The Greatness of Katyayani

Verse 1 (skanda.7.408.1)

पुलस्त्य उवाच ततो गच्छेन्नृपश्रेष्ठ गुहामध्यनिवासिनी देवी कात्यायनी यत्र शुंभदानवनाशिनी

pulastya uvāca tato gacchennṛpaśreṣṭha guhāmadhyanivāsinī devī kātyāyanī yatra śuṁbhadānavanāśinī

Pulastya said: Then, O best of kings, one should go to the goddess Katyayani, dweller in the midst of a cave, destroyer of the demon Shumbha.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.408.2)

शुंभोनाम महादैत्यः पुराऽऽसीत्पृथिवीतले तेन सर्वं जगद्व्याप्तं जित्वा देवान्रणाजिरे

śuṁbhonāma mahādaityaḥ purā''sītpṛthivītale tena sarvaṁ jagadvyāptaṁ jitvā devānraṇājire

Formerly there was a great demon named Shumbha on the earth; by him the entire world was pervaded, having conquered the gods on the field of battle.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.408.3)

स शंकरवराद्दैत्यो देवदानवरक्षसाम् अवध्यो योषितं मुक्त्वा सर्वेषां प्राणिनां भुवि

sa śaṁkaravarāddaityo devadānavarakṣasām avadhyo yoṣitaṁ muktvā sarveṣāṁ prāṇināṁ bhuvi

That demon, by the boon of Shankara, was unslayable by gods, demons, and rakshasas — by all beings on earth, except a woman.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.408.4)

ततो देवगणाः सर्वे गत्वाऽर्बुदमथाचलम् तपस्तेपुर्वधार्थाय शुंभस्य जगतीपते देवीमाराधयामासुर्व्यक्तरूपां सुरेश्वरीम्

tato devagaṇāḥ sarve gatvā'rbudamathācalam tapastepurvadhārthāya śuṁbhasya jagatīpate devīmārādhayāmāsurvyaktarūpāṁ sureśvarīm

Then all the hosts of gods, having gone to Mount Arbuda, performed austerity for the sake of slaying Shumbha, O lord of the earth, and worshipped the goddess, sovereign of the gods, in her manifest form.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.408.5)

अथ तेषां प्रसन्ना सा दृष्टिगोचरमागता अब्रवीद्वरदास्मीति ब्रूत किं करवाणि च

atha teṣāṁ prasannā sā dṛṣṭigocaramāgatā abravīdvaradāsmīti brūta kiṁ karavāṇi ca

Then, pleased with them, she came within their sight and said: I am the giver of boons; tell me, what shall I do?

Verse 6 (skanda.7.408.6)

देवा ऊचुः सर्वं नोऽपहृतं देवि शुंभेन सुदुरात्मना तं निषूदय कल्याणि सोवध्योन्यैः सदा रणे

devā ūcuḥ sarvaṁ no'pahṛtaṁ devi śuṁbhena sudurātmanā taṁ niṣūdaya kalyāṇi sovadhyonyaiḥ sadā raṇe

The gods said: Everything of ours has been taken away, O Goddess, by the utterly evil-minded Shumbha; slay him, O auspicious one — he is ever unslayable by others in battle.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.408.7)

त्वया संरक्षिता देवि पुरा बाष्कलितो वयम् नान्याऽस्माकं गतिर्मातस्त्वां मुक्त्वा चारुहासिनीम्

tvayā saṁrakṣitā devi purā bāṣkalito vayam nānyā'smākaṁ gatirmātastvāṁ muktvā cāruhāsinīm

By you, O Goddess, we were formerly protected from Bashkali; there is no other refuge for us, O mother, except you, of lovely smile.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.408.8)

पुलस्त्य उवाच एवमुक्ता सुरैर्देवी गत्वा शुंभनिकेतनम् आजुहाव रणे क्रुद्धा भर्त्सयित्वा मुहुर्मुहुः

pulastya uvāca evamuktā surairdevī gatvā śuṁbhaniketanam ājuhāva raṇe kruddhā bhartsayitvā muhurmuhuḥ

Pulastya said: Thus addressed by the gods, the Goddess went to Shumbha's abode and, enraged, challenged him to battle, reviling him again and again.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.408.9)

स तया याचिते युद्धे ज्ञात्वा तां योषितं नृप अवज्ञाय ततो दैत्यः प्रेषयामास दानवान्

sa tayā yācite yuddhe jñātvā tāṁ yoṣitaṁ nṛpa avajñāya tato daityaḥ preṣayāmāsa dānavān

When battle was thus sought by her, knowing her to be a woman, O king, the demon, disdaining her, then sent his demons, saying:

Verse 10 (skanda.7.408.10)

जीवग्राहेण दुष्टेयं गृह्यतां परुषस्वना क्रियतां दारुणो दंडो मम वाक्यान्न संशयः

jīvagrāheṇa duṣṭeyaṁ gṛhyatāṁ paruṣasvanā kriyatāṁ dāruṇo daṁḍo mama vākyānna saṁśayaḥ

Let this wicked, harsh-voiced woman be seized alive; let severe punishment be inflicted, by my word — there is no doubt.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.408.11)

अथ तस्य समादेशाद्दानवास्तां ततो द्रुतम् गत्वा निर्भर्त्सयामासुर्वेष्टयित्वा दिशो दश

atha tasya samādeśāddānavāstāṁ tato drutam gatvā nirbhartsayāmāsurveṣṭayitvā diśo daśa

Then, at his command, the demons swiftly went and, surrounding her from the ten directions, reviled her.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.408.12)

ततोऽवलोकनाद्दैत्यास्तया ते भस्मसात्कृताः ततः शुंभः प्रकुपितः स्वयमेव समाययौ

tato'valokanāddaityāstayā te bhasmasātkṛtāḥ tataḥ śuṁbhaḥ prakupitaḥ svayameva samāyayau

Then, by a mere glance, those demons were reduced to ashes by her. Thereupon Shumbha, greatly enraged, came himself.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.408.13)

अब्रवीत्तिष्ठतिष्ठेति खङ्गमुद्यम्य भीषणः सोऽपिदेव्या महाराज तथा चैवावलोकितः

abravīttiṣṭhatiṣṭheti khaṅgamudyamya bhīṣaṇaḥ so'pidevyā mahārāja tathā caivāvalokitaḥ

He said, 'Stand, stand!' raising his sword, terrifying. He too, O great king, was likewise beheld by the Goddess,

Verse 14 (skanda.7.408.14)

अभवद्भस्मसात्सद्यः पतंग इव पावकम् हते तस्मिंस्ततो दैत्याः शेषाः पार्थिवसत्तम भित्त्वा रसातलं जग्मुः पातालं भयसंयुताः

abhavadbhasmasātsadyaḥ pataṁga iva pāvakam hate tasminttato daityāḥ śeṣāḥ pārthivasattama bhittvā rasātalaṁ jagmuḥ pātālaṁ bhayasaṁyutāḥ

and instantly became ashes, like a moth falling into fire. When he was slain, O best of kings, the remaining demons, breaking through Rasatala, fled in fear to Patala.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.408.15)

ततो देवगणाः सर्वे तुष्टुवुस्तां सुरेश्वरीम् अब्रुवंश्च वरं ब्रूहि यत्ते मनसि वर्त्तते

tato devagaṇāḥ sarve tuṣṭuvustāṁ sureśvarīm abruvaṁśca varaṁ brūhi yatte manasi varttate

Then all the hosts of gods praised that sovereign goddess, and said: Ask a boon — whatever is in your mind.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.408.16)

देव्युवाच तत्रैव पर्वते स्थास्ये ह्यर्बुदेऽहं सुरोत्तमाः अभीष्टः पर्वतोऽस्माकं सं सदाऽर्बुदसंज्ञितः

devyuvāca tatraiva parvate sthāsye hyarbude'haṁ surottamāḥ abhīṣṭaḥ parvato'smākaṁ saṁ sadā'rbudasaṁjñitaḥ

The Goddess said: I shall dwell right there on that mountain, on Arbuda, O best of gods; that mountain named Arbuda is ever dear to us.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.408.17)

देवा ऊचुः तत्रस्थां त्वां समालोक्य मर्त्त्या यांति त्रिविष्टपम् विना यज्ञैस्तथा दानैः स्वर्गः संकीर्णतां गतः नान्यत्कारणमस्तीह निषेधस्य सुरेश्वरि

devā ūcuḥ tatrasthāṁ tvāṁ samālokya marttyā yāṁti triviṣṭapam vinā yajñaistathā dānaiḥ svargaḥ saṁkīrṇatāṁ gataḥ nānyatkāraṇamastīha niṣedhasya sureśvari

The gods said: Mortals, beholding you dwelling there, go to heaven without sacrifices or gifts; heaven has become overcrowded. There is no other reason here for objecting, O sovereign of the gods.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.408.18)

देव्युवाच तत्राहं विजने रम्ये गुहामध्ये सुरेश्वराः स्थास्यामि विरलाः केचिद्यास्यंति प्राणिनो मम दृष्टिगोचरमार्गे हि गत्वा तं पर्वतं प्रति

devyuvāca tatrāhaṁ vijane ramye guhāmadhye sureśvarāḥ sthāsyāmi viralāḥ kecidyāsyaṁti prāṇino mama dṛṣṭigocaramārge hi gatvā taṁ parvataṁ prati

The Goddess said: There, O lords of the gods, in a solitary, delightful cave, I shall dwell; only a rare few beings shall come within sight of me, having gone toward that mountain.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.408.19)

देवा ऊचुः यद्येवं देवि तेऽभीष्टमेवं कुरु शुचिस्मिते वयं त्वां तत्र द्रक्ष्यामः शुक्लाष्टम्यां सदा शुचेः

devā ūcuḥ yadyevaṁ devi te'bhīṣṭamevaṁ kuru śucismite vayaṁ tvāṁ tatra drakṣyāmaḥ śuklāṣṭamyāṁ sadā śuceḥ

The gods said: If this is your wish, O Goddess, then do so, O pure-smiling one; we shall behold you there on the bright eighth, always with purity.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.408.20)

पुलस्त्य उवाच एवमुक्ताः सुरा देव्या प्रहृष्टास्त्रिदिवं ययुः सापि देवी गिरौ तत्र गत्वा चैवार्बुदे नृप

pulastya uvāca evamuktāḥ surā devyā prahṛṣṭāstridivaṁ yayuḥ sāpi devī girau tatra gatvā caivārbude nṛpa

Pulastya said: Thus addressed by the Goddess, the gods, rejoicing, went to heaven. She too, the Goddess, O king, having gone to that mountain, Arbuda,

Verse 21 (skanda.7.408.21)

गुहामध्यं समासाद्य नित्यं जगद्धिताय वै विविक्ते न्यवसत्प्रीता दुर्ल्लभा सुरमानवैः

guhāmadhyaṁ samāsādya nityaṁ jagaddhitāya vai vivikte nyavasatprītā durllabhā suramānavaiḥ

reaching the interior of a cave, dwelt there content, in solitude, ever for the welfare of the world, difficult to be seen by gods and men.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.408.22)

यस्तां पश्यति राजेन्द्र शुक्लाष्टम्यां समाहितः अभीष्टं स सदाप्नोति यद्यपि स्यात्सुदुर्ल्लभम्

yastāṁ paśyati rājendra śuklāṣṭamyāṁ samāhitaḥ abhīṣṭaṁ sa sadāpnoti yadyapi syātsudurllabham

Whoever, O king of kings, beholds her on the bright eighth with a composed mind, ever obtains his desire, even if it be most difficult to attain.