महिषासुरवध
Mahiṣāsura Vadha
The Slaying of Mahishasura · 41 verses
▶ Listen to recitationChapter Summary
In the climax of the Madhyama Charita the Goddess slays the buffalo-demon himself. After cutting down his generals — Chikshura, Chamara, Udagra, Karala, Uddhata, Bashkala, Tamra, Andhaka and the rest — she confronts Mahishasura, who terrorises her hosts in his buffalo form. He shifts shape from buffalo to lion to man to elephant and back; the Devi, drinking the divine wine and laughing with reddened eyes, taunts him — 'Roar while you may, O fool, till I have drunk this wine; the gods will soon roar when I slay you.' Springing upon him, she pins his neck with her foot, pierces him with her trident, and beheads him with her great sword. The demon armies perish and the gods rejoice, while sages, Gandharvas and Apsaras sing and dance in praise.
✦ Dhyāna — Opening Meditation
ॐ उद्यद्भानुसहस्रकान्तिमरुणक्षौमां शिरोमालिकां रक्तालिप्तपयोधरां जपवटीं विद्यामभीतिं वरम् । हस्ताब्जैर्दधतीं त्रिनेत्रविलसद्वक्त्रारविन्दश्रियं देवीं बद्धहिमांशुरत्नमुकुटां वन्देऽरविन्दस्थिताम् ॥
oṃ udyadbhānusahasrakāntimaruṇakṣaumāṃ śiromālikāṃ raktāliptapayodharāṃ japavaṭīṃ vidyāmabhītiṃ varam hastābjairdadhatīṃ trinetravilasadvaktrāravindaśriyaṃ devīṃ baddhahimāṃśuratnamukuṭāṃ vande'ravindasthitām
I bow to the Goddess seated on a lotus, radiant as a thousand rising suns, clad in red silk, wearing a garland of heads and with her breast anointed red, holding in her lotus-hands a rosary, the book of knowledge, and the gestures of fearlessness and of boon-giving; whose three-eyed lotus-face shines with beauty and who wears a jewelled crown set with the crescent moon.
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ॐ ऋषिरुवाच निहन्यमानं तत्सैन्यमवलोक्य महासुरः । सेनानीश्चिक्षुरः कोपाद्ययौ योद्धुमथाम्बिकाम् ॥
oṃ ṛṣiruvāca nihanyamānaṃ tatsainyamavalokya mahāsuraḥ senānīścikṣuraḥ kopādyayau yoddhumathāmbikām
Meaning(Om. The Rishi said:) Seeing that army being slaughtered, the great asura Chikshura, the general, advanced in fury to fight Ambika.
स देवीं शरवर्षेण ववर्ष समरेऽसुरः । यथा मेरुगिरेः शृङ्गं तोयवर्षेण तोयदः ॥
sa devīṃ śaravarṣeṇa vavarṣa samare'suraḥ yathā merugireḥ śaṛṅgaṃ toyavarṣeṇa toyadaḥ
MeaningThat asura rained showers of arrows upon the Devi in battle, as a cloud (pours) showers of water on the peak of Mount Meru.
तस्य छित्वा ततो देवी लीलयैव शरोत्करान् । जघान तुरगान्बाणैर्यन्तारं चैव वाजिनाम् ॥
tasya chitvā tato devī līlayaiva śarotkarān jaghāna turagānbāṇairyantāraṃ caiva vājinām
MeaningThen the Devi, cleaving his masses of arrows as if in mere play, slew his horses with her arrows, and their charioteer as well.
चिच्छेद च धनुः सद्यो ध्वजं चातिसमुच्छृतम् । विव्याध चैव गात्रेषु छिन्नधन्वानमाशुगैः ॥
ciccheda ca dhanuḥ sadyo dhvajaṃ cātisamucchṛtam vivyādha caiva gātreṣu chinnadhanvānamāśugaiḥ
MeaningShe at once split his bow and his lofty banner, and pierced in the limbs with her swift arrows him whose bow was cut.
सच्छिन्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वो हतसारथिः । अभ्यधावत तां देवीं खड्गचर्मधरोऽसुरः ॥
sacchinnadhanvā viratho hatāśvo hatasārathiḥ abhyadhāvata tāṃ devīṃ khaḍgacarmadharo'suraḥ
MeaningHis bow shattered, his chariot gone, his horses slain and his charioteer killed, the asura, bearing sword and shield, rushed at the Devi.
सिंहमाहत्य खड्गेन तीक्ष्णधारेण मूर्धनि । आजघान भुजे सव्ये देवीमप्यतिवेगवान् ॥
siṃhamāhatya khaḍgena tīkṣṇadhāreṇa mūrdhani ājaghāna bhuje savye devīmapyativegavān
MeaningStriking the lion on the head with his sharp-edged sword, the swift one 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
MeaningHis sword, O delight of the king, on reaching her arm broke to pieces. Thereupon, his eyes red with anger, he seized his pike (shula).
चिक्षेप च ततस्तत्तु भद्रकाल्यां महासुरः । जाज्वल्यमानं तेजोभी रविबिम्बमिवाम्बरात् ॥
cikṣepa ca tatastattu bhadrakālyāṃ mahāsuraḥ jājvalyamānaṃ tejobhī ravibimbamivāmbarāt
MeaningThen the great asura hurled it at Bhadrakali — that pike blazing with radiance, like the orb of the sun (falling) from the sky.
दृष्ट्वा तदापतच्छूलं देवी शूलममुञ्चत । तेन तच्छतधा नीतं शूलं स च महासुरः ॥
dṛṣṭvā tadāpatacchūlaṃ devī śūlamamuñcata tena tacchatadhā nītaṃ śūlaṃ sa ca mahāsuraḥ
MeaningSeeing that pike falling, the Devi let fly her own pike; by it that pike was shattered into a hundred fragments, and that great asura too.
हते तस्मिन्महावीर्ये महिषस्य चमूपतौ । आजगाम गजारूढश्चामरस्त्रिदशार्दनः ॥
hate tasminmahāvīrye mahiṣasya camūpatau ājagāma gajārūḍhaścāmarastridaśārdanaḥ
MeaningWhen that most valiant general of Mahisha was slain, Chamara, the tormentor of the gods, came mounted on an elephant.
सोऽपि शक्तिं मुमोचाथ देव्यास्तामम्बिका द्रुतम् । हुङ्काराभिहतां भूमौ पातयामास निष्प्रभाम् ॥
so'pi śaktiṃ mumocātha devyāstāmambikā drutam huṅkārābhihatāṃ bhūmau pātayāmāsa niṣprabhām
MeaningHe too hurled his spear (shakti) at the Devi; but Ambika quickly, with a mere 'hum' (hunkara), struck it down to the ground, robbed of its splendour.
भग्नां शक्तिं निपतितां दृष्ट्वा क्रोधसमन्वितः । चिक्षेप चामरः शूलं बाणैस्तदपि साच्छिनत् ॥
bhagnāṃ śaktiṃ nipatitāṃ dṛṣṭvā krodhasamanvitaḥ cikṣepa cāmaraḥ śūlaṃ bāṇaistadapi sācchinat
MeaningSeeing his spear broken and fallen, Chamara, filled with rage, flung a pike; but she split that too with her arrows.
ततः सिंहः समुत्पत्य गजकुम्भान्तरे स्थितः । बाहुयुद्धेन युयुधे तेनोच्चैस्त्रिदशारिणा ॥
tataḥ siṃhaḥ samutpatya gajakumbhāntare sthitaḥ bāhuyuddhena yuyudhe tenoccaistridaśāriṇā
MeaningThen the lion, leaping up, settled in the hollow of the elephant's temples and fought arm-to-arm, high aloft, with that foe of the gods.
युध्यमानौ ततस्तौ तु तस्मान्नागान्महीं गतौ । युयुधातेऽतिसंरब्धौ प्रहारैरतिदारुणैः ॥
yudhyamānau tatastau tu tasmānnāgānmahīṃ gatau yuyudhāte'tisaṃrabdhau prahārairatidāruṇaiḥ
MeaningFighting, the two then came down from the elephant to the earth, and battled, greatly enraged, with most terrible blows.
ततो वेगात् खमुत्पत्य निपत्य च मृगारिणा । करप्रहारेण शिरश्चामरस्य पृथक् कृतम् ॥
tato vegāt khamutpatya nipatya ca mṛgāriṇā karaprahāreṇa śiraścāmarasya pṛthak kṛtam
MeaningThen, springing swiftly into the sky and dropping down, the lion (foe of beasts) severed Chamara's head with a blow of its paw.
उदग्रश्च रणे देव्या शिलावृक्षादिभिर्हतः । दन्तमुष्टितलैश्चैव करालश्च निपातितः ॥
udagraśca raṇe devyā śilāvṛkṣādibhirhataḥ dantamuṣṭitalaiścaiva karālaśca nipātitaḥ
MeaningAnd Udagra was slain in battle by the Devi with rocks, trees and the like; and Karala too was felled by her teeth, fists and palms.
देवी क्रुद्धा गदापातैश्चूर्णयामास चोद्धतम् । बाष्कलं भिन्दिपालेन बाणैस्ताम्रं तथान्धकम् ॥
devī kruddhā gadāpātaiścūrṇayāmāsa coddhatam bāṣkalaṃ bhindipālena bāṇaistāmraṃ tathāndhakam
MeaningThe Devi, enraged, ground the demon Uddhata to powder with blows of her mace, (slew) Bashkala with a javelin (bhindipala), and Tamra and Andhaka with arrows.
उग्रास्यमुग्रवीर्यं च तथैव च महाहनुम् । त्रिनेत्रा च त्रिशूलेन जघान परमेश्वरी ॥
ugrāsyamugravīryaṃ ca tathaiva ca mahāhanum trinetrā ca triśūlena jaghāna parameśvarī
MeaningThe three-eyed Supreme Goddess (Parameshwari) slew with her trident Ugrasya, Ugravirya, and Mahahanu likewise.
बिडालस्यासिना कायात् पातयामास वै शिरः । दुर्धरं दुर्मुखं चोभौ शरैर्निन्ये यमक्षयम् ॥
biḍālasyāsinā kāyāt pātayāmāsa vai śiraḥ durdharaṃ durmukhaṃ cobhau śarairninye yamakṣayam
MeaningWith her sword she struck Bidala's head from his body; and both Durdhara and Durmukha she sent with her arrows to the abode of Yama (death).
एवं सङ्क्षीयमाणे तु स्वसैन्ये महिषासुरः । माहिषेण स्वरूपेण त्रासयामास तान् गणान् ॥
evaṃ saṅkṣīyamāṇe tu svasainye mahiṣāsuraḥ māhiṣeṇa svarūpeṇa trāsayāmāsa tān gaṇān
MeaningWhile his army was thus being destroyed, Mahishasura terrified her hosts (ganas) with his buffalo form,
कांश्चित्तुण्डप्रहारेण खुरक्षेपैस्तथापरान् । लाङ्गूलताडितांश्चान्यान् शृङ्गाभ्यां च विदारितान् ॥
kāṃścittuṇḍaprahāreṇa khurakṣepaistathāparān lāṅgūlatāḍitāṃścānyān śaṛṅgābhyāṃ ca vidāritān
Meaningstriking some with a blow of his muzzle, others with a fling of his hooves, others lashed by his tail, and others gored by his two horns;
वेगेन कांश्चिदपरान्नादेन भ्रमणेन च । निःश्वासपवनेनान्यान्पातयामास भूतले ॥
vegena kāṃścidaparānnādena bhramaṇena ca niḥśvāsapavanenānyānpātayāmāsa bhūtale
Meaningand some others by his speed, by his bellow and his wheeling about, and others by the blast of his breath, he laid low upon the ground.
निपात्य प्रमथानीकमभ्यधावत सोऽसुरः । सिंहं हन्तुं महादेव्याः कोपं चक्रे ततोऽम्बिका ॥
nipātya pramathānīkamabhyadhāvata so'suraḥ siṃhaṃ hantuṃ mahādevyāḥ kopaṃ cakre tato'mbikā
MeaningHaving laid low the host of the Pramathas (the Devi's attendants), the asura rushed on to slay the Mahadevi's lion; at this Ambika grew wrathful.
सोऽपि कोपान्महावीर्यः खुरक्षुण्णमहीतलः । शृङ्गाभ्यां पर्वतानुच्चांश्चिक्षेप च ननाद च ॥
so'pi kopānmahāvīryaḥ khurakṣuṇṇamahītalaḥ śaṛṅgābhyāṃ parvatānuccāṃścikṣepa ca nanāda ca
MeaningHe too, of great might, in his fury, pounding the earth's surface with his hooves, hurled high mountains with his horns, and bellowed.
वेगभ्रमणविक्षुण्णा मही तस्य व्यशीर्यत । लाङ्गूलेनाहतश्चाब्धिः प्लावयामास सर्वतः ॥
vegabhramaṇavikṣuṇṇā mahī tasya vyaśīryata lāṅgūlenāhataścābdhiḥ plāvayāmāsa sarvataḥ
MeaningCrushed by the speed of his wheeling, the earth crumbled apart; and the ocean, lashed by his tail, overflowed on every side.
धुतशृङ्गविभिन्नाश्च खण्डं खण्डं ययुर्घनाः । श्वासानिलास्ताः शतशो निपेतुर्नभसोऽचलाः ॥
dhutaśaṛṅgavibhinnāśca khaṇḍaṃ khaṇḍaṃ yayurghanāḥ śvāsānilāstāḥ śataśo nipeturnabhaso'calāḥ
MeaningThe clouds, torn by his tossing horns, broke into pieces; and mountains by the hundred fell from the sky, (shattered) by the gale of his breath.
इति क्रोधसमाध्मातमापतन्तं महासुरम् । दृष्ट्वा सा चण्डिका कोपं तद्वधाय तदाकरोत् ॥
iti krodhasamādhmātamāpatantaṃ mahāsuram dṛṣṭvā sā caṇḍikā kopaṃ tadvadhāya tadākarot
MeaningSeeing the great asura thus swollen with wrath and rushing on, Chandika kindled her anger for his slaying.
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
MeaningShe flung her noose over him and bound the great asura; bound in the great battle, he forsook his buffalo form.
ततः सिंहोऽभवत्सद्यो यावत्तस्याम्बिका शिरः । छिनत्ति तावत् पुरुषः खड्गपाणिरदृश्यत ॥
tataḥ siṃho'bhavatsadyo yāvattasyāmbikā śiraḥ chinatti tāvat puruṣaḥ khaḍgapāṇiradṛśyata
MeaningThen at once he became a lion; and just as Ambika moved to cut off its head, he appeared as a man, sword in hand.
तत एवाशु पुरुषं देवी चिच्छेद सायकैः । तं खड्गचर्मणा सार्धं ततः सोऽभून्महागजः ॥
tata evāśu puruṣaṃ devī ciccheda sāyakaiḥ taṃ khaḍgacarmaṇā sārdhaṃ tataḥ so'bhūnmahāgajaḥ
MeaningAt once the Devi pierced the man, together with his sword and shield, with her arrows; 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
MeaningWith his trunk he dragged at her great lion and roared; but as he dragged, 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
MeaningThen the great asura once more assumed his buffalo form and, as before, convulsed the three worlds with all that moves and is unmoving.
ततः क्रुद्धा जगन्माता चण्डिका पानमुत्तमम् । पपौ पुनः पुनश्चैव जहासारुणलोचना ॥
tataḥ kruddhā jaganmātā caṇḍikā pānamuttamam papau punaḥ punaścaiva jahāsāruṇalocanā
MeaningAt this the Mother of the world, Chandika, enraged, drank again and again the choice drink (madhu), and laughed, her eyes turning red.
ननर्द चासुरः सोऽपि बलवीर्यमदोद्धतः । विषाणाभ्यां च चिक्षेप चण्डिकां प्रति भूधरान् ॥
nanarda cāsuraḥ so'pi balavīryamadoddhataḥ viṣāṇābhyāṃ ca cikṣepa caṇḍikāṃ prati bhūdharān
MeaningAnd the asura too roared, puffed up with the pride of his strength and valour, and hurled mountains at Chandika with his horns.
सा च तान्प्रहितांस्तेन चूर्णयन्ती शरोत्करैः । उवाच तं मदोद्धूतमुखरागाकुलाक्षरम् ॥
sā ca tānprahitāṃstena cūrṇayantī śarotkaraiḥ uvāca taṃ madoddhūtamukharāgākulākṣaram
MeaningAnd she, pulverizing with showers of arrows those (mountains) hurled by him, spoke to him, her words faltering, her face flushed with the intoxication (of battle):
देव्युवाच गर्ज गर्ज क्षणं मूढ मधु यावत्पिबाम्यहम् । मया त्वयि हतेऽत्रैव गर्जिष्यन्त्याशु देवताः ॥
devyuvāca garja garja kṣaṇaṃ mūḍha madhu yāvatpibāmyaham mayā tvayi hate'traiva garjiṣyantyāśu devatāḥ
Meaning(The Devi said:) 'Roar, roar your fill for a moment, O fool, while I drink this wine (madhu). When you are slain by me here, the gods themselves shall soon roar (in triumph).'
ऋषिरुवाच एवमुक्त्वा समुत्पत्य सारूढा तं महासुरम् । पादेनाक्रम्य कण्ठे च शूलेनैनमताडयत् ॥
ṛṣiruvāca evamuktvā samutpatya sārūḍhā taṃ mahāsuram pādenākramya kaṇṭhe ca śūlenainamatāḍayat
Meaning(The Rishi said:) Having said this, she sprang up and, mounting upon that great asura, pressed his neck with her foot and struck him with her trident.
ततः सोऽपि पदाक्रान्तस्तया निजमुखात्तदा । अर्धनिष्क्रान्त एवासीद्देव्या वीर्येण संवृतः ॥
tataḥ so'pi padākrāntastayā nijamukhāttadā ardhaniṣkrānta evāsīddevyā vīryeṇa saṃvṛtaḥ
MeaningThen, pressed down by her foot, he came forth half-out from his own (buffalo) mouth, wholly overpowered by the Devi's valour.
अर्धनिष्क्रान्त एवासौ युध्यमानो महासुरः । तया महासिना देव्या शिरश्छित्त्वा निपातितः ॥
ardhaniṣkrānta evāsau yudhyamāno mahāsuraḥ tayā mahāsinā devyā śiraśchittvā nipātitaḥ
MeaningFighting thus, only half-emerged, that great asura was felled by the Devi, who cut off his head with her great sword.
ततो हाहाकृतं सर्वं दैत्यसैन्यं ननाश तत् । प्रहर्षं च परं जग्मुः सकला देवतागणाः ॥
tato hāhākṛtaṃ sarvaṃ daityasainyaṃ nanāśa tat praharṣaṃ ca paraṃ jagmuḥ sakalā devatāgaṇāḥ
MeaningThen, with a cry of 'Alas!', the whole army of the daityas perished; and all the hosts of the gods attained the highest joy.
तुष्टुवुस्तां सुरा देवीं सहदिव्यैर्महर्षिभिः । जगुर्गन्धर्वपतयो ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः ॥
tuṣṭuvustāṃ surā devīṃ sahadivyairmaharṣibhiḥ jagurgandharvapatayo nanṛtuścāpsarogaṇāḥ
MeaningThe gods, together with the divine great sages, extolled the Devi; the lords of the Gandharvas sang, and the bands of Apsaras danced.