातयामास हृदये दैत्यपुङ्गवः । देव्यास्तं चापि सा देवी तलेनोरस्यताडयत् ॥ 90.16 ॥

sa muṣṭiṁ pātayāmāsa hṛdaye daityapuṅgavaḥ devyāstaṁ cāpi sā devī talenorasyatāḍayat

That bull among daityas struck the Goddess's breast with his fist; and she in turn struck his chest with the flat of her palm.

Verse 17 (markandeya.90.17)

तलप्रहाराभिहतो निपपात महीतले । स दैत्यराजः सहसा पुनरेव तथोत्थितः ॥ 90.17 ॥

talaprahārābhihato nipapāta mahītale sa daityarājaḥ sahasā punareva tathotthitaḥ

Struck down by that blow of her palm, he fell to the ground; but the king of the daityas rose up again at once, just as before.

Verse 18 (markandeya.90.18)

उत्पत्य च प्रगृह्योच्चैर्देवीं गगनमास्थितः । तत्रापि सा निराधारा युयुधे तेन चण्डिका ॥ 90.18 ॥

utpatya ca pragṛhyoccairdevīṁ gaganamāsthitaḥ tatrāpi sā nirādhārā yuyudhe tena caṇḍikā

Then, leaping up, he seized the Goddess and rose high into the sky; even there, with nothing beneath her, Chandika went on fighting with him.

Verse 19 (markandeya.90.19)

नियुद्धं खे तदा दैत्यश्चण्डिका च परस्परम् । चक्रतुः प्रथमं सिद्धमुनिविस्मयकारकम् ॥ 90.19 ॥

niyuddhaṁ khe tadā daityaścaṇḍikā ca parasparam cakratuḥ prathamaṁ siddhamunivismayakārakam

There in the sky, the demon and Chandika grappled hand to hand with one another—the very first such combat, and it left the Siddhas and sages astonished.

Verse 20 (markandeya.90.20)

ततो नियुद्धं सुचिरं कृत्वा तेनाम्बिका सह । उत्पात्य भ्रामयामास चिक्षेप धरणीतले ॥ 90.20 ॥

tato niyuddhaṁ suciraṁ kṛtvā tenāmbikā saha utpātya bhrāmayāmāsa cikṣepa dharaṇītale

Then, after wrestling with him hand to hand for a long while, Ambika lifted him up, whirled him round, and hurled him down to the earth.

Verse 21 (markandeya.90.21)

स क्षिप्तो धरणीं प्राप्य मुष्टिमुद्यम्य वेगितः । अभ्यधावत दुष्टात्मा चण्डिकानिधनेच्छया ॥ 90.21 ॥

sa kṣipto dharaṇīṁ prāpya muṣṭimudyamya vegitaḥ abhyadhāvata duṣṭātmā caṇḍikānidhanecchayā

Flung down, the moment he touched the earth that wicked-souled one swiftly rose again, fist raised, and rushed at Chandika once more, longing for her death.

Verse 22 (markandeya.90.22)

तमायान्तं ततो देवी सर्वदैत्यजनेश्वरम् । जगत्यां पातयामास भित्त्वा शूलेन वक्षसि ॥ 90.22 ॥

tamāyāntaṁ tato devī sarvadaityajaneśvaram jagatyāṁ pātayāmāsa bhittvā śūlena vakṣasi

Then, as he came on, the Goddess struck that lord of the entire daitya race down to the ground, piercing his chest with her trident.

Verse 23 (markandeya.90.23)

स गतासुः पपातोर्व्यां देवीशूलाग्रविक्षतः । चालयन् सकलां पृथ्वीं साब्धिद्वीपां सपर्वताम् ॥ 90.23 ॥

sa gatāsuḥ papātorvyāṁ devīśūlāgravikṣataḥ cālayan sakalāṁ pṛthvīṁ sābdhidvīpāṁ saparvatām

Pierced through by the point of the Goddess's trident, he fell lifeless to the earth, shaking the whole world—with its oceans, islands and mountains—as he fell.

Verse 24 (markandeya.90.24)

ततः प्रसन्नमखिलं हते तस्मिन् दुरात्मनि । जगत्स्वास्थ्यमतीवाप निर्मलं चाभवन्नभः ॥ 90.24 ॥

tataḥ prasannamakhilaṁ hate tasmin durātmani jagatsvāsthyamatīvāpa nirmalaṁ cābhavannabhaḥ

Then, with that evil-souled one slain, everything grew glad; the world regained its wellbeing utterly, and the sky became clear and stainless.

Verse 25 (markandeya.90.25)

उत्पातमेघाः सोल्का ये प्रागासंस्ते शमं ययुः । सरितो मार्गवाहिन्यस्तथासंस्तत्र पातिते ॥ 90.25 ॥

utpātameghāḥ solkā ye prāgāsaṁste śamaṁ yayuḥ sarito mārgavāhinyastathāsaṁstatra pātite

The portentous, meteor-lit clouds that had gathered before now grew calm; and with him fallen, the rivers again flowed within their proper courses.

Verse 26 (markandeya.90.26)

ततो देवगणाः सर्वे हर्षनिर्भमानसाः । बभूवुर्निहते तस्मिन् गन्धर्वा ललितं जगुः ॥ 90.26 ॥

tato devagaṇāḥ sarve harṣanirbhamānasāḥ babhūvurnihate tasmin gandharvā lalitaṁ jaguḥ

Then, with him slain, all the hosts of gods became full of joy at heart, and the Gandharvas sang sweet songs.

Verse 27 (markandeya.90.27)

अवादयंस्तथैवान्ये ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः । ववुः पुण्यास्तथा वाताः सुप्रभोऽभूद्दिवाकरः ॥ 90.27 ॥ जज्वलुश्चाग्नयः शान्ताः शान्ता दिग्जनितस्वनाः ।

avādayaṁstathaivānye nanṛtuścāpsarogaṇāḥ vavuḥ puṇyāstathā vātāḥ suprabho 'bhūddivākaraḥ jajvaluścāgnayaḥ śāntāḥ śāntā digjanitasvanāḥ

Others played their instruments, and the hosts of Apsarases danced; auspicious breezes blew, the sun grew radiant and bright, the sacred fires blazed up in serenity, and the tumult that had arisen from every quarter fell silent.