Description of the World's Destruction Wrought by Kalaratri, in the Continuing Account of the Kalpas

Verse 1 (skanda.5.169.1)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। ततस्त ऋषयः सर्वे महाभागास्तपोधनाः। गतास्तु परमं लोकं ततः किं जातमद्भुतम्॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| tatasta ṛṣayaḥ sarve mahābhāgāstapodhanāḥ| gatāstu paramaṁ lokaṁ tataḥ kiṁ jātamadbhutam||

Yudhishthira said: Then, when all those greatly fortunate sages, rich in austerity, had gone to the supreme world, what wonder happened thereafter?

Verse 2 (skanda.5.169.2)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। ततस्तेषु प्रयातेषु नर्मदातीरवासिषु। बभूव रौद्रसंहारः सर्वभूतक्षयंकरः॥

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tatasteṣu prayāteṣu narmadātīravāsiṣu| babhūva raudrasaṁhāraḥ sarvabhūtakṣayaṁkaraḥ||

Sri Markandeya said: Then, when those dwellers on the bank of Narmada had departed, there occurred a fierce destruction, bringing about the ruin of all beings.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.169.3)

कैलासशिखरस्थं तु महादेवं सनातनम्। ब्रह्माद्याः प्रास्तुवन् देवमृग्यजुःसामभिः शिवम्॥

kailāsaśikharasthaṁ tu mahādevaṁ sanātanam| brahmādyāḥ prāstuvan devamṛgyajuḥsāmabhiḥ śivam||

Brahma and the others praised the eternal Mahadeva, stationed on the peak of Kailasa, praised Shiva, the god, with hymns from the Rig, Yajur, and Sama:

Verse 4 (skanda.5.169.4)

संहर त्वं जगद्देव सदेवासुरमानुषम्। प्राप्तो युगसहस्रान्तः कालः संहरणक्षमः॥

saṁhara tvaṁ jagaddeva sadevāsuramānuṣam| prāpto yugasahasrāntaḥ kālaḥ saṁharaṇakṣamaḥ||

'Withdraw, O god, the world, together with gods, asuras, and men. The end of the thousand ages has come, the time fit for destruction.'

Verse 5 (skanda.5.169.5)

मद्रूपं तु समास्थाय त्वया चैतद्विनिर्मितम्। वैष्णवीं मूर्तिमास्थाय त्वयैतत्परिपालितम्॥

madrūpaṁ tu samāsthāya tvayā caitadvinirmitam| vaiṣṇavīṁ mūrtimāsthāya tvayaitatparipālitam||

'Having assumed my form, this was fashioned by you; having assumed the Vaishnava form, this was sustained by you.'

Verse 6 (skanda.5.169.6)

एका मूर्तिस्त्रिधा जाता ब्राह्मी शैवी च वैष्णवी। सृष्टिसंहाररक्षार्थं भवेदेवं महेश्वर॥

ekā mūrtistridhā jātā brāhmī śaivī ca vaiṣṇavī| sṛṣṭisaṁhārarakṣārthaṁ bhavedevaṁ maheśvara||

'One form has become threefold — Brahma's, Shiva's, and Vishnu's — for the sake of creation, destruction, and preservation; thus it is, O Maheshvara.'

Verse 7 (skanda.5.169.7)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तथ्यं विष्णोश्च परमेष्ठिनः। सगणः सपरीवारः सह ताभ्यां सहोमया॥

etacchrutvā vacastathyaṁ viṣṇośca parameṣṭhinaḥ| sagaṇaḥ saparīvāraḥ saha tābhyāṁ sahomayā||

Hearing this true word of Vishnu and of the Supreme Lord, together with his ganas, together with his retinue, together with those two, and together with Uma,

Verse 8 (skanda.5.169.8)

समलोकान्विभिद्येमान्भगवान्नीललोहितः। भूराद्यब्रह्मलोकान्तं भित्त्वाण्डं परतः परम्॥

samalokānvibhidyemānbhagavānnīlalohitaḥ| bhūrādyabrahmalokāntaṁ bhittvāṇḍaṁ parataḥ param||

the Blessed Nilalohita, having pierced through these equal worlds, having broken through the cosmic egg from Bhurloka up to Brahmaloka, went beyond the beyond,

Verse 9 (skanda.5.169.9)

शैवं पदमजं दिव्यमाविशत्सह तैर्विभुः। न तत्र वायुर्नाकाशं नाग्निस्तत्र न भूतलम्॥

śaivaṁ padamajaṁ divyamāviśatsaha tairvibhuḥ| na tatra vāyurnākāśaṁ nāgnistatra na bhūtalam||

the all-pervading Lord entered, together with them, the unborn, divine, Shaiva state. There was no wind there, no space, no fire there, no earth,

Verse 10 (skanda.5.169.10)

यत्र संतिष्ठे देव उमया सह शङ्करः। न सूर्यो न ग्रहास्तत्र न ऋक्षाणि दिशस्तथा॥

yatra saṁtiṣṭhe deva umayā saha śaṅkaraḥ| na sūryo na grahāstatra na ṛkṣāṇi diśastathā||

where the god Shankara abides together with Uma. There was no sun, no planets there, no stars, nor directions,

Verse 11 (skanda.5.169.11)

न लोकपाला न सुखं न च दुःखं नृपोत्तम॥

na lokapālā na sukhaṁ na ca duḥkhaṁ nṛpottama||

no guardians of the worlds, O best of kings, no happiness and no sorrow.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.169.12)

ब्राह्मं पदं यत्कवयो वदन्ति शैवं पदं यत्कवयो वदन्ति। क्षेत्रज्ञमीशं प्रवदन्ति चान्ये सांख्याश्च गायन्ति किलादिमोक्षम्॥

brāhmaṁ padaṁ yatkavayo vadanti śaivaṁ padaṁ yatkavayo vadanti| kṣetrajñamīśaṁ pravadanti cānye sāṁkhyāśca gāyanti kilādimokṣam||

That state which the sages call the Brahma state, that state which the sages call the Shaiva state; others call it the Field-Knower, the Lord; and the Sankhyas indeed sing of it as the primordial liberation.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.169.13)

यद्ब्रह्म आद्यं प्रवदन्ति केचिद्यं सर्वमीशानमजं पुराणम्। तमेकरूपं तमनेकरूपमरूपमाद्यं परमव्ययाख्यम्॥

yadbrahma ādyaṁ pravadanti kecidyaṁ sarvamīśānamajaṁ purāṇam| tamekarūpaṁ tamanekarūpamarūpamādyaṁ paramavyayākhyam||

That which some call the primal Brahman, which is the all, Ishana, unborn, ancient; that of one form, that of many forms, formless, primal, called the supreme imperishable —

Verse 14 (skanda.5.169.14)

अवर्णमप्यर्थमनामगोत्रं तुर्यं पदं यत्कवयो वदन्ति। ध्यानार्थविज्ञानमयं सुसूक्ष्ममात्मस्थमीशानवरं वरेण्यम्॥

avarṇamapyarthamanāmagotraṁ turyaṁ padaṁ yatkavayo vadanti| dhyānārthavijñānamayaṁ susūkṣmamātmasthamīśānavaraṁ vareṇyam||

—that meaning without color/caste, without name or lineage, the fourth state which the sages speak of; consisting of the knowledge that is the object of meditation, exceedingly subtle, abiding in the self, the excellent Ishana, most worthy of choice.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.169.15)

ततस्त्रयस्ते भगवन्तमीशं सम्प्राप्य संक्षिप्य भवन्त्यर्थकम्। पृथक्स्वरूपैस्तु पुनस्त एव जगत्समस्तं परिपालयन्ति॥

tatastrayaste bhagavantamīśaṁ samprāpya saṁkṣipya bhavantyarthakam| pṛthaksvarūpaistu punasta eva jagatsamastaṁ paripālayanti||

Then those three, having attained the Blessed Lord Isha, become drawn together into a single essential meaning; and again, in their separate forms, they themselves sustain the entire world.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.169.16)

संहारं सर्वभूतानां रुद्रत्वे कुरुते प्रभुः। विष्णुत्वे पालयेल्लोकान्ब्रह्मत्वे सृष्टिकारकः॥

saṁhāraṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ rudratve kurute prabhuḥ| viṣṇutve pālayellokānbrahmatve sṛṣṭikārakaḥ||

In his Rudra-nature, the Lord brings about the destruction of all beings; in his Vishnu-nature, he protects the worlds; in his Brahma-nature, he is the creator.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.169.17)

प्रकृत्या सह संयुक्तः कालो भूत्वा महेश्वरः। विश्वरूपा महाभागा तस्य पार्श्वे व्यवस्थिता॥

prakṛtyā saha saṁyuktaḥ kālo bhūtvā maheśvaraḥ| viśvarūpā mahābhāgā tasya pārśve vyavasthitā||

Maheshvara, joined together with his own material Nature, having become Time — the greatly fortunate one, of universal form, stands established at his side,

Verse 18 (skanda.5.169.18)

यामाहुः प्रकृतिं तज्ज्ञाः पदार्थानां विचक्षणाः। पुरुषत्वे प्रकृतित्वे च कारणं परमेश्वरः॥

yāmāhuḥ prakṛtiṁ tajjñāḥ padārthānāṁ vicakṣaṇāḥ| puruṣatve prakṛtitve ca kāraṇaṁ parameśvaraḥ||

whom the knowers of that truth, expert in the categories of existence, call Prakriti. The Supreme Lord is the cause, both in his Purusha-nature and his Prakriti-nature;

Verse 19 (skanda.5.169.19)

तस्मादेतज्जगत्सर्वं चराचरम्। तस्मिन्नेव लयं याति युगान्ते समुपस्थिते॥

tasmādetajjagatsarvaṁ carācaram| tasminneva layaṁ yāti yugānte samupasthite||

from him comes this entire moving and unmoving world; and into him alone it goes to dissolution when the end of the age has arrived.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.169.20)

भगलिङ्गाङ्कितं सर्वं व्याप्तं वै परमेष्ठिना। भगरूपो भवेद्विष्णुर्लिङ्गरूपो महेश्वरः॥

bhagaliṅgāṅkitaṁ sarvaṁ vyāptaṁ vai parameṣṭhinā| bhagarūpo bhavedviṣṇurliṅgarūpo maheśvaraḥ||

Everything marked by the union of bhaga and linga is indeed pervaded by the Supreme Lord; Vishnu is of the form of bhaga, Maheshvara is of the form of linga.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.169.21)

भाति सर्वेषु लोकेषु गीयते भूर्भुवादिषु। प्रविष्टः सर्वभूतेषु तेन विष्णुर्भगः स्मृतः॥

bhāti sarveṣu lokeṣu gīyate bhūrbhuvādiṣu| praviṣṭaḥ sarvabhūteṣu tena viṣṇurbhagaḥ smṛtaḥ||

He shines in all the worlds, he is sung of in Bhur, Bhuvar and the rest; having entered into all beings, by that he is called Vishnu, 'Bhaga'.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.169.22)

विशनाद्विष्णुरित्युक्तः सर्वदेवमयो महान्। भासनाद्गमनाच्चैव भगसंज्ञा प्रकीर्तिता॥

viśanādviṣṇurityuktaḥ sarvadevamayo mahān| bhāsanādgamanāccaiva bhagasaṁjñā prakīrtitā||

From the root 'viś-' (to enter), he is called Vishnu, the great one consisting of all the gods; and from shining and from moving, the name 'Bhaga' is declared.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.169.23)

ब्रह्मादिस्तम्बपर्यन्तं यस्मिन्नेति लयं जगत्। एकभावं समापन्नं लिङ्गं तस्माद्विदुर्बुधाः॥

brahmādistambaparyantaṁ yasminneti layaṁ jagat| ekabhāvaṁ samāpannaṁ liṅgaṁ tasmādvidurbudhāḥ||

That in which the world, from Brahma down to a blade of grass, goes to dissolution, attaining a single undifferentiated state — that, therefore, the wise know as the 'Linga'.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.169.24)

महादेवस्ततो देवीमाह पार्श्वे स्थितां तदा। संहरस्व जगत्सर्वं मा विलम्बस्व शोभने॥

mahādevastato devīmāha pārśve sthitāṁ tadā| saṁharasva jagatsarvaṁ mā vilambasva śobhane||

Then Mahadeva said to the goddess standing then at his side: 'Withdraw the entire world; do not delay, O beautiful one.'

Verse 25 (skanda.5.169.25)

त्यज सौम्यमिदं रूपं सितचन्द्रांशुनिर्मलम्। रुद्रं रूपं समास्थाय संहरस्व चराचरम्॥

tyaja saumyamidaṁ rūpaṁ sitacandrāṁśunirmalam| rudraṁ rūpaṁ samāsthāya saṁharasva carācaram||

'Abandon this gentle form, stainless as the rays of the white moon; having assumed a fierce, Rudra-like form, withdraw the moving and unmoving world.'

Verse 26 (skanda.5.169.26)

रौद्रैर्भूतगणैर्घोरैर्देवि त्वं परिवारिता। जीवलोकमिमं सर्वं भक्षयस्वाम्बुजेक्षणे॥

raudrairbhūtagaṇairghorairdevi tvaṁ parivāritā| jīvalokamimaṁ sarvaṁ bhakṣayasvāmbujekṣaṇe||

'Surrounded by fierce, terrible hordes of ghosts, O goddess, devour this entire world of living beings, O lotus-eyed one.'

Verse 27 (skanda.5.169.27)

ततोऽहं मर्दयिष्यामि प्लावयिष्ये तथा जगत्। कृत्वा चैकार्णवं भूयः सुखं स्वप्स्ये त्वया सह॥

tato'haṁ mardayiṣyāmi plāvayiṣye tathā jagat| kṛtvā caikārṇavaṁ bhūyaḥ sukhaṁ svapsye tvayā saha||

'Then I shall crush and likewise flood the world; and, having made it once more a single ocean, I shall sleep happily together with you.'

Verse 28 (skanda.5.169.28)

श्रीदेव्युवाच। नाहं देव जगच्चैतत्संहरामि महाद्युते। अम्बा भूत्वा विचेष्टं न भक्षयामि भृशातुरम्॥

śrīdevyuvāca| nāhaṁ deva jagaccaitatsaṁharāmi mahādyute| ambā bhūtvā viceṣṭaṁ na bhakṣayāmi bhṛśāturam||

Sri Devi said: 'O god of great splendor, I shall not destroy this world. Having become the mother, I shall not devour the greatly afflicted being who struggles.'

Verse 29 (skanda.5.169.29)

स्त्रीस्वभावेन कारुण्यं करोति हृदयं मम। कथं वै निर्दहिष्यामि जगदेतज्जगत्पते॥

strīsvabhāvena kāruṇyaṁ karoti hṛdayaṁ mama| kathaṁ vai nirdahiṣyāmi jagadetajjagatpate||

'By the nature of a woman, my heart is moved to compassion. How indeed shall I burn up this world, O lord of the world?'

Verse 30 (skanda.5.169.30)

तस्मात्त्वं स्वयमेवेदं जगत्संहर शङ्कर। अथैवमुक्तस्तां देवीं धूर्जटिर्नीललोहितः॥

tasmāttvaṁ svayamevedaṁ jagatsaṁhara śaṅkara| athaivamuktastāṁ devīṁ dhūrjaṭirnīlalohitaḥ||

'Therefore you yourself should destroy this world, O Shankara.' Then, thus addressed, Dhurjati, the blue-throated Nilalohita,

Verse 31 (skanda.5.169.31)

क्रुद्धो निर्भर्त्सयामास हुङ्कारेण महेश्वरीम्। ओं हुंफट्त्वं स इत्याह कोपाविष्टैरथेक्षणैः॥

kruddho nirbhartsayāmāsa huṅkāreṇa maheśvarīm| oṁ huṁphaṭtvaṁ sa ityāha kopāviṣṭairathekṣaṇaiḥ||

grew angry and rebuked Maheshvari with the sound 'hum'. He said 'Om huṃ phaṭ tvaṃ sa,' his eyes then filled with rage.

Verse 32 (skanda.5.169.32)

हुंकारिता विशालाक्षी पीनोरुजघनस्थला। तत्क्षणाच्चाभवद्रौद्रा कालरात्रीव भारत॥

huṁkāritā viśālākṣī pīnorujaghanasthalā| tatkṣaṇāccābhavadraudrā kālarātrīva bhārata||

O descendant of Bharata, the large-eyed goddess, of full thighs and hips, addressed with that 'hum', that very instant became fierce, like Kalaratri herself.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.169.33)

हुंकुर्वती महानादैर्नादयन्ती दिशो दश। व्यवर्धत महारौद्रा विद्युत्सौदामिनी यथा॥

huṁkurvatī mahānādairnādayantī diśo daśa| vyavardhata mahāraudrā vidyutsaudāminī yathā||

Uttering 'hum', resounding the ten directions with great cries, she, most terrible, grew, like a flash of lightning,

Verse 34 (skanda.5.169.34)

विद्युत्सम्पातदुष्प्रेक्ष्या विद्युत्संघातचञ्चला। विद्युज्ज्वालाकुला रौद्रा विद्युदग्निनिभेक्षणा॥

vidyutsampātaduṣprekṣyā vidyutsaṁghātacañcalā| vidyujjvālākulā raudrā vidyudagninibhekṣaṇā||

hard to gaze upon as the fall of lightning, flickering like a mass of lightning, fierce, thronged with flashes of lightning, her eyes resembling the fire of lightning.

Verse 35 (skanda.5.169.35)

मुक्तकेशी विशालाक्षी कृशग्रीवा कृशोदरी। व्याघ्रचर्माम्बरधरा व्यालयज्ञोपवीतिनी॥

muktakeśī viśālākṣī kṛśagrīvā kṛśodarī| vyāghracarmāmbaradharā vyālayajñopavītinī||

With loosened hair, large-eyed, slender-necked, slender-waisted, clad in a tiger-skin garment, wearing a serpent as her sacred thread,

Verse 36 (skanda.5.169.36)

वृश्चिकैरग्निपुञ्जाभैर्गोनसैश्च विभूषिता। त्रैलोक्यं पूरयामास विस्तारेणोच्छ्रयेण च॥

vṛścikairagnipuñjābhairgonasaiśca vibhūṣitā| trailokyaṁ pūrayāmāsa vistāreṇocchrayeṇa ca||

adorned with scorpions resembling masses of fire, and with serpents — she filled the three worlds with her expanse and her height.

Verse 37 (skanda.5.169.37)

भासुराङ्गा तु संवृत्ता कृष्णसर्पैककुण्डला। चित्रदण्डोद्यतकरा व्याघ्रचर्मोपसेविता॥

bhāsurāṅgā tu saṁvṛttā kṛṣṇasarpaikakuṇḍalā| citradaṇḍodyatakarā vyāghracarmopasevitā||

Her radiant limbs covered with black serpents, wearing a single serpent as an earring, her hand raised holding a wondrous staff, clad in tiger-skin,

Verse 38 (skanda.5.169.38)

व्यवर्धत महारौद्रा जगत्संहारकारिणी। सृक्किणी लेलिहाना च क्रूरफूत्कारकारिणी॥

vyavardhata mahāraudrā jagatsaṁhārakāriṇī| sṛkkiṇī lelihānā ca krūraphūtkārakāriṇī||

most terrible, the destroyer of the world, she grew — licking the corners of her mouth, uttering cruel hisses,

Verse 39 (skanda.5.169.39)

व्यात्तास्या घुर्घुरारावा जगत्संक्षोभकारिणी। खेलद्भूतानुगा क्रूरा निःश्वासोच्छ्वासकारिणी॥

vyāttāsyā ghurghurārāvā jagatsaṁkṣobhakāriṇī| kheladbhūtānugā krūrā niḥśvāsocchvāsakāriṇī||

her mouth agape, roaring with a rumbling sound, agitating the world, cruel, followed by playing ghosts, breathing in and out heavily,

Verse 40 (skanda.5.169.40)

जाताट्टअहासा दुर्नासा वह्निकुण्डसमेक्षणा। प्रोद्यत्किलकिलारावा ददाह सकलं जगत्॥

jātāṭṭaahāsā durnāsā vahnikuṇḍasamekṣaṇā| prodyatkilakilārāvā dadāha sakalaṁ jagat||

bursting into loud laughter, of terrible nose, her eyes resembling a pit of fire, uttering a rising 'kilakila' sound, she burned up the entire world.

Verse 41 (skanda.5.169.41)

दह्यमानाः सुरास्तत्र पतन्ति धरणीतले। पतन्ति यक्षगन्धर्वाः सकिन्नरमहोरगाः॥

dahyamānāḥ surāstatra patanti dharaṇītale| patanti yakṣagandharvāḥ sakinnaramahoragāḥ||

There, the gods, being burned, fell upon the surface of the earth; yakshas and gandharvas fell, together with kinnaras and great serpents,

Verse 42 (skanda.5.169.42)

पतन्ति भूतसङ्घाश्च हाहाहैहैविराविणः। बुम्बापातैः सनिर्घातैरुदितार्तस्वरैरपि॥

patanti bhūtasaṅghāśca hāhāhaihaivirāviṇaḥ| bumbāpātaiḥ sanirghātairuditārtasvarairapi||

and the hosts of ghosts fell, crying out 'haha, haihai', with crashing thuds and roars, and with cries of distress raised aloud.

Verse 43 (skanda.5.169.43)

व्याप्तमासीत्तदा विश्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्। संपतद्भिः पतद्भिश्च ज्वलद्भूतगणैर्मही॥

vyāptamāsīttadā viśvaṁ trailokyaṁ sacarācaram| saṁpatadbhiḥ patadbhiśca jvaladbhūtagaṇairmahī||

Then the entire universe, the three worlds together with the moving and unmoving, was filled with this; the earth was covered by the burning hosts of beings falling upon it,

Verse 44 (skanda.5.169.44)

जातैश्चटचटाशब्दैः पतद्भिर्गिरिसानुभिः। तत्र रौद्रोत्सवे जाता रुद्रानन्दविवर्धिनी॥

jātaiścaṭacaṭāśabdaiḥ patadbhirgirisānubhiḥ| tatra raudrotsave jātā rudrānandavivardhinī||

with the crackling sounds that arose, and with the falling mountain-ridges. There, at that fierce festival, she who increases Rudra's delight was born,

Verse 45 (skanda.5.169.45)

विहिंसमाना भूतानि चर्वमाणाचरानपि। तत्तद्गन्धमुपादाय शिवारावविराविणी॥

vihiṁsamānā bhūtāni carvamāṇācarānapi| tattadgandhamupādāya śivārāvavirāviṇī||

slaying creatures, devouring even the moving beings, taking on their various scents, howling with the cries of jackals,

Verse 46 (skanda.5.169.46)

गलच्छोणितधाराभिमुखा दिग्धकलेवरा। चण्डशीलाभवच्चण्डी जगत्संहारकर्मणि॥

galacchoṇitadhārābhimukhā digdhakalevarā| caṇḍaśīlābhavaccaṇḍī jagatsaṁhārakarmaṇi||

her face streaming with flows of blood, her body smeared with it; fierce of nature, she became Chandi, in the act of the world's destruction.

Verse 47 (skanda.5.169.47)

येऽपि प्राप्ता महर्लोकं भृग्वाद्याश्च महर्षयः। तेऽपि नश्यन्ति शतशो ब्रह्मक्षत्त्रविशादयः॥

ye'pi prāptā maharlokaṁ bhṛgvādyāśca maharṣayaḥ| te'pi naśyanti śataśo brahmakṣattraviśādayaḥ||

Even those great sages, beginning with Bhrigu, who had reached Maharloka, perished too, by the hundreds — brahmins, kshatriyas, vaishyas, and the rest.

Verse 48 (skanda.5.169.48)

देवासुरा भयत्रस्ताः सयक्षोरगराक्षसाः। विशन्ति केऽपि पातालं लीयन्ते च गुहादिषु॥

devāsurā bhayatrastāḥ sayakṣoragarākṣasāḥ| viśanti ke'pi pātālaṁ līyante ca guhādiṣu||

Gods and asuras, terrified with fear, together with yakshas, serpents, and rakshasas — some entered Patala, and some hid away in caves and the like.

Verse 49 (skanda.5.169.49)

सा च देवी दिशः सर्वा व्याप्य मृत्युरिव स्थिता। युगक्षयकरे काले देवेन विनियोजिता॥

sā ca devī diśaḥ sarvā vyāpya mṛtyuriva sthitā| yugakṣayakare kāle devena viniyojitā||

And that goddess, pervading all the directions, stood there like Death itself, appointed by the god at the time that brings about the destruction of the age.

Verse 50 (skanda.5.169.50)

एकापि नवधा जाता दशधा दशधा तथा। चतुःषष्टिस्वरूपा च शतरूपाट्टहासिनी॥

ekāpi navadhā jātā daśadhā daśadhā tathā| catuḥṣaṣṭisvarūpā ca śatarūpāṭṭahāsinī||

Though one, she became ninefold, and likewise tenfold and again tenfold, of sixty-four forms, and of a hundred forms, laughing loudly,

Verse 51 (skanda.5.169.51)

जज्ञे सहस्ररूपा च लक्षकोटितनुः शिवा। नानारूपायुधाकारा नानावादनचारिणी॥

jajñe sahasrarūpā ca lakṣakoṭitanuḥ śivā| nānārūpāyudhākārā nānāvādanacāriṇī||

she became of a thousand forms, and of a hundred-thousand-crore bodies, the auspicious one; of various forms and shapes of weapons, moving about with various musical instruments.

Verse 52 (skanda.5.169.52)

एवंरूपाऽभवद्देवी शिवस्यानुज्ञया नृप। दिक्षु सर्वासु गगने विकटायुधशीलिनः॥

evaṁrūpā'bhavaddevī śivasyānujñayā nṛpa| dikṣu sarvāsu gagane vikaṭāyudhaśīlinaḥ||

Thus did the goddess become, O king, by Shiva's command; in all the directions and in the sky, those bearing terrible weapons —

Verse 53 (skanda.5.169.53)

रुन्धन्तो नश्यमानांस्तान्गणा माहेश्वराः स्थिताः। विचरन्ति तया सार्द्धं शूलपट्टिशपाणयः॥

rundhanto naśyamānāṁstāngaṇā māheśvarāḥ sthitāḥ| vicaranti tayā sārddhaṁ śūlapaṭṭiśapāṇayaḥ||

—the Maheshvara-ganas, stationed there, blocking the way of those who were perishing, wandered about together with her, tridents and battle-axes in hand.

Verse 54 (skanda.5.169.54)

ततो मातृगणाः केचिद्विनायकगणैः सह। व्यवर्धन्त महारौद्रा जगत्संहारकारिणः॥

tato mātṛgaṇāḥ kecidvināyakagaṇaiḥ saha| vyavardhanta mahāraudrā jagatsaṁhārakāriṇaḥ||

Then certain hosts of Mothers, together with the hosts of Vinayakas, grew, most terrible, bringing about the destruction of the world.

Verse 55 (skanda.5.169.55)

ततस्तस्या व्यवर्धन्त दंष्ट्राः कुन्देन्दुसन्निभाः। योजनानां सहस्राणि अयुतान्यर्बुदानि च॥

tatastasyā vyavardhanta daṁṣṭrāḥ kundendusannibhāḥ| yojanānāṁ sahasrāṇi ayutānyarbudāni ca||

Then her fangs grew, resembling jasmine and the moon in whiteness, thousands, ten-thousands, and hundred-millions of yojanas long.

Verse 56 (skanda.5.169.56)

दंष्ट्रावलिः कररुहाः क्रूरास्तीक्ष्णाश्च कर्कशाः। वियद्दिशो लिखन्त्येव सप्तद्वीपां वसुंधराम्॥

daṁṣṭrāvaliḥ kararuhāḥ krūrāstīkṣṇāśca karkaśāḥ| viyaddiśo likhantyeva saptadvīpāṁ vasuṁdharām||

The rows of fangs, and her claws, cruel, sharp and rough, scratched the very sky, the directions, and the seven-continented earth.

Verse 57 (skanda.5.169.57)

तस्या दंष्ट्राभिसम्पातैश्चूर्णिता वनपर्वताः। शिलासंचयसंघाता विशीर्यते सहस्रशः॥

tasyā daṁṣṭrābhisampātaiścūrṇitā vanaparvatāḥ| śilāsaṁcayasaṁghātā viśīryate sahasraśaḥ||

By the blows of her fangs, forest-mountains were crushed to powder; masses of piled-up rocks were shattered into a thousand pieces.

Verse 58 (skanda.5.169.58)

हिमवान्हेमकूटश्च निषधो गन्धमादनः। माल्यवांश्चैव नीलश्च श्वेतश्चैव महागिरिः॥

himavānhemakūṭaśca niṣadho gandhamādanaḥ| mālyavāṁścaiva nīlaśca śvetaścaiva mahāgiriḥ||

Himavat, and Hemakuta, and Nishadha, Gandhamadana, and Malyavan too, and Nila, and the great mountain Shveta —

Verse 59 (skanda.5.169.59)

मेरुमध्यमिलापीठं सप्तद्वीपं च सार्णवम्। लोकालोकेन सहितं प्राकम्पत नृपोत्तम॥

merumadhyamilāpīṭhaṁ saptadvīpaṁ ca sārṇavam| lokālokena sahitaṁ prākampata nṛpottama||

—O best of kings, Meru in the middle, the seat of Ila, the seven continents together with their oceans, and the mountain Lokaloka too, all trembled.

Verse 60 (skanda.5.169.60)

दंष्ट्राशनिविस्पृष्टाश्च विशीर्यन्ते महाद्रुमाः। उत्पातैश्च दिशो व्याप्ता घोररूपैः समन्ततः॥

daṁṣṭrāśanivispṛṣṭāśca viśīryante mahādrumāḥ| utpātaiśca diśo vyāptā ghorarūpaiḥ samantataḥ||

Touched by the thunderbolt of her fangs, great trees were shattered; and the directions on every side were pervaded by portents of terrible form.

Verse 61 (skanda.5.169.61)

तारा ग्रहगणाः सर्वे ये च वैमानिका गणाः। शिवासहस्रैराकीर्णा महामातृगणैस्तथा॥

tārā grahagaṇāḥ sarve ye ca vaimānikā gaṇāḥ| śivāsahasrairākīrṇā mahāmātṛgaṇaistathā||

All the stars and hosts of planets, and the hosts moving in celestial cars, everything was thronged with thousands of jackals, and likewise with the great hosts of Mothers.

Verse 62 (skanda.5.169.62)

सा चचार जगत्कृत्स्नं युगान्ते समुपस्थिते। भ्रमद्भिश्च ब्रुवद्भिश्च क्रोशद्भिश्च समन्ततः॥

sā cacāra jagatkṛtsnaṁ yugānte samupasthite| bhramadbhiśca bruvadbhiśca krośadbhiśca samantataḥ||

She roamed through the entire world when the end of the age had arrived, amid beings wandering, crying out, and shrieking on every side,

Verse 63 (skanda.5.169.63)

प्रमथद्भिर्ज्वलद्भिश्च रौद्रैर्व्याप्ता दिशो दश। विस्तीर्णं शैलसङ्घातं विघूर्णितगिरिद्रुमम्॥

pramathadbhirjvaladbhiśca raudrairvyāptā diśo daśa| vistīrṇaṁ śailasaṅghātaṁ vighūrṇitagiridrumam||

amid fierce beings tormenting and blazing, the ten directions were pervaded; the vast mass of mountains, with its mountain-trees, was set reeling,

Verse 64 (skanda.5.169.64)

प्रभिन्नगोपुरद्वारं केशशुष्कास्थिसंकुलम्। प्रदग्धग्रामनगरं भस्मपुंजाभिसंवृतम्॥

prabhinnagopuradvāraṁ keśaśuṣkāsthisaṁkulam| pradagdhagrāmanagaraṁ bhasmapuṁjābhisaṁvṛtam||

the gateways of the city-towers shattered, thronged with hair and dried bones, the villages and towns burnt down, covered over with heaps of ash;

Verse 65 (skanda.5.169.65)

चिताधूमाकुलं सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्। हाहाकाराकुलं सर्वमहहस्वननिस्वनम्॥

citādhūmākulaṁ sarvaṁ trailokyaṁ sacarācaram| hāhākārākulaṁ sarvamahahasvananisvanam||

the entire triple world, moving and unmoving, was thronged with the smoke of funeral pyres, filled entirely with cries of woe and the echoing sound of lament.

Verse 66 (skanda.5.169.66)

जगदेतदभूत्सर्वमशरण्यं निराश्रयम्॥

jagadetadabhūtsarvamaśaraṇyaṁ nirāśrayam||

This entire world became without refuge, without shelter.