इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे सावर्णिके मन्वन्तरे देवीमाहात्म्ये महिषासुरवधो नाम त्र्यशीतितमोऽध्यायः
44 verses · 3 of 3
Seeing his army destroyed, Chikshura attacks Ambika with a rain of arrows; she breaks his bow and slays him. The lion tears off Chamara's head. Udagra, Bashkala, Andhaka and others fall. Then Mahishasura himself charges in buffalo form, scattering her ganas and tossing mountains with his horns. She binds him with a noose; he becomes a lion, then a man with a sword, then an elephant, then a buffalo again. The Devi drinks the divine drink and laughs: roar, fool, roar while I drink; soon the devas will roar over your death. She leaps on him, presses his neck under her foot, and as he half emerges from the buffalo's mouth she strikes off his head. The devas and great rishis praise her.
ऋषिरुवाच
निहन्यमानं तत्सैन्यमवलोक्य महासुरः ।
सेनानीश्चिक्षुरः कोपाद्ययौ योद्धुमथाम्बिकाम्
nihanyamānaṃ tatsainyamavalokya mahāsuraḥ |
senānīścikṣuraḥ kopādyayau yoddhumathāmbikām
The Rishi said: Seeing that army being cut down, the great asura Chikshura, Mahishasura's general, came forward in fury to fight Ambika.
स देवीं शरवर्षेण ववर्ष समरेऽसुरः ।
यथा मेरुगिरेः शृङ्गं तोयवर्षेण तोयदः
sa devīṃ śaravarṣeṇa vavarṣa samare'suraḥ |
yathā merugireḥ śṛṅgaṃ toyavarṣeṇa toyadaḥ
In the battle the asura poured a rain of arrows upon the Devi, as a cloud pours rain upon the peak of Mount Meru.
तस्य च्छित्त्वा ततो देवी लीलयैव शरोत्करान् ।
जघान तुरगान् बाणैर्यन्तारं चैव वाजिनाम्
tasya cchittvā tato devī līlayaiva śarotkarān |
jaghāna turagān bāṇairyantāraṃ caiva vājinām
Then the Devi, as if in play, cut his flights of arrows to pieces, and with her own arrows struck down his horses and the charioteer who drove them.
चिच्छेद च धनुः सद्यो ध्वजं चातिसमुच्छ्रितम् ।
विव्याध चैव गात्रेषु च्छिन्नधन्वानमाशुगैः
ciccheda ca dhanuḥ sadyo dhvajaṃ cātisamucchritam |
vivyādha caiva gātreṣu cchinnadhanvānamāśugaiḥ
At once she split his bow and his lofty banner, and with swift arrows pierced the limbs of the asura whose bow was now broken.
स च्छिन्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वो हतसारथिः ।
अभ्यधावत तां देवीं खड्ग-चर्मधरोऽसुरः
sa cchinnadhanvā viratho hatāśvo hatasārathiḥ |
abhyadhāvata tāṃ devīṃ khaḍga-carmadharo'suraḥ
His bow broken, his chariot gone, his horses and charioteer slain, the asura rushed at the Devi with sword and shield in hand.
सिंहमाहत्य खड्गेन तीक्ष्णधारेण मूर्धनि ।
आजघान भुजे सव्ये देवीमप्यतिवेगवान्
siṃhamāhatya khaḍgena tīkṣṇadhāreṇa mūrdhani |
ājaghāna bhuje savye devīmapyativegavān
Moving with great speed, he struck the lion on the head with his sharp-edged sword, and then struck the Devi too on her left arm.
तस्याः खड्गो भुजं प्राप्य पफाल नृपनन्दन ।
ततो जग्राह शूलं स कोपादरुणलोचनः
tasyāḥ khaḍgo bhujaṃ prāpya paphāla nṛpanandana |
tato jagrāha śūlaṃ sa kopādaruṇalocanaḥ
O prince, his sword shattered the moment it touched her arm. Then, his eyes red with rage, he seized a spear.
चिक्षेप च ततस्तत्तु भद्रकाल्यां महासुरः ।
जाज्वल्यमानं तेजोभी रविबिम्बमिवाम्बरात्
cikṣepa ca tatastattu bhadrakālyāṃ mahāsuraḥ |
jājvalyamānaṃ tejobhī ravibimbamivāmbarāt
The great asura hurled that spear at Bhadrakali. It blazed with light, like the disc of the sun falling from the sky.
दृष्ट्वा तदापतच्छूलं देवी शूलममुञ्चत ।
तच्छूलं शतधा तेन नीतं स च महासुरः
dṛṣṭvā tadāpatacchūlaṃ devī śūlamamuñcata |
tacchūlaṃ śatadhā tena nītaṃ sa ca mahāsuraḥ
Seeing the spear coming down, the Devi loosed her own trident. It shattered his spear into a hundred pieces, and the great asura himself fell.
हते तस्मिन् महावीर्ये महिषस्य चमूपतौ ।
आजगाम गजारूढश्चामरस्त्रिदशार्दनः
hate tasmin mahāvīrye mahiṣasya camūpatau |
ājagāma gajārūḍhaścāmarastridaśārdanaḥ
When that mighty general of Mahisha was slain, Chamara, the tormentor of the gods, came on, mounted on an elephant.
सोऽपि शक्तिं मुमोचाथ देव्यास्तामम्बिका द्रुतम् ।
हुङ्काराभिहतां भूमौ पातयामास निष्प्रभाम्
so'pi śaktiṃ mumocātha devyāstāmambikā drutam |
huṅkārābhihatāṃ bhūmau pātayāmāsa niṣprabhām
He too hurled his shakti, a spear-like missile, at the Devi. Ambika struck it with the sound 'hum' and it fell to the ground, its light gone.
भग्नां शक्तिं निपतितां दृष्ट्वा क्रोधसमन्वितः ।
चिक्षेप चामरः शूलं बाणैस्तदपि साच्छिनत्
bhagnāṃ śaktiṃ nipatitāṃ dṛṣṭvā krodhasamanvitaḥ |
cikṣepa cāmaraḥ śūlaṃ bāṇaistadapi sācchinat
Seeing his shakti broken and fallen, Chamara, filled with anger, threw a spear. She cut that too with her arrows.
ततः सिंहः समुत्पत्य गजकुम्भान्तरे स्थितः ।
बाहुयुद्धेन युयुधे तेनोच्चैस्त्रिदशारिणा
tataḥ siṃhaḥ samutpatya gajakumbhāntare sthitaḥ |
bāhuyuddhena yuyudhe tenoccaistridaśāriṇā
Then the lion leapt up, landed between the elephant's temples, and fought hand to hand with that enemy of the gods, roaring loudly.
युधायमानो ततस्तौ तु तस्मान्नागान्महीं गतौ ।
युयुधातेऽतिसंरब्धौ प्रहारैरतिदारुणैः
yudhāyamāno tatastau tu tasmānnāgānmahīṃ gatau |
yuyudhāte'tisaṃrabdhau prahārairatidāruṇaiḥ
Still grappling, the two fell from the elephant to the earth, and fought on in great fury, dealing each other terrible blows.
ततो वेगात्खमुत्पत्य निपत्य च मृगारिणा ।
करप्रहारेण शिरश्चामरस्य पृथक्कृतम्
tato vegātkhamutpatya nipatya ca mṛgāriṇā |
karaprahāreṇa śiraścāmarasya pṛthakkṛtam
Then the lion sprang swiftly into the sky, came down upon Chamara, and with a blow of its paw severed his head from his body.
उदग्रश्च रणे देव्या शिलावृक्षादिभिर्हतः ।
दन्तमुष्टितलैश्चैव करालश्च निपातितः
udagraśca raṇe devyā śilāvṛkṣādibhirhataḥ |
dantamuṣṭitalaiścaiva karālaśca nipātitaḥ
In the battle the Devi slew Udagra with stones, trees and the like, and felled Karala with her teeth, fists and the flat of her hand.
देवी क्रुद्धा गदापातैश्चूर्णयामास चोद्धतम् ।
वाष्कलं भिन्दिपालेन बाणैस्ताम्रं तथान्धकम्
devī kruddhā gadāpātaiścūrṇayāmāsa coddhatam |
vāṣkalaṃ bhindipālena bāṇaistāmraṃ tathāndhakam
Enraged, the Devi crushed Uddhata with blows of her mace, killed Bashkala with a bhindipala, a heavy javelin, and Tamra and Andhaka with arrows.
उग्रास्यमुग्रवीर्यञ्च तथैव च महाहनुम् ।
त्रिनेत्रा च त्रिशूलेन जघान परमेश्वरी
ugrāsyamugravīryañca tathaiva ca mahāhanum |
trinetrā ca triśūlena jaghāna parameśvarī
The three-eyed Supreme Goddess slew Ugrasya, Ugravirya and Mahahanu with her trident.
बिडालस्यासिना कायात् पातयामास वै शिरः ।
दुर्धरं दुर्मुखं चोभौ शरैर्निन्ये यमक्षयम् ।
कालं च कालदण्डेन कालरात्रिरपातयत्
biḍālasyāsinā kāyāt pātayāmāsa vai śiraḥ |
durdharaṃ durmukhaṃ cobhau śarairninye yamakṣayam |
kālaṃ ca kāladaṇḍena kālarātrirapātayat
With her sword she struck Bidala's head from his body. Durdhara and Durmukha both she sent to the abode of Yama with her arrows. And as Kalaratri she felled Kala with the staff of death.
अग्रदर्शनमत्युग्रैः खड्गपातैरताडयत् ।
असिनैवासिलोमानमच्छिदत् सा रणोत्सवे ।
गणैः सिंहेन देव्या च जयक्ष्वेडाकृतोत्सवैः
agradarśanamatyugraiḥ khaḍgapātairatāḍayat |
asinaivāsilomānamacchidat sā raṇotsave |
gaṇaiḥ siṃhena devyā ca jayakṣveḍākṛtotsavaiḥ
She struck Agradarshana with fierce sword blows and cut down Asiloma with her sword in that festival of battle, while her ganas, her lion and she herself raised shouts of victory.
एवं संक्षीयमाणे तु स्वसैन्ये महिषासुरः ।
माहिषेण स्वरूपेण त्रासयामास तान् गणान्
evaṃ saṃkṣīyamāṇe tu svasainye mahiṣāsuraḥ |
māhiṣeṇa svarūpeṇa trāsayāmāsa tān gaṇān
As his army was thus being destroyed, Mahishasura took his own buffalo form and terrified the Devi's ganas.
कांश्चित्तुण्डप्रिहारेण खुरक्षेपैस्तथापरान् ।
लाङ्गूलताडितांश्चान्यान् शृङ्गाभ्याञ्च विदारितान्
kāṃścittuṇḍaprihāreṇa khurakṣepaistathāparān |
lāṅgūlatāḍitāṃścānyān śṛṅgābhyāñca vidāritān
Some he struck down with blows of his muzzle, others with kicks of his hooves, others with lashes of his tail, and others he tore open with his horns.
वेगेन कांश्चिदपरान् नादेन भ्रमणेन च ।
निश्वासपवनेनान्यान् पातयामास भूतले
vegena kāṃścidaparān nādena bhramaṇena ca |
niśvāsapavanenānyān pātayāmāsa bhūtale
Some he threw to the ground by his charge, others by his bellowing and his wheeling about, and others by the blast of his breath.
निपात्य प्रमथानीकमभ्यधावत सोऽसुरः ।
सिंहं हन्तुं महादेव्याः कोपं चक्रे ततोऽम्बिका
nipātya pramathānīkamabhyadhāvata so'suraḥ |
siṃhaṃ hantuṃ mahādevyāḥ kopaṃ cakre tato'mbikā
Having laid low the host of the Devi's attendants, the asura rushed to kill the lion of the Great Goddess. At this Ambika grew angry.
सोऽपि कोपान्महावीर्यः खुरक्षुण्णमहीतलः ।
शृङ्गाभ्यां पर्वतानुच्चैश्चिक्षेप च ननाद च
so'pi kopānmahāvīryaḥ khurakṣuṇṇamahītalaḥ |
śṛṅgābhyāṃ parvatānuccaiścikṣepa ca nanāda ca
He too, mighty in valour and full of rage, pounded the earth with his hooves, tossed mountains high with his horns, and bellowed.
वेगभ्रमणविक्षुण्णा मही तस्य व्यशीर्यत ।
लाङ्गूलेनाहतश्चाब्धिः प्लावयामास सर्वतः
vegabhramaṇavikṣuṇṇā mahī tasya vyaśīryata |
lāṅgūlenāhataścābdhiḥ plāvayāmāsa sarvataḥ
Trampled by his speed and his wheeling, the earth broke apart. Struck by his tail, the ocean overflowed on every side.
धुतशृङ्गविभिन्नाश्च खण्डं खण्डं ययुर्घना ।
श्वासानिलास्ताः शतशो निपेतुर्नभसोऽचलाः
dhutaśṛṅgavibhinnāśca khaṇḍaṃ khaṇḍaṃ yayurghanā |
śvāsānilāstāḥ śataśo nipeturnabhaso'calāḥ
Torn by his tossing horns, the clouds were rent to shreds. Flung by the wind of his breath, mountains fell from the sky in hundreds.
इति क्रोधसमाध्मातमापतान्तं महासुरम् ।
दृष्ट्वा सा चण्डिका कोपं तद्वधाय तदाकरोत्
iti krodhasamādhmātamāpatāntaṃ mahāsuram |
dṛṣṭvā sā caṇḍikā kopaṃ tadvadhāya tadākarot
Seeing the great asura charging at her, swollen with rage, Chandika resolved in her anger to slay him.
सा क्षिप्त्वा तस्य वै पाशं तं बबन्ध महासुरम् ।
तत्याज माहिषं रूपं सोऽपि बद्धो महामृधे
sā kṣiptvā tasya vai pāśaṃ taṃ babandha mahāsuram |
tatyāja māhiṣaṃ rūpaṃ so'pi baddho mahāmṛdhe
She cast her noose over him and bound the great asura. Bound in that great battle, he gave up his buffalo form.
ततः सिंहोऽभवत् सद्यो यावत्तस्याम्बिका शिरः ।
छिनत्ति तावत्पुरुषः खड्गपाणिरदृश्यत
tataḥ siṃho'bhavat sadyo yāvattasyāmbikā śiraḥ |
chinatti tāvatpuruṣaḥ khaḍgapāṇiradṛśyata
At once he became a lion. As Ambika was cutting off its head, he appeared as a man with a sword in his hand.
तत एवाशु पुरुषं देवी चिच्छेद सायकैः ।
तं खड्गचर्मणा सार्धं ततः सोऽभून्महागजः
tata evāśu puruṣaṃ devī ciccheda sāyakaiḥ |
taṃ khaḍgacarmaṇā sārdhaṃ tataḥ so'bhūnmahāgajaḥ
The Devi swiftly cut down that man with her arrows, along with his sword and shield. Then he became a great elephant.
करेण च महासिंहं तं चकर्ष जगर्ज च ।
कर्षतस्तु करं देवी खड्गेन निरकृन्तत
kareṇa ca mahāsiṃhaṃ taṃ cakarṣa jagarja ca |
karṣatastu karaṃ devī khaḍgena nirakṛntata
With his trunk he dragged at the Devi's great lion and trumpeted. As he was dragging, the Devi cut off his trunk with her sword.
ततो महासुरो भूयो माहिषं वपुरास्थितः ।
तथैव क्षोभयामास त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्
tato mahāsuro bhūyo māhiṣaṃ vapurāsthitaḥ |
tathaiva kṣobhayāmāsa trailokyaṃ sacarācaram
Then the great asura took his buffalo body once more and shook the three worlds, with all that moves and all that is still.
ततः क्रुद्धा जगन्माता चण्डिका पानमुत्तमम् ।
पपौ पुनः पुनश्चैव जहासारुणलोचना
tataḥ kruddhā jaganmātā caṇḍikā pānamuttamam |
papau punaḥ punaścaiva jahāsāruṇalocanā
Then Chandika, Mother of the world, grew angry. She drank the supreme drink again and again, and laughed, her eyes turning red.
ननर्द चासुरः सोऽपि बलवीर्यमदोद्धतः ।
विषाणाब्याञ्च चिक्षेप चण्डिकां प्रति भूधरान्
nanarda cāsuraḥ so'pi balavīryamadoddhataḥ |
viṣāṇābyāñca cikṣepa caṇḍikāṃ prati bhūdharān
The asura too roared, drunk with pride in his strength and valour, and hurled mountains at Chandika with his horns.
सा च तान् प्रहितांस्तेन चूर्णयन्ती शरोत्करैः ।
उवाच तं मदोद्धूतमुखरागाकुलाक्षरम्
sā ca tān prahitāṃstena cūrṇayantī śarotkaraiḥ |
uvāca taṃ madoddhūtamukharāgākulākṣaram
Pounding to dust with showers of arrows the mountains he threw, she spoke to him, her words thick with the flush of the drink.
देव्युवाच
गर्ज गर्ज क्षणं मूढ मधु यावत्पिबाम्यहम् ।
मया त्वयि हतेऽत्रैव गर्जिष्यन्त्याशु देवताः
garja garja kṣaṇaṃ mūḍha madhu yāvatpibāmyaham |
mayā tvayi hate'traiva garjiṣyantyāśu devatāḥ
The Devi said: Roar, roar for a moment, fool, while I drink this mead. When I have slain you here, it is the gods who will soon be roaring.
ऋषिरुवाच
एवमुक्त्वा समुत्पत्य सारूढा तं महासुरम् ।
पादेनाक्रम्य कण्ठे च शूलेनैनमताडयत्
evamuktvā samutpatya sārūḍhā taṃ mahāsuram |
pādenākramya kaṇṭhe ca śūlenainamatāḍayat
The Rishi said: Having spoken so, she leapt up and landed upon the great asura, pressed his neck down with her foot, and struck him with her trident.
ततः सोऽपि पदाक्रान्तस्तया निजमुखात्ततः ।
अर्धनिष्क्रान्त एवासीद् देव्या वीर्येण संवृतः
tataḥ so'pi padākrāntastayā nijamukhāttataḥ |
ardhaniṣkrānta evāsīd devyā vīryeṇa saṃvṛtaḥ
Pinned beneath her foot, he came half way out of his own mouth in his true form, and was held there, overpowered by the Devi's might.
अर्धनिष्क्रान्त एवासौ युध्यमानो महासुरः ।
तया महासिना देव्या शिरश्छित्त्वा निपातितः
ardhaniṣkrānta evāsau yudhyamāno mahāsuraḥ |
tayā mahāsinā devyā śiraśchittvā nipātitaḥ
Half emerged and still fighting, the great asura was struck down by the Devi, who cut off his head with her great sword.
एवं स महिषो नाम ससैन्यः ससुहृद्गणः ।
त्रैलोक्यं मोहयित्वा तु तया देव्या विनाशितः
evaṃ sa mahiṣo nāma sasainyaḥ sasuhṛdgaṇaḥ |
trailokyaṃ mohayitvā tu tayā devyā vināśitaḥ
So the one named Mahisha, who had bewildered the three worlds, was destroyed by the Devi along with his army and all his allies.
त्रैलोक्यस्थैस्तदा भूतैर्महिषे विनिपातिते ।
जयेत्युक्तं ततः सर्वैः सदेवासुरमानवैः
trailokyasthaistadā bhūtairmahiṣe vinipātite |
jayetyuktaṃ tataḥ sarvaiḥ sadevāsuramānavaiḥ
When Mahisha fell, all beings in the three worlds, gods, asuras and men, cried out 'Victory!'
ततो हाहाकृतं सर्वं दैत्यसैन्यं ननाश तत् ।
प्रहर्षञ्च परं जग्मुः सकला देवतागणाः
tato hāhākṛtaṃ sarvaṃ daityasainyaṃ nanāśa tat |
praharṣañca paraṃ jagmuḥ sakalā devatāgaṇāḥ
Then the whole Daitya army, crying out in dismay, perished, and all the hosts of the gods were filled with the highest joy.
तुष्टुवुस्तां सुरा देवीं सह दिव्यैर्महर्षिभिः ।
जगुर्गन्धर्वपतयो ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः
tuṣṭuvustāṃ surā devīṃ saha divyairmaharṣibhiḥ |
jagurgandharvapatayo nanṛtuścāpsarogaṇāḥ
The gods, with the heavenly maharshis, sang the Devi's praises. The lords of the Gandharvas sang and the Apsaras danced.
Text source: Wikisource · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikisource transcription of a public-domain text)
