निशुम्भवध
Niśumbha Vadha
The Slaying of Nishumbha · 39 verses
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King Suratha asks what Shumbha and Nishumbha did after Raktabija's fall, and the sage describes the slaying of Nishumbha. Enraged, Nishumbha charges with the chief asura army, and Shumbha follows; a furious arrow-battle rages. The Devi shears away Nishumbha's sword and eight-mooned shield, splits his spear with her discus, pulverises his pike with her fist, burns his mace to ashes with her trident, and at last pierces his heart with her hurled pike. From his cloven heart another mighty being leaps out crying 'Stop!' — but the Goddess, laughing, strikes off its head, and Nishumbha falls. The lion, Kali, Shivaduti and the Seven Mothers then make an end of the demon host.
✦ Dhyāna — Opening Meditation
ॐ बालार्कमण्डलाभासां चतुर्बाहुं त्रिलोचनाम् । पाशाङ्कुशवराभीतिर्धारयन्तीं शिवां भजे ॥
oṃ bālārkamaṇḍalābhāsāṃ caturbāhuṃ trilocanām pāśāṅkuśavarābhītirdhārayantīṃ śivāṃ bhaje
I worship the auspicious Devi (Shiva), radiant as the orb of the rising sun, four-armed and three-eyed, who holds the noose and the goad and shows the gestures of boon-giving (vara) and fearlessness (abhaya).
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ॐ राजोवाच विचित्रमिदमाख्यातं भगवन् भवता मम । देव्याश्चरितमाहात्म्यं रक्तबीजवधाश्रितम् ॥
oṃ rājovāca vicitramidamākhyātaṃ bhagavan bhavatā mama devyāścaritamāhātmyaṃ raktabījavadhāśritam
Meaning(Om. The King said:) 'Wonderful is this that you have related to me, O revered one — the glory of the Devi's exploits in the slaying of Raktabija.
भूयश्चेच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं रक्तबीजे निपातिते । चकार शुम्भो यत्कर्म निशुम्भश्चातिकोपनः ॥
bhūyaścecchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ raktabīje nipātite cakāra śumbho yatkarma niśumbhaścātikopanaḥ
MeaningAnd I wish to hear further what Shumbha, and the most wrathful Nishumbha, did when Raktabija was felled.'
ऋषिरुवाच चकार कोपमतुलं रक्तबीजे निपातिते । शुम्भासुरो निशुम्भश्च हतेष्वन्येषु चाहवे ॥
ṛṣiruvāca cakāra kopamatulaṃ raktabīje nipātite śumbhāsuro niśumbhaśca hateṣvanyeṣu cāhave
Meaning(The Rishi said:) When Raktabija was felled and the others slain in battle, the asuras Shumbha and Nishumbha gave way to measureless wrath.
हन्यमानं महासैन्यं विलोक्यामर्षमुद्वहन् । अभ्यधावन्निशुम्भोऽथ मुख्ययासुरसेनया ॥
hanyamānaṃ mahāsainyaṃ vilokyāmarṣamudvahan abhyadhāvanniśumbho'tha mukhyayāsurasenayā
MeaningBeholding his great army being slaughtered and bearing deep indignation, Nishumbha then rushed forward with the chief asura army.
तस्याग्रतस्तथा पृष्ठे पार्श्वयोश्च महासुराः । सन्दष्टौष्ठपुटाः क्रुद्धा हन्तुं देवीमुपाययुः ॥
tasyāgratastathā pṛṣṭhe pārśvayośca mahāsurāḥ sandaṣṭauṣṭhapuṭāḥ kruddhā hantuṃ devīmupāyayuḥ
MeaningBefore him, behind him and on his flanks, the great asuras, biting their lips in fury, advanced to slay the Devi.
आजगाम महावीर्यः शुम्भोऽपि स्वबलैर्वृतः । निहन्तुं चण्डिकां कोपात्कृत्वा युद्धं तु मातृभिः ॥
ājagāma mahāvīryaḥ śumbho'pi svabalairvṛtaḥ nihantuṃ caṇḍikāṃ kopātkṛtvā yuddhaṃ tu mātṛbhiḥ
MeaningShumbha too, of great valour, came surrounded by his own forces, to slay Chandika in wrath, after fighting with the Mothers.
ततो युद्धमतीवासीद्देव्या शुम्भनिशुम्भयोः । शरवर्षमतीवोग्रं मेघयोरिव वर्षतोः ॥
tato yuddhamatīvāsīddevyā śumbhaniśumbhayoḥ śaravarṣamatīvograṃ meghayoriva varṣatoḥ
MeaningThen ensued a fierce battle between the Devi and Shumbha-Nishumbha, with a most violent rain of arrows, like two clouds pouring rain.
चिच्छेदास्ताञ्छरांस्ताभ्यां चण्डिका स्वशरोत्करैः । ताडयामास चाङ्गेषु शस्त्रौघैरसुरेश्वरौ ॥
cicchedāstāñcharāṃstābhyāṃ caṇḍikā svaśarotkaraiḥ tāḍayāmāsa cāṅgeṣu śastraughairasureśvarau
MeaningChandika cut those arrows shot by the two with her own showers of arrows, and struck the two lords of asuras on their limbs with masses of weapons.
निशुम्भो निशितं खड्गं चर्म चादाय सुप्रभम् । अताडयन्मूर्ध्नि सिंहं देव्या वाहनमुत्तमम् ॥
niśumbho niśitaṃ khaḍgaṃ carma cādāya suprabham atāḍayanmūrdhni siṃhaṃ devyā vāhanamuttamam
MeaningNishumbha, taking up a sharp sword and a bright shield, struck on the head the lion, the Devi's excellent mount.
ताडिते वाहने देवी क्षुरप्रेणासिमुत्तमम् । निशुम्भस्याशु चिच्छेद चर्म चाप्यष्टचन्द्रकम् ॥
tāḍite vāhane devī kṣurapreṇāsimuttamam niśumbhasyāśu ciccheda carma cāpyaṣṭacandrakam
MeaningWhen her mount was struck, the Devi quickly cut, with a razor-sharp arrow, Nishumbha's excellent sword, and his shield marked with eight moons as well.
छिन्ने चर्मणि खड्गे च शक्तिं चिक्षेप सोऽसुरः । तामप्यस्य द्विधा चक्रे चक्रेणाभिमुखागताम् ॥
chinne carmaṇi khaḍge ca śaktiṃ cikṣepa so'suraḥ tāmapyasya dvidhā cakre cakreṇābhimukhāgatām
MeaningHis shield cut and his sword gone, the asura hurled his spear (shakti); but she split in two even that, as it came toward her, with her discus.
कोपाध्मातो निशुम्भोऽथ शूलं जग्राह दानवः । आयातं मुष्टिपातेन देवी तच्चाप्यचूर्णयत् ॥
kopādhmāto niśumbho'tha śūlaṃ jagrāha dānavaḥ āyātaṃ muṣṭipātena devī taccāpyacūrṇayat
MeaningThen Nishumbha the danava, swollen with rage, seized a pike; but the Devi pulverized that too, as it came, with a blow of her fist.
आविद्याथ गदां सोऽपि चिक्षेप चण्डिकां प्रति । सापि देव्यास् त्रिशूलेन भिन्ना भस्मत्वमागता ॥
āvidyātha gadāṃ so'pi cikṣepa caṇḍikāṃ prati sāpi devyās triśūlena bhinnā bhasmatvamāgatā
MeaningThen he too whirled and hurled a mace at Chandika; but that too, split by the Devi's trident, was reduced to ashes.
ततः परशुहस्तं तमायान्तं दैत्यपुङ्गवम् । आहत्य देवी बाणौघैरपातयत भूतले ॥
tataḥ paraśuhastaṃ tamāyāntaṃ daityapuṅgavam āhatya devī bāṇaughairapātayata bhūtale
MeaningThen, striking with showers of arrows that approaching bull among daityas, axe in hand, the Devi felled him to the ground.
तस्मिन्निपतिते भूमौ निशुम्भे भीमविक्रमे । भ्रातर्यतीव सङ्क्रुद्धः प्रययौ हन्तुमम्बिकाम् ॥
tasminnipatite bhūmau niśumbhe bhīmavikrame bhrātaryatīva saṅkruddhaḥ prayayau hantumambikām
MeaningWhen his brother Nishumbha of terrible valour had fallen to the earth, (Shumbha), exceedingly enraged, advanced to slay Ambika.
स रथस्थस्तथात्युच्चैर्गृहीतपरमायुधैः । भुजैरष्टाभिरतुलैर्व्याप्याशेषं बभौ नभः ॥
sa rathasthastathātyuccairgṛhītaparamāyudhaiḥ bhujairaṣṭābhiratulairvyāpyāśeṣaṃ babhau nabhaḥ
MeaningStanding in his chariot, towering high, grasping his peerless weapons in his eight arms, he shone, pervading the whole sky.
तमायान्तं समालोक्य देवी शङ्खमवादयत् । ज्याशब्दं चापि धनुषश्चकारातीव दुःसहम् ॥
tamāyāntaṃ samālokya devī śaṅkhamavādayat jyāśabdaṃ cāpi dhanuṣaścakārātīva duḥsaham
MeaningSeeing him approach, the Devi blew her conch and made the twang of her bowstring exceedingly unbearable.
पूरयामास ककुभो निजघण्टास्वनेन च । समस्तदैत्यसैन्यानां तेजोवधविधायिना ॥
pūrayāmāsa kakubho nijaghaṇṭāsvanena ca samastadaityasainyānāṃ tejovadhavidhāyinā
MeaningAnd she filled the quarters with the sound of her own bell, which destroyed the energies of all the daitya armies.
ततः सिंहो महानादैस्त्याजितेभमहामदैः । पूरयामास गगनं गां तथैव दिशो दश ॥
tataḥ siṃho mahānādaistyājitebhamahāmadaiḥ pūrayāmāsa gaganaṃ gāṃ tathaiva diśo daśa
MeaningThen the lion filled the sky, the earth and the ten directions with great roars that made the elephants forsake their mighty rut.
ततः काली समुत्पत्य गगनं क्ष्मामताडयत् । कराभ्यां तन्निनादेन प्राक्स्वनास्ते तिरोहिताः ॥
tataḥ kālī samutpatya gaganaṃ kṣmāmatāḍayat karābhyāṃ tanninādena prāksvanāste tirohitāḥ
MeaningThen Kali, springing into the sky, struck the earth with both her hands; by that noise the earlier sounds were drowned out.
अट्टाट्टहासमशिवं शिवदूती चकार ह । वैः शब्दैरसुरास्त्रेसुः शुम्भः कोपं परं ययौ ॥
aṭṭāṭṭahāsamaśivaṃ śivadūtī cakāra ha vaiḥ śabdairasurāstresuḥ śumbhaḥ kopaṃ paraṃ yayau
MeaningShivaduti made an inauspicious loud laugh (attahasa); by those sounds the asuras trembled, and Shumbha gave way to the utmost wrath.
दुरात्मंस्तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति व्याजहाराम्बिका यदा । तदा जयेत्यभिहितं देवैराकाशसंस्थितैः ॥
durātmaṃstiṣṭha tiṣṭheti vyājahārāmbikā yadā tadā jayetyabhihitaṃ devairākāśasaṃsthitaiḥ
MeaningWhen Ambika cried, 'Stop, stop, O evil-souled one!', then 'Victory!' was uttered by the gods stationed in the sky.
शुम्भेनागत्य या शक्तिर्मुक्ता ज्वालातिभीषणा । आयान्ती वह्निकूटाभा सा निरस्ता महोल्कया ॥
śumbhenāgatya yā śaktirmuktā jvālātibhīṣaṇā āyāntī vahnikūṭābhā sā nirastā maholkayā
MeaningThe flaming, most terrible shakti, blazing like a mass of fire, that Shumbha came and hurled — that was warded off by (the Devi's) great firebrand (meteor).
सिंहनादेन शुम्भस्य व्याप्तं लोकत्रयान्तरम् । निर्घातनिःस्वनो घोरो जितवानवनीपते ॥
siṃhanādena śumbhasya vyāptaṃ lokatrayāntaram nirghātaniḥsvano ghoro jitavānavanīpate
MeaningThe space of the three worlds was filled by Shumbha's lion-roar; but the dreadful crash (of the Devi's weapon, like a thunderclap) overcame it, O lord of the earth.
शुम्भमुक्ताञ्छरान्देवी शुम्भस्तत्प्रहिताञ्छरान् । चिच्छेद स्वशरैरुग्रैः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥
śumbhamuktāñcharāndevī śumbhastatprahitāñcharān ciccheda svaśarairugraiḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ
MeaningThe Devi cut the arrows loosed by Shumbha, and Shumbha (cut) the arrows shot by her — with their fierce arrows, by the hundred and by the thousand.
ततः सा चण्डिका क्रुद्धा शूलेनाभिजघान तम् । स तदाभिहतो भूमौ मूर्च्छितो निपपात ह ॥
tataḥ sā caṇḍikā kruddhā śūlenābhijaghāna tam sa tadābhihato bhūmau mūrcchito nipapāta ha
MeaningThen Chandika, enraged, smote him with her pike; struck thereby, he fell upon the earth, swooning.
ततो निशुम्भः सम्प्राप्य चेतनामात्तकार्मुकः । आजघान शरैर्देवीं कालीं केसरिणं तथा ॥
tato niśumbhaḥ samprāpya cetanāmāttakārmukaḥ ājaghāna śarairdevīṃ kālīṃ kesariṇaṃ tathā
MeaningThen Nishumbha, regaining consciousness, took up his bow and struck with arrows the Devi, Kali and the lion.
पुनश्च कृत्वा बाहूनामयुतं दनुजेश्वरः । चक्रायुधेन दितिजश्छादयामास चण्डिकाम् ॥
punaśca kṛtvā bāhūnāmayutaṃ danujeśvaraḥ cakrāyudhena ditijaśchādayāmāsa caṇḍikām
MeaningAnd again, the lord of the danujas, the son of Diti, making a myriad arms, covered Chandika with discuses for weapons.
ततो भगवती क्रुद्धा दुर्गा दुर्गार्तिनाशिनी । चिच्छेद देवी चक्राणि स्वशरैः सायकांश्च तान् ॥
tato bhagavatī kruddhā durgā durgārtināśinī ciccheda devī cakrāṇi svaśaraiḥ sāyakāṃśca tān
MeaningThen the Bhagavati Durga, enraged — the destroyer of distress and of evils hard to overcome — cut those discuses and arrows with her own arrows.
ततो निशुम्भो वेगेन गदामादाय चण्डिकाम् । अभ्यधावत वै हन्तुं दैत्यसैन्यसमावृतः ॥
tato niśumbho vegena gadāmādāya caṇḍikām abhyadhāvata vai hantuṃ daityasainyasamāvṛtaḥ
MeaningThen Nishumbha, swiftly taking up his mace, rushed forward to slay Chandika, surrounded by the daitya host.
तस्यापतत एवाशु गदां चिच्छेद चण्डिका । खड्गेन शितधारेण स च शूलं समाददे ॥
tasyāpatata evāśu gadāṃ ciccheda caṇḍikā khaḍgena śitadhāreṇa sa ca śūlaṃ samādade
MeaningAs he rushed on, Chandika quickly cut his mace with her sharp-edged sword; and he took up a pike.
शूलहस्तं समायान्तं निशुम्भममरार्दनम् । हृदि विव्याध शूलेन वेगाविद्धेन चण्डिका ॥
śūlahastaṃ samāyāntaṃ niśumbhamamarārdanam hṛdi vivyādha śūlena vegāviddhena caṇḍikā
MeaningAs Nishumbha, tormentor of the gods, came on, pike in hand, Chandika pierced him in the heart with her pike, hurled with force.
भिन्नस्य तस्य शूलेन हृदयान्निःसृतोऽपरः । महाबलो महावीर्यस्तिष्ठेति पुरुषो वदन् ॥
bhinnasya tasya śūlena hṛdayānniḥsṛto'paraḥ mahābalo mahāvīryastiṣṭheti puruṣo vadan
MeaningFrom the heart of him, cleft by the pike, there issued forth another (being), of great strength and valour, crying 'Stop!'
तस्य निष्क्रामतो देवी प्रहस्य स्वनवत्ततः । शिरश्चिच्छेद खड्गेन ततोऽसावपतद्भुवि ॥
tasya niṣkrāmato devī prahasya svanavattataḥ śiraściccheda khaḍgena tato'sāvapatadbhuvi
MeaningAs he came forth, the Devi, laughing aloud, then severed his head with her sword; thereupon he fell to the ground.
ततः सिंहश्चखादोग्रदंष्ट्राक्षुण्णशिरोधरान् । असुरांस्तांस्तथा काली शिवदूती तथापरान् ॥
tataḥ siṃhaścakhādogradaṃṣṭrākṣuṇṇaśirodharān asurāṃstāṃstathā kālī śivadūtī tathāparān
MeaningThen the lion devoured those asuras whose necks were crushed by its fierce fangs; and likewise Kali and Shivaduti (devoured) others.
कौमारीशक्तिनिर्भिन्नाः केचिन्नेशुर्महासुराः । ब्रह्माणीमन्त्रपूतेन तोयेनान्ये निराकृताः ॥
kaumārīśaktinirbhinnāḥ kecinneśurmahāsurāḥ brahmāṇīmantrapūtena toyenānye nirākṛtāḥ
MeaningSome great asuras perished, pierced by Kaumari's spear; others were repelled by water sanctified with Brahmani's mantra.
माहेश्वरीत्रिशूलेन भिन्नाः पेतुस्तथापरे । वाराहीतुण्डघातेन केचिच्चूर्णीकृता भुवि ॥
māheśvarītriśūlena bhinnāḥ petustathāpare vārāhītuṇḍaghātena keciccūrṇīkṛtā bhuvi
MeaningOthers fell, split by Maheshwari's trident; some were ground to powder on the earth by the blow of Varahi's snout.
खण्डं खण्डं च चक्रेण वैष्णव्या दानवाः कृताः । वज्रेण चैन्द्रीहस्ताग्रविमुक्तेन तथापरे ॥
khaṇḍaṃ khaṇḍaṃ ca cakreṇa vaiṣṇavyā dānavāḥ kṛtāḥ vajreṇa caindrīhastāgravimuktena tathāpare
MeaningThe danavas were cut piece by piece by Vaishnavi's discus, and others (likewise) by the thunderbolt loosed from the tip of Aindri's hand.
केचिद्विनेशुरसुराः केचिन्नष्टा महाहवात् । भक्षिताश्चापरे कालीशिवदूतीमृगाधिपैः ॥
kecidvineśurasurāḥ kecinnaṣṭā mahāhavāt bhakṣitāścāpare kālīśivadūtīmṛgādhipaiḥ
MeaningSome asuras perished, some fled from the great battle, and others were devoured by Kali, Shivaduti and the lion (king of beasts).