शुम्भवध
Śumbha Vadha
The Slaying of Shumbha · 28 verses
▶ Listen to recitationChapter Summary
Grieving for his slain brother, Shumbha taunts the Goddess for fighting with the help of others. In reply she utters the great non-dual declaration — 'I alone am here in the world; who else is there besides me?' — and bids him watch as Brahmani and all the shaktis withdraw back into her body, leaving Ambika alone. The two then join in a tremendous single combat before all the gods and asuras: she shears away his missiles, bow, spear, sword, shield, horses and chariot; he seizes her and they wrestle even in the sky, astonishing the sages, until she whirls him down to earth and pierces his chest with her pike. As the last great demon falls lifeless, the world grows serene — clouds and meteors subside, rivers resume their courses, the gods rejoice, gandharvas sing, apsaras dance, holy fires blaze calm and auspicious winds blow.
✦ Dhyāna — Opening Meditation
ॐ उत्तप्तहेमरुचिरां रविचन्द्रवह्नि- नेत्रां धनुश्शरयुताङ्कुशपाशशूलम् । रम्यैर्भुजैश्च दधतीं शिवशक्तिरूपां कामेश्वरीं हृदि भजामि धृतेन्दुलेखाम् ॥
oṃ uttaptahemarucirāṃ ravicandravahni- netrāṃ dhanuśśarayutāṅkuśapāśaśūlam ramyairbhujaiśca dadhatīṃ śivaśaktirūpāṃ kāmeśvarīṃ hṛdi bhajāmi dhṛtendulekhām
In my heart I worship Kameshwari, lovely as molten gold, whose three eyes are the sun, the moon and fire, bearing in her beautiful arms the bow with arrow, the goad, the noose and the trident — the very form of Shiva-Shakti, who wears the streak of the moon.
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ॐ ऋषिरुवाच निशुम्भं निहतं दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरं प्राणसम्मितम् । हन्यमानं बलं चैव शुम्भः क्रुद्धोऽब्रवीद्वचः ॥
oṃ ṛṣiruvāca niśumbhaṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā bhrātaraṃ prāṇasammitam hanyamānaṃ balaṃ caiva śumbhaḥ kruddho'bravīdvacaḥ
Meaning(Om. The Rishi said:) Seeing his brother Nishumbha, dear to him as his own life, slain, and his army being destroyed, Shumbha, enraged, spoke these words:
बलावलेपदुष्टे त्वं मा दुर्गे गर्वमावह । अन्यासां बलमाश्रित्य युद्ध्यसे चातिमानिनी ॥
balāvalepaduṣṭe tvaṃ mā durge garvamāvaha anyāsāṃ balamāśritya yuddhyase cātimāninī
Meaning'O Durga, made wicked by the pride of strength, do not show arrogance! You fight, exceedingly haughty, relying on the strength of others.'
देव्युवाच एकैवाहं जगत्यत्र द्वितीया का ममापरा । पश्यैता दुष्ट मय्येव विशन्त्यो मद्विभूतयः ॥
devyuvāca ekaivāhaṃ jagatyatra dvitīyā kā mamāparā paśyaitā duṣṭa mayyeva viśantyo madvibhūtayaḥ
Meaning(The Devi said:) 'I am alone in the world here; who else is there besides me? Behold, O wicked one, these My divine manifestations (vibhutis) entering back into Me!'
ततः समस्तास्ता देव्यो ब्रह्माणीप्रमुखा लयम् । तस्या देव्यास्तनौ जग्मुरेकैवासीत्तदाम्बिका ॥
tataḥ samastāstā devyo brahmāṇīpramukhā layam tasyā devyāstanau jagmurekaivāsīttadāmbikā
MeaningThen all those goddesses, Brahmani and the rest, were absorbed into the body of that Devi; Ambika alone then remained.
देव्युवाच अहं विभूत्या बहुभिरिह रूपैर्यदास्थिता । तत्संहृतं मयैकैव तिष्ठाम्याजौ स्थिरो भव ॥
devyuvāca ahaṃ vibhūtyā bahubhiriha rūpairyadāsthitā tatsaṃhṛtaṃ mayaikaiva tiṣṭhāmyājau sthiro bhava
Meaning(The Devi said:) 'The many forms in which I stood here by My power — these I have withdrawn, and I stand alone. Be firm (in the battle)!'
ऋषिरुवाच ततः प्रववृते युद्धं देव्याः शुम्भस्य चोभयोः । पश्यतां सर्वदेवानामसुराणां च दारुणम् ॥
ṛṣiruvāca tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ devyāḥ śumbhasya cobhayoḥ paśyatāṃ sarvadevānāmasurāṇāṃ ca dāruṇam
Meaning(The Rishi said:) Then began a terrible battle between the two — the Devi and Shumbha — while all the gods and asuras looked on.
शरवर्षैः शितैः शस्त्रैस्तथा चास्त्रैः सुदारुणैः । तयोर्युद्धमभूद्भूयः सर्वलोकभयङ्करम् ॥
śaravarṣaiḥ śitaiḥ śastraistathā cāstraiḥ sudāruṇaiḥ tayoryuddhamabhūdbhūyaḥ sarvalokabhayaṅkaram
MeaningWith showers of arrows, sharp weapons and most dreadful missiles, their battle once more became terrifying to all the worlds.
दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि शतशो मुमुचे यान्यथाम्बिका । बभञ्ज तानि दैत्येन्द्रस्तत्प्रतीघातकर्तृभिः ॥
divyānyastrāṇi śataśo mumuce yānyathāmbikā babhañja tāni daityendrastatpratīghātakartṛbhiḥ
MeaningThe divine missiles (astras) that Ambika then discharged by the hundred, the lord of the daityas broke with his counter-missiles.
मुक्तानि तेन चास्त्राणि दिव्यानि परमेश्वरी । बभञ्ज लीलयैवोग्रहुङ्कारोच्चारणादिभिः ॥
muktāni tena cāstrāṇi divyāni parameśvarī babhañja līlayaivograhuṅkāroccāraṇādibhiḥ
MeaningAnd the divine missiles loosed by him, the Supreme Goddess broke as if in play, by the mere utterance of the fierce 'hum' and the like.
ततः शरशतैर्देवीमाच्छादयत सोऽसुरः । सापि तत्कुपिता देवी धनुश्चिच्छेद चेषुभिः ॥
tataḥ śaraśatairdevīmācchādayata so'suraḥ sāpi tatkupitā devī dhanuściccheda ceṣubhiḥ
MeaningThen that asura covered the Devi with hundreds of arrows; and she, enraged thereat, cut his bow with her arrows.
छिन्ने धनुषि दैत्येन्द्रस्तथा शक्तिमथाददे । चिच्छेद देवी चक्रेण तामप्यस्य करे स्थिताम् ॥
chinne dhanuṣi daityendrastathā śaktimathādade ciccheda devī cakreṇa tāmapyasya kare sthitām
MeaningHis bow cut, the lord of the daityas took up a spear (shakti); but the Devi cut that too, as it stood in his hand, with her discus.
ततः खड्गमुपादाय शतचन्द्रं च भानुमत् । अभ्यधा वत तां देवीं दैत्यानामधिपेश्वरः ॥
tataḥ khaḍgamupādāya śatacandraṃ ca bhānumat abhyadhā vata tāṃ devīṃ daityānāmadhipeśvaraḥ
MeaningThen the supreme lord of the daityas, taking up a sword and a shining shield bright with a hundred moons, rushed at the Devi.
तस्यापतत एवाशु खड्गं चिच्छेद चण्डिका । धनुर्मुक्तैः शितैर्बाणैश्चर्म चार्ककरामलम् । अश्वांश्च पातयामास रथं सारथिना सह ॥
tasyāpatata evāśu khaḍgaṃ ciccheda caṇḍikā dhanurmuktaiḥ śitairbāṇaiścarma cārkakarāmalam aśvāṃśca pātayāmāsa rathaṃ sārathinā saha
MeaningAs he rushed on, Chandika quickly cut his sword, and his shield bright as the sun's rays, with sharp arrows from her bow; and she brought down his horses and his chariot with the charioteer.
हताश्वः स तदा दैत्यश्छिन्नधन्वा विसारथिः । जग्राह मुद्गरं घोरमम्बिकानिधनोद्यतः ॥
hatāśvaḥ sa tadā daityaśchinnadhanvā visārathiḥ jagrāha mudgaraṃ ghoramambikānidhanodyataḥ
MeaningHis horses slain, his bow cut, his charioteer gone, the daitya then seized a terrible mallet (mudgara), bent on slaying Ambika.
चिच्छेदापततस्तस्य मुद्गरं निशितैः शरैः । तथापि सोऽभ्यधावत्तां मुष्टिमुद्यम्य वेगवान् ॥
cicchedāpatatastasya mudgaraṃ niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ tathāpi so'bhyadhāvattāṃ muṣṭimudyamya vegavān
MeaningShe cut the mudgara of him as he attacked, with her sharp arrows; yet, swift, he rushed at her, raising his fist.
स मुष्टिं पातयामास हृदये दैत्यपुङ्गवः । देव्यास्तं चापि सा देवी तलेनोरस्यताडयत् ॥
sa muṣṭiṃ pātayāmāsa hṛdaye daityapuṅgavaḥ devyāstaṃ cāpi sā devī talenorasyatāḍayat
MeaningThe bull among daityas brought his fist down upon the Devi's heart; and the Devi too struck him on the chest with her palm.
तलप्रहाराभिहतो निपपात महीतले । स दैत्यराजः सहसा पुनरेव तथोत्थितः ॥
talaprahārābhihato nipapāta mahītale sa daityarājaḥ sahasā punareva tathotthitaḥ
MeaningStruck by the blow of her palm, the daitya-king fell to the ground; but at once he rose up again.
उत्पत्य च प्रगृह्योच्चैर्देवीं गगनमास्थितः । तत्रापि सा निराधारा युयुधे तेन चण्डिका ॥
utpatya ca pragṛhyoccairdevīṃ gaganamāsthitaḥ tatrāpi sā nirādhārā yuyudhe tena caṇḍikā
MeaningAnd springing up, seizing the Devi, he rose high into the sky; and there too, supportless, Chandika fought with him.
नियुद्धं खे तदा दैत्यश्चण्डिका च परस्परम् । चक्रतुः प्रथमं सिद्धमुनिविस्मयकारकम् ॥
niyuddhaṃ khe tadā daityaścaṇḍikā ca parasparam cakratuḥ prathamaṃ siddhamunivismayakārakam
MeaningThen the daitya and Chandika fought in the sky hand-to-hand (wrestling), as never before — astonishing the siddhas and sages.
ततो नियुद्धं सुचिरं कृत्वा तेनाम्बिका सह । उत्पाट्य भ्रामयामास चिक्षेप धरणीतले ॥
tato niyuddhaṃ suciraṃ kṛtvā tenāmbikā saha utpāṭya bhrāmayāmāsa cikṣepa dharaṇītale
MeaningThen, having fought with him hand-to-hand for a long while, Ambika lifted him up, whirled him round, and flung him down upon the earth.
स क्षिप्तो धरणीं प्राप्य मुष्टिमुद्यम्य वेगवान् । अभ्यधावत दुष्टात्मा चण्डिकानिधनेच्छया ॥
sa kṣipto dharaṇīṃ prāpya muṣṭimudyamya vegavān abhyadhāvata duṣṭātmā caṇḍikānidhanecchayā
MeaningFlung down, on reaching the earth the evil-souled one swiftly raised his fist and rushed again, wishing to slay Chandika.
तमायान्तं ततो देवी सर्वदैत्यजनेश्वरम् । जगत्यां पातयामास भित्त्वा शूलेन वक्षसि ॥
tamāyāntaṃ tato devī sarvadaityajaneśvaram jagatyāṃ pātayāmāsa bhittvā śūlena vakṣasi
MeaningThen the Devi, as that lord of all the daitya folk came on, pierced him in the chest with her pike and threw him down upon the ground.
स गतासुः पपातोर्व्यां देवी शूलाग्रविक्षतः । चालयन् सकलां पृथ्वीं साब्धिद्वीपां सपर्वताम् ॥
sa gatāsuḥ papātorvyāṃ devī śūlāgravikṣataḥ cālayan sakalāṃ pṛthvīṃ sābdhidvīpāṃ saparvatām
MeaningGashed by the point of the Devi's pike, he fell lifeless to the earth, shaking the whole earth with its oceans, islands and mountains.
ततः प्रसन्नमखिलं हते तस्मिन् दुरात्मनि । जगत्स्वास्थ्यमतीवाप निर्मलं चाभवन्नभः ॥
tataḥ prasannamakhilaṃ hate tasmin durātmani jagatsvāsthyamatīvāpa nirmalaṃ cābhavannabhaḥ
MeaningThen, when that evil-souled one was slain, the whole world became serene; it attained perfect well-being, and the sky grew clear.
उत्पातमेघाः सोल्का ये प्रागासंस्ते शमं ययुः । सरितो मार्गवाहिन्यस्तथासंस्तत्र पातिते ॥
utpātameghāḥ solkā ye prāgāsaṃste śamaṃ yayuḥ sarito mārgavāhinyastathāsaṃstatra pātite
MeaningThe portentous clouds with their meteors that had appeared before now subsided; and the rivers flowed in their proper courses, when he was felled.
ततो देवगणाः सर्वे हर्षनिर्भरमानसाः । बभूवुर्निहते तस्मिन् गन्धर्वा ललितं जगुः ॥
tato devagaṇāḥ sarve harṣanirbharamānasāḥ babhūvurnihate tasmin gandharvā lalitaṃ jaguḥ
MeaningThen all the hosts of gods became filled with joy at his slaying; the gandharvas sang sweetly.
अवादयंस्तथैवान्ये ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः । ववुः पुण्यास्तथा वाताः सुप्रभोऽभूद्दिवाकरः ॥
avādayaṃstathaivānye nanṛtuścāpsarogaṇāḥ vavuḥ puṇyāstathā vātāḥ suprabho'bhūddivākaraḥ
MeaningOthers played instruments, and the bands of apsaras danced; auspicious winds blew, and the sun became radiant;
जज्वलुश्चाग्नयः शान्ताः शान्ता दिग्जनितस्वनाः ॥
jajvaluścāgnayaḥ śāntāḥ śāntā digjanitasvanāḥ
Meaningthe sacred fires blazed up peacefully, and the ominous sounds that had arisen in the quarters grew calm.