The Slaying of Mahishasura

Verse 1 (skanda.8.68.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । अथ ता देवता देवी कौशिकी देहसंभवाः । न्यवेशयन्महाभागा देशेषु नगरेषु च

sanatkumāra uvāca | atha tā devatā devī kauśikī dehasaṁbhavāḥ | nyaveśayanmahābhāgā deśeṣu nagareṣu ca

Sanatkumara said: Then that greatly blessed goddess Kaushiki established those goddesses, born from her own body, in various regions and cities.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.68.2)

बहुपुत्रां प्रलम्बो च लङ्कायां सन्न्यवेशयत् । लम्बौष्ठीं वृषदंशां च किन्नरीं चैव सिंहले

bahuputrāṁ pralambo ca laṅkāyāṁ sannyaveśayat | lambauṣṭhīṁ vṛṣadaṁśāṁ ca kinnarīṁ caiva siṁhale

She established Bahuputra and Pralamba in Lanka; Lambaushthi, Vrishadamsha and Kinnari in Simhala,

Verse 3 (skanda.8.68.3)

गोकर्णे रेवतीं देवीं पाण्ड्येषु मुखमण्डिकाम् । आभीरेष्वशिवां चैव शान्तिं च वरणातटे

gokarṇe revatīṁ devīṁ pāṇḍyeṣu mukhamaṇḍikām | ābhīreṣvaśivāṁ caiva śāntiṁ ca varaṇātaṭe

the goddess Revati in Gokarna, Mukhamandika among the Pandyas, Ashiva among the Abhiras, and Shanti on the bank of the Varana,

Verse 4 (skanda.8.68.4)

वत्सगुल्मे प्रभां देवीं लक्ष्मीं कोलगिरावपि । उपकां पारसीकेषु वायसीं यवनेषु च

vatsagulme prabhāṁ devīṁ lakṣmīṁ kolagirāvapi | upakāṁ pārasīkeṣu vāyasīṁ yavaneṣu ca

the goddess Prabha in Vatsagulma, Lakshmi on Mount Kola too, Upaka among the Persians, and Vayasi among the Yavanas.

Verse 5 (skanda.8.68.5)

प्रचण्डां च तुषारेषु कोशलेषु च लम्बिकाम् । जयां च विजयां चैव स्वपुरे संन्यवेशयत्

pracaṇḍāṁ ca tuṣāreṣu kośaleṣu ca lambikām | jayāṁ ca vijayāṁ caiva svapure saṁnyaveśayat

Prachanda among the Tusharas, Lambika among the Koshalas; and Jaya and Vijaya she established in her own city.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.68.6)

प्रभावतीं कलिङ्गेषु जयन्तीं नागसाह्वये । काश्मीरेषु च सा षष्ठीं सरमां मलयेषु च

prabhāvatīṁ kaliṅgeṣu jayantīṁ nāgasāhvaye | kāśmīreṣu ca sā ṣaṣṭhīṁ saramāṁ malayeṣu ca

Prabhavati among the Kalingas, Jayanti in Nagasahvaya (Hastinapura); Shashthi she established among the Kashmiras, and Sarama among the Malayas,

Verse 7 (skanda.8.68.7)

पूतनां च सुपीरेषु मृत्युं पृष्टपुरे तथा । कोटीवर्षे बाहुमांसां पौण्ड्रेषु कटपूतनाम्

pūtanāṁ ca supīreṣu mṛtyuṁ pṛṣṭapure tathā | koṭīvarṣe bāhumāṁsāṁ pauṇḍreṣu kaṭapūtanām

Putana among the Supiras, and likewise Mrityu in Pishtapura; Bahumamsa in Kotivarsha, and Kataputana among the Paundras,

Verse 8 (skanda.8.68.8)

अस्पृष्टां मध्यदेशे तु किन्नरीं बर्बरेषु च । वाराणस्यां निरायास्यां चित्रघण्टां च कौशिकीम्

aspṛṣṭāṁ madhyadeśe tu kinnarīṁ barbareṣu ca | vārāṇasyāṁ nirāyāsyāṁ citraghaṇṭāṁ ca kauśikīm

Asprishta in the Madhyadesha, and Kinnari among the Barbaras; Chitraghanta and Kaushiki in Varanasi and Nirayasa,

Verse 9 (skanda.8.68.9)

महाकालीं महाकाले वानरीं शबरेषु च । शेषाश्च देवताः सर्वा ग्रामेषु नगरेषु च

mahākālīṁ mahākāle vānarīṁ śabareṣu ca | śeṣāśca devatāḥ sarvā grāmeṣu nagareṣu ca

Mahakali at Mahakala, and Vanari among the Shabaras; and all the remaining goddesses in other villages and cities,

Verse 10 (skanda.8.68.10)

कर्वटेषु महीध्रेषु कौशिकी संन्यवेशयत् । कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य स्वर्णाक्षे हि महातपाः

karvaṭeṣu mahīdhreṣu kauśikī saṁnyaveśayat | kasyacittvatha kālasya svarṇākṣe hi mahātapāḥ

and in the market-towns and among the mountains, Kaushiki established them. Then, after some time, at Svarnaksha, a place of great austerity,

Verse 11 (skanda.8.68.11)

यत्र विष्णुर्वरं लेभे देवमाराध्य शङ्करम् । चक्रं सुदर्शनं नाम द्विषतामन्तकोपमम्

yatra viṣṇurvaraṁ lebhe devamārādhya śaṅkaram | cakraṁ sudarśanaṁ nāma dviṣatāmantakopamam

-where Vishnu had once obtained a boon by propitiating the god Shankara, the discus named Sudarshana, like Death itself to his foes -

Verse 12 (skanda.8.68.12)

ऋषिरास्ते महाभागः शरद्वान्नाम गौतमः । तस्य यज्ञं जगामाथ देवी तेन निमन्त्रिता

ṛṣirāste mahābhāgaḥ śaradvānnāma gautamaḥ | tasya yajñaṁ jagāmātha devī tena nimantritā

-there dwelt a greatly blessed sage named Sharadvan Gautama; and the goddess, invited by him, went to his sacrifice.

Verse 13 (skanda.8.68.13)

तस्यास्तत्रागमं ज्ञात्वा सूनुः शुम्भस्य वीर्यवान् । आजगामाशु तं देशं महिषो नाम दानवः

tasyāstatrāgamaṁ jñātvā sūnuḥ śumbhasya vīryavān | ājagāmāśu taṁ deśaṁ mahiṣo nāma dānavaḥ

Learning of her arrival there, the valorous son of Shumbha, the demon named Mahisha, swiftly came to that place.

Verse 14 (skanda.8.68.14)

सुसंहतः पृथूरस्को महाग्रीवः सुबालधिः । बद्धवैराशयः क्रू रो महासत्वोतिदुर्जयः । वज्रनिष्पेषपरुषं नर्दमानो महास्वनः

susaṁhataḥ pṛthūrasko mahāgrīvaḥ subāladhiḥ | baddhavairāśayaḥ krū ro mahāsatvotidurjayaḥ | vajraniṣpeṣaparuṣaṁ nardamāno mahāsvanaḥ

Compact of build, broad-chested, thick-necked, fine-tailed; harbouring enmity, cruel, of great strength, utterly unconquerable; bellowing a loud sound, harsh as the grinding of thunderbolts,

Verse 15 (skanda.8.68.15)

अञ्जनाद्रिसमप्रख्यो युयुत्सुर्बलदर्पितः । देव्याः पन्थानमावार्य दानवेन्द्रसुतः स्थितः

añjanādrisamaprakhyo yuyutsurbaladarpitaḥ | devyāḥ panthānamāvārya dānavendrasutaḥ sthitaḥ

-dark as a mountain of collyrium, eager for battle, proud of his strength - that son of the demon-lord stood there, blocking the goddess's path.

Verse 16 (skanda.8.68.16)

विज्ञाय तस्यागमनं योगेशा विन्ध्यवासिनी । जगाम त्वरिता तत्र यत्रासौ दानवाधमः

vijñāya tasyāgamanaṁ yogeśā vindhyavāsinī | jagāma tvaritā tatra yatrāsau dānavādhamaḥ

Knowing of his approach, the Mistress of Yoga, the Dweller of the Vindhya, swiftly went there, to where that lowest of demons stood.

Verse 17 (skanda.8.68.17)

अथ दृष्ट्वा स तां देवीं क्रोधाद्रक्ततरेक्षणः । अभ्याजगाम वेगेन यत्नमास्थाय दानवः

atha dṛṣṭvā sa tāṁ devīṁ krodhādraktatarekṣaṇaḥ | abhyājagāma vegena yatnamāsthāya dānavaḥ

Then, seeing the goddess, that demon, his eyes reddened with rage, exerting himself, charged at her with speed.

Verse 18 (skanda.8.68.18)

उद्वालधिस्तीक्ष्णविषाणकोटिः सुपीनवक्षाः कठिनोर्ध्वकर्णः । अभ्यापतद् गुग्गुलताम्रनेत्रो जवेन देवीमसिताद्रिकल्पः

udvāladhistīkṣṇaviṣāṇakoṭiḥ supīnavakṣāḥ kaṭhinordhvakarṇaḥ | abhyāpatad guggulatāmranetro javena devīmasitādrikalpaḥ

His tail raised, the tips of his sharp horns gleaming, his chest full, his stiff ears erect, his eyes red as guggulu-resin, dark as a black mountain - he charged at the goddess with speed.

Verse 19 (skanda.8.68.19)

तं कौशिकी वीक्ष्य तदापतन्तं दैत्येन्द्रपुत्रं महिषं सरोषम् । चुक्रोध ताम्रायतचारुनेत्रा स्थिता धरण्यामसुरेन्द्रहन्त्री

taṁ kauśikī vīkṣya tadāpatantaṁ daityendraputraṁ mahiṣaṁ saroṣam | cukrodha tāmrāyatacārunetrā sthitā dharaṇyāmasurendrahantrī

Seeing that demon-lord's son Mahisha charging at her in fury, Kaushiki, the slayer of demon-lords, her long, lovely copper-hued eyes ablaze, standing upon the ground, grew enraged.

Verse 20 (skanda.8.68.20)

अभ्येत्य तां दानवराजसूनुर्बलेन मत्तः परमेण देवीम् । अभ्याहनद्वक्षसि लोलहारे शृंगेण शक्रायुधकर्कशेन

abhyetya tāṁ dānavarājasūnurbalena mattaḥ parameṇa devīm | abhyāhanadvakṣasi lolahāre śṛṁgeṇa śakrāyudhakarkaśena

That son of the demon-king, intoxicated with supreme strength, approaching the goddess, struck her upon her chest, where her necklace swayed, with a horn as hard as Indra's thunderbolt.

Verse 21 (skanda.8.68.21)

विषह्य तं तस्य तदा प्रहारं जग्राह शृङ्गे महिषं करेण । उद्भ्राम्य चोच्चैः परितः सरोषा न्यपातयद् भूमितले श्वसन्तम्

viṣahya taṁ tasya tadā prahāraṁ jagrāha śṛṅge mahiṣaṁ kareṇa | udbhrāmya coccaiḥ paritaḥ saroṣā nyapātayad bhūmitale śvasantam

Enduring that blow of his, she then seized Mahisha by the horn with her hand; and, whirling him about high and wide, enraged, she flung the gasping beast down upon the ground.

Verse 22 (skanda.8.68.22)

उद्गृह्य सा बालधिमिन्द्रशत्रोः कृत्वा च पादं शिरसि प्रसह्य । त्रिशूलमादाय बिभेद पृष्ठे व्ययोजयच्चासुभिराशु दैत्यम्

udgṛhya sā bāladhimindraśatroḥ kṛtvā ca pādaṁ śirasi prasahya | triśūlamādāya bibheda pṛṣṭhe vyayojayaccāsubhirāśu daityam

Seizing the tail of that enemy of Indra, and forcefully planting her foot upon his head, she took up her trident, pierced his back, and swiftly parted the demon from his life.

Verse 23 (skanda.8.68.23)

कुलिशकठिनशृङ्गं नीलजीमूतकल्पं । महिषमथ निहत्य प्रौढदर्पन्तदानीम् । विविधकुसुमवृष्ट्या सर्वतः कीर्यमाणा । धरणिधरमगच्छत् कौशिकी सन्निवासम्

kuliśakaṭhinaśṛṅgaṁ nīlajīmūtakalpaṁ | mahiṣamatha nihatya prauḍhadarpantadānīm | vividhakusumavṛṣṭyā sarvataḥ kīryamāṇā | dharaṇidharamagacchat kauśikī sannivāsam

Having thus slain that Mahisha, whose horns were hard as thunderbolts, dark as a blue rain-cloud, of towering pride, Kaushiki, showered on every side with a rain of many kinds of flowers, then returned to her dwelling on the mountain.