Description of the Onset of Creation's Destruction

Verse 1 (skanda.5.170.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। ततो मातृसहस्रैश्च रौद्रैश्च परिवारिता। कालरात्रिर्जगत्सर्वं हरते दीप्तलोचना॥

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tato mātṛsahasraiśca raudraiśca parivāritā| kālarātrirjagatsarvaṁ harate dīptalocanā||

Sri Markandeya said: Then, surrounded by thousands of fierce Mothers, Kalaratri, her eyes blazing, seizes the entire world.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.170.2)

ततस्ता मातरो घोरा ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मिकाः। वाय्विन्द्रानलकौबेरा यमतोयेशशक्तयः॥

tatastā mātaro ghorā brahmaviṣṇuśivātmikāḥ| vāyvindrānalakauberā yamatoyeśaśaktayaḥ||

Then those terrible Mothers, the shaktis whose essence is Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, of Vayu, Indra, Agni, and Kubera, of Yama, Varuna,

Verse 3 (skanda.5.170.3)

स्कन्दक्रोडनृसिंहानां विचरन्त्यो भयानकाः। चक्रशूलगदाखड्गवज्रशक्त्यृष्टिपट्टिशैः॥

skandakroḍanṛsiṁhānāṁ vicarantyo bhayānakāḥ| cakraśūlagadākhaḍgavajraśaktyṛṣṭipaṭṭiśaiḥ||

of Skanda, Varaha, and Narasimha, wander about, terrifying, with discus, trident, mace, sword, thunderbolt, spear, javelin, and battle-axe,

Verse 4 (skanda.5.170.4)

खट्वाङ्गैरुल्मुकैर्दीप्तैर्व्यचरन्मातरः क्षये। उमासंनोदिता सर्वाः प्रधावन्त्यो दिशो दश॥

khaṭvāṅgairulmukairdīptairvyacaranmātaraḥ kṣaye| umāsaṁnoditā sarvāḥ pradhāvantyo diśo daśa||

with skull-staffs and blazing firebrands, the Mothers moved about at the destruction; all of them, urged on by Uma, ran forth in the ten directions.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.170.5)

तासां चरणविक्षेपैर्हुङ्कारोद्गारनिस्वनैः। त्रैलोक्यमेतत्सकलं विप्रदग्धं समन्ततः॥

tāsāṁ caraṇavikṣepairhuṅkārodgāranisvanaiḥ| trailokyametatsakalaṁ vipradagdhaṁ samantataḥ||

By the striding of their feet, and by the sounds of their roaring hum-cries, this entire triple world was burnt up on every side.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.170.6)

हाहारवाक्रन्दितनिस्वनैश्च प्रभिन्नरथ्यागृहगोपुरैश्च। बभूव घोरा धरणी समन्तात्कपालकोशाकुलकर्बुराङ्गी॥

hāhāravākranditanisvanaiśca prabhinnarathyāgṛhagopuraiśca| babhūva ghorā dharaṇī samantātkapālakośākulakarburāṅgī||

With the sounds of cries of woe and wailing, and with roads, houses, and gate-towers shattered, the earth on every side became terrible, its surface mottled and thronged with heaps of skulls.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.170.7)

यदेतच्छतसाहस्रं जम्बूद्वीपं निगद्यते। सर्वमेव तदुच्छन्नं समाधृष्य नृपोत्तम॥

yadetacchatasāhasraṁ jambūdvīpaṁ nigadyate| sarvameva taducchannaṁ samādhṛṣya nṛpottama||

O best of kings, this Jambudvipa, said to measure a hundred thousand yojanas — all of it, overwhelmed, was utterly destroyed.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.170.8)

जम्बुं शाकं कुशं क्रौञ्चं गोमेदं शाल्मलिस्तथा। पुष्करद्वीपसहिता ये च पर्वतवासिनः॥

jambuṁ śākaṁ kuśaṁ krauñcaṁ gomedaṁ śālmalistathā| puṣkaradvīpasahitā ye ca parvatavāsinaḥ||

Jambu, Shaka, Kusha, Kraunca, Gomeda, and Shalmala, together with Pushkaradvipa, and those who dwelt on the mountains,

Verse 9 (skanda.5.170.9)

ते ग्रस्ता मृत्युना सर्वे भूतैर्मातृगणैस्तथा। महासुरकपालैश्च मांसमेदोवसोत्कटैः॥

te grastā mṛtyunā sarve bhūtairmātṛgaṇaistathā| mahāsurakapālaiśca māṁsamedovasotkaṭaiḥ||

all of them were seized by Death, and by the hosts of ghosts and Mothers, and by great asura-skulls, gorged with flesh, fat, and marrow.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.170.10)

रुधिरोद्गारशोणाङ्गी महामाया सुभीषणा। पिबन्ती रुधिरं तत्र महामांसवसाप्रिया॥

rudhirodgāraśoṇāṅgī mahāmāyā subhīṣaṇā| pibantī rudhiraṁ tatra mahāmāṁsavasāpriyā||

Her limbs red with streams of blood, the great, most terrifying Maya, drinking blood there, fond of great quantities of flesh and fat,

Verse 11 (skanda.5.170.11)

कपालहस्ता विकटा भक्षयन्ती सुरासुरान्। नृत्यन्ती च हसन्ती च विपरीता महारवा॥

kapālahastā vikaṭā bhakṣayantī surāsurān| nṛtyantī ca hasantī ca viparītā mahāravā||

skull in hand, monstrous, devouring gods and asuras, dancing and laughing, in reversed posture, with a mighty roar,

Verse 12 (skanda.5.170.12)

त्रैलोक्यसंत्रासकरी विद्युत्संस्फोटहासिनी। सप्तद्वीपसमुद्रान्तां भक्षयित्वा च मेदिनीम्॥

trailokyasaṁtrāsakarī vidyutsaṁsphoṭahāsinī| saptadvīpasamudrāntāṁ bhakṣayitvā ca medinīm||

striking terror into the three worlds, laughing with the crackle of lightning; and having devoured the earth, bounded by the seven continents and oceans,

Verse 13 (skanda.5.170.13)

ततः स्वस्थानमगमद्यत्र देवो महेश्वरः। नर्मदातीरमाश्रित्यावसन्मातृगणैः सह॥

tataḥ svasthānamagamadyatra devo maheśvaraḥ| narmadātīramāśrityāvasanmātṛgaṇaiḥ saha||

she then went to her own abode, where the god Maheshvara resides, dwelling by the bank of Narmada, together with the hosts of Mothers.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.170.14)

अमराणां कटे तुङ्गे नृत्यन्ती हसितानना। अमरा देवताः प्रोक्ताः शरीरं कटमुच्यते॥

amarāṇāṁ kaṭe tuṅge nṛtyantī hasitānanā| amarā devatāḥ proktāḥ śarīraṁ kaṭamucyate||

Dancing on the lofty summit of the Immortals, her face laughing — the immortals are called 'amara', and the body is called 'kaṭa'.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.170.15)

तैः कटैरावृतो यस्मात्पर्वतोऽयं नृपोत्तम। छिन्नभिन्नास्थिनिकरैर्वसामेदोऽस्रविप्लुतैः॥

taiḥ kaṭairāvṛto yasmātparvato'yaṁ nṛpottama| chinnabhinnāsthinikarairvasāmedo'sraviplutaiḥ||

O best of kings, since this mountain is covered by those masses — by heaps of shattered bones drenched with marrow, fat, and blood —

Verse 16 (skanda.5.170.16)

अमरंकट इत्येवं तेन प्रोक्तो मनीषिभिः। महापवित्रो लोकेषु शम्भुना स विनिर्मितः॥

amaraṁkaṭa ityevaṁ tena prokto manīṣibhiḥ| mahāpavitro lokeṣu śambhunā sa vinirmitaḥ||

it was thus called 'Amarakantaka' by the wise; it was fashioned by Shambhu, most sacred among the worlds.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.170.17)

नित्यं संनिहितस्तत्र शङ्करो ह्युमया सह। ततोऽहं नियतस्तत्र तस्य पादाग्रसंस्थितः॥

nityaṁ saṁnihitastatra śaṅkaro hyumayā saha| tato'haṁ niyatastatra tasya pādāgrasaṁsthitaḥ||

There Shankara is ever present, together with Uma; there I too remained, established, disciplined, at the tip of his feet,

Verse 18 (skanda.5.170.18)

प्रह्वः प्रणतभावेन स्तौमि तं नीललोहितम्। ततस्तालकसम्पातैर्गणैर्मातृगणैः सह॥

prahvaḥ praṇatabhāvena staumi taṁ nīlalohitam| tatastālakasampātairgaṇairmātṛgaṇaiḥ saha||

bowed low in reverence, praising that Nilalohita. Then, with the clapping of hands, together with the ganas and the hosts of Mothers,

Verse 19 (skanda.5.170.19)

संप्रनृत्यति संहृष्टो मृत्युना सह शङ्करः। खट्वाङ्गैरुल्मुकैश्चैव पट्टिशैः परिघैस्तथा॥

saṁpranṛtyati saṁhṛṣṭo mṛtyunā saha śaṅkaraḥ| khaṭvāṅgairulmukaiścaiva paṭṭiśaiḥ parighaistathā||

Shankara, greatly delighted, dances together with Death; with skull-staffs and firebrands, and likewise with battle-axes and iron clubs,

Verse 20 (skanda.5.170.20)

मांसमेदोवसाहस्ता हृष्टा नृत्यन्ति संघशः। वामना जटिला मुण्डा लम्बग्रीवोष्ठमूर्द्धजाः॥

māṁsamedovasāhastā hṛṣṭā nṛtyanti saṁghaśaḥ| vāmanā jaṭilā muṇḍā lambagrīvoṣṭhamūrddhajāḥ||

their hands holding flesh, fat, and marrow, delighted, they dance in troops — dwarfish, matted-haired, some shaven-headed, with dangling necks, lips, and hair,

Verse 21 (skanda.5.170.21)

महाशिश्नोदरभुजा नृत्यन्ति च हसन्ति च। विकृतैराननैर्घोरैरर्भुजोल्बणमुखादिभिः॥

mahāśiśnodarabhujā nṛtyanti ca hasanti ca| vikṛtairānanairghorairarbhujolbaṇamukhādibhiḥ||

with huge organs, bellies, and arms, they dance and laugh, with distorted, terrible faces, some with swollen arms and mouths and the like.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.170.22)

अमरं कण्टकं चक्रुः प्राप्ते कालविपर्यये। तेषां मध्ये महाघोरं जगत्सन्त्रासकारणम्॥

amaraṁ kaṇṭakaṁ cakruḥ prāpte kālaviparyaye| teṣāṁ madhye mahāghoraṁ jagatsantrāsakāraṇam||

They made the 'immortal thorn' when the reversal of Time had come. In their midst, that which causes terror to the world, most terrible —

Verse 23 (skanda.5.170.23)

मृत्युं पश्यामि नृत्यन्तं तडित्पिङ्गलमूर्द्धजम्। तस्य पार्श्वे स्थितां देवीं विमलाम्बरभूषिताम्॥

mṛtyuṁ paśyāmi nṛtyantaṁ taḍitpiṅgalamūrddhajam| tasya pārśve sthitāṁ devīṁ vimalāmbarabhūṣitām||

—I see Mrityu dancing, his hair tawny as lightning; and, standing at his side, the goddess, adorned in stainless garments,

Verse 24 (skanda.5.170.24)

कुण्डलोद्घुष्टगण्डां तां नागयज्ञोपवीतिनीम्। विचित्रैरुपहारैश्च पूजयन्तीं महेश्वरम्॥

kuṇḍalodghuṣṭagaṇḍāṁ tāṁ nāgayajñopavītinīm| vicitrairupahāraiśca pūjayantīṁ maheśvaram||

her cheeks resounding with her earrings, wearing a serpent as her sacred thread, worshipping Maheshvara with wondrous offerings.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.170.25)

अपश्यं नर्मदां तत्र मातरं विश्ववन्दिताम्। नानातरङ्गां सावर्तां सुवेलार्णवसंनिभाम्॥

apaśyaṁ narmadāṁ tatra mātaraṁ viśvavanditām| nānātaraṅgāṁ sāvartāṁ suvelārṇavasaṁnibhām||

There I beheld Narmada, the mother, venerated by the universe, of many waves, full of whirlpools, resembling the well-bounded ocean,

Verse 26 (skanda.5.170.26)

महासरःसरित्पातैरदृश्यां दृश्यरूपिणीम्। वन्द्यमानां सुरैः सिद्धैर्मुनिसङ्घैश्च भारत॥

mahāsaraḥsaritpātairadṛśyāṁ dṛśyarūpiṇīm| vandyamānāṁ suraiḥ siddhairmunisaṅghaiśca bhārata||

invisible amid the confluences of great lakes and rivers, yet visible in her outer form, O descendant of Bharata, venerated by gods, Siddhas, and hosts of sages.

Verse 27 (skanda.5.170.27)

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे घोरां सप्तसप्तकसंज्ञिताम्। महावीच्यौघफेनाढ्यां कुर्वन्तीं सजलं जगत्॥

etasminnantare ghorāṁ saptasaptakasaṁjñitām| mahāvīcyaughaphenāḍhyāṁ kurvantīṁ sajalaṁ jagat||

Meanwhile, I beheld her terrible, called by the 'seven-times-seven' name, rich with masses of great waves and foam, making the world full of water,

Verse 28 (skanda.5.170.28)

दृष्टवान्नर्मदां देवीं मृगकृष्णाम्बरां पुनः। सधूमाशनिनिर्ह्रादैर्वहन्तीं सप्तधा तदा॥

dṛṣṭavānnarmadāṁ devīṁ mṛgakṛṣṇāmbarāṁ punaḥ| sadhūmāśaninirhrādairvahantīṁ saptadhā tadā||

I beheld the goddess Narmada again, wearing a black deer-skin, then flowing sevenfold with the roar of smoke and thunderbolts.

Verse 29 (skanda.5.170.29)

इति संहारमतुलं दृष्टवान्राजसत्तम। नष्टचन्द्रार्ककिरणमभूदेतच्चराचरम्॥

iti saṁhāramatulaṁ dṛṣṭavānrājasattama| naṣṭacandrārkakiraṇamabhūdetaccarācaram||

Having thus seen this unequaled destruction, O best of kings — this moving and unmoving world became bereft of the rays of moon and sun,

Verse 30 (skanda.5.170.30)

महोत्पातसमुद्भूतं नष्टनक्षत्रमण्डलम्। अलातचक्रवत्तूर्णमशेषं भ्रामयंस्ततः॥

mahotpātasamudbhūtaṁ naṣṭanakṣatramaṇḍalam| alātacakravattūrṇamaśeṣaṁ bhrāmayaṁstataḥ||

beset by great portents, its circle of constellations destroyed; then, whirling everything about swiftly like a firebrand-wheel,

Verse 31 (skanda.5.170.31)

विमानकोटिसंकीर्णः स किंनरमहोरगः। महावातः सनिर्घातो येनाकम्पच्चराचरम्॥

vimānakoṭisaṁkīrṇaḥ sa kiṁnaramahoragaḥ| mahāvātaḥ sanirghāto yenākampaccarācaram||

thronged with crores of celestial cars, kinnaras and great serpents — a mighty wind, with a great roar, by which the moving and unmoving trembled,

Verse 32 (skanda.5.170.32)

रुद्रवक्त्रात्समुद्भूतः संवर्तो नाम विश्रुतः। वायुः संशोषयामास विततन् सप्तसागरान्॥

rudravaktrātsamudbhūtaḥ saṁvarto nāma viśrutaḥ| vāyuḥ saṁśoṣayāmāsa vitatan saptasāgarān||

arisen from Rudra's mouth, renowned by the name Samvarta, that wind dried up and stretched out the seven oceans.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.170.33)

उद्धूलिताङ्गः कपिलाक्षमूर्द्धजो जटाकलापैरवबद्धमूर्द्धजः। महारवो दीप्तविशालशूलधृक्स पातु युष्मांश्च दिने दिने हरः॥

uddhūlitāṅgaḥ kapilākṣamūrddhajo jaṭākalāpairavabaddhamūrddhajaḥ| mahāravo dīptaviśālaśūladhṛksa pātu yuṣmāṁśca dine dine haraḥ||

His limbs covered with dust, his eyes and hair tawny, his hair bound in masses of matted locks, of great roar, bearing a blazing, vast trident — may Hara protect you all, day after day.

Verse 34 (skanda.5.170.34)

शूली धनुष्मान्कवची किरीटी श्मशानभस्मोक्षितसर्वगात्रः। कपालमालाकुलकण्ठनालो महाहिसूत्रैरवबद्धमौलिः॥

śūlī dhanuṣmānkavacī kirīṭī śmaśānabhasmokṣitasarvagātraḥ| kapālamālākulakaṇṭhanālo mahāhisūtrairavabaddhamauliḥ||

Trident-bearer, bow-wielder, armored, crowned, his whole body sprinkled with the ash of the cremation-ground; his throat thronged with a garland of skulls, his crown bound with great serpent-cords,

Verse 35 (skanda.5.170.35)

स गोनसौघैः परिवेष्टिताङ्गो विषाग्निचन्द्रामरसिन्धुमौलिः। पिनाकखण्टूवाङ्गकरालपाणिः स कृत्तिवासा डमरुप्रणादः॥

sa gonasaughaiḥ pariveṣṭitāṅgo viṣāgnicandrāmarasindhumauliḥ| pinākakhaṇṭūvāṅgakarālapāṇiḥ sa kṛttivāsā ḍamarupraṇādaḥ||

his limbs entwined by hosts of serpents, his crown bearing poison, fire, the moon, and the celestial river; his terrible hand holding the Pinaka bow and the club, clad in an elephant-hide, resounding with the damaru drum,

Verse 36 (skanda.5.170.36)

स सप्तलोकान्तरनिःसृतात्मा महभुजावेष्टितसर्वगात्रः। नेत्रेण सूर्योदयसन्निभेन प्रवालकाङ्कूरनिभोदरेण॥

sa saptalokāntaraniḥsṛtātmā mahabhujāveṣṭitasarvagātraḥ| netreṇa sūryodayasannibhena pravālakāṅkūranibhodareṇa||

his self extending forth through the seven worlds, his whole body encircled by mighty arms; with an eye resembling sunrise, with a belly resembling a coral shoot,

Verse 37 (skanda.5.170.37)

सन्ध्याभ्ररक्तोत्पलपद्मरागसिन्दूरविद्युत्प्रकरारुणेन। ततेन लिङ्गेन च लोचनेन चिक्रीडमानः स युगान्तकाले॥

sandhyābhraraktotpalapadmarāgasindūravidyutprakarāruṇena| tatena liṅgena ca locanena cikrīḍamānaḥ sa yugāntakāle||

his other eye red as the twilight cloud, the red lotus, the ruby, vermillion, and masses of lightning; with that outstretched linga and that eye, he sported at the time of the age's end,

Verse 38 (skanda.5.170.38)

हिरण्मयेनैव समुत्सृजन् स दण्डेन यद्वद्भगवान् समेरुः। पादाग्रविक्षेपविशीर्णशैलः कुर्वञ्जगत्सोऽपि जगाम तत्र॥

hiraṇmayenaiva samutsṛjan sa daṇḍena yadvadbhagavān sameruḥ| pādāgravikṣepaviśīrṇaśailaḥ kurvañjagatso'pi jagāma tatra||

releasing things with his very golden staff, as if he were Mount Meru itself, blessed one; shattering the mountains with the mere motion of his toes, agitating the world, he too went there.

Verse 39 (skanda.5.170.39)

संहर्तुकामस्त्रिदिवं त्वशेषं प्रमुञ्चमानो विकृताट्टहासम्। जहार सर्वं त्रिदिवं महात्मा संक्षोभयन्वै जगदीश एकः॥

saṁhartukāmastridivaṁ tvaśeṣaṁ pramuñcamāno vikṛtāṭṭahāsam| jahāra sarvaṁ tridivaṁ mahātmā saṁkṣobhayanvai jagadīśa ekaḥ||

Desiring to destroy the whole of the triple heaven, letting loose a monstrous, distorted laughter, that great soul, the lord of the world, alone, agitating everything, seized the entire triple heaven.

Verse 40 (skanda.5.170.40)

तं देवमीशानमजं वरेण्यं दृष्ट्वा जगत्संहरणं महेशम्। सा कालरात्रिः सह मातृभिश्च गणाश्च सर्वे शिवमर्चयन्ति॥

taṁ devamīśānamajaṁ vareṇyaṁ dṛṣṭvā jagatsaṁharaṇaṁ maheśam| sā kālarātriḥ saha mātṛbhiśca gaṇāśca sarve śivamarcayanti||

Seeing that god Ishana, unborn, most worthy, Mahesha, engaged in the destruction of the world, that Kalaratri, together with the Mothers, and all the ganas, worship Shiva.

Verse 41 (skanda.5.170.41)

नन्दी च भृङ्गी च गणादयश्च तं सर्वभूतं प्रणमन्ति देवम्। जागद्वरं सर्वजनस्य कारणं हरं स्मरारातिमहर्निशं ते॥

nandī ca bhṛṅgī ca gaṇādayaśca taṁ sarvabhūtaṁ praṇamanti devam| jāgadvaraṁ sarvajanasya kāraṇaṁ haraṁ smarārātimaharniśaṁ te||

Nandi and Bhringi, and the ganas and the rest, bow to that god who is the very self of all beings; day and night they bow to Hara, the foremost of the world, the cause of all people, the foe of Kama.