ततः पराजिताः सर्वे देवाः स्वर्गपरिच्युताः । ब्रह्माणं च पुरस्कृत्य ते जग्मुर्लोकमुत्तमम्
Then, all the defeated gods, cast out from heaven, went to the highest world, taking Brahma at their head.
यत्रोत्तमौ देवदेवौ संस्थितौ शङ्कराच्युतौ । वृत्तान्तं कथयामासुर्महिषस्य दुरात्मनः
Where the two supreme gods, Shankara and Achyuta, were present, they recounted the deeds of the wicked Mahisha.
देवानां चैव सर्वेषां स्थानानि तरसासुरः । विनिर्जित्य स्वयं भुङ्क्ते बलवीर्यमदोद्धतः
That evil demon named Mahishasura, having violently seized the abodes of all the gods, now enjoys them himself, intoxicated by the pride of his strength and valor.
महिषासुरनामासौ दुष्टदैत्योऽमरेश्वरौ । वधोपायश्च तस्याशु चिन्त्यतामसुरार्दनौ
That wicked demon named Mahishasura, O Lords of the Immortals, let the means for his destruction be quickly considered, O destroyers of demons.
एवं श्रुत्वा स भगवान्देवानामार्तियुग्वचः । चकार कोपं सुबहुं तथा शङ्करपद्मजौ
Hearing thus the words of the gods, filled with distress, the Blessed Lord, along with the sons of Shankara and Padmaja, became greatly enraged.
एवं कोपयुतस्यास्य हरेरास्यान्महीपते । तेजः प्रादुरभूद्दिव्यं सहस्रार्कसमद्युति
O King, as Hari was thus filled with anger, a divine radiance, equal in brilliance to a thousand suns, appeared from his mouth.
अथानुक्रमतस्तेजः सर्वेषां त्रिदिवौकसाम् । शरीरादुद्भवं प्राप हर्षयद्विबुधाधिपान्
Then, in succession, the radiance of all the dwellers of heaven emerged from their bodies, delighting the lords of the gods.
यदभूच्छम्भुजं तेजो मुखमस्योदपद्यत । केशा बभूवुर्याम्येन वैष्णवेन च बाहवः
The radiance that came from Shambhu formed her face; her hair was created from Yama's energy, and her arms from Vishnu's power.
सौम्येन च स्तनौ जातौ माहेन्द्रेण च मध्यमः । वारुणेन ततो भूप जङ्घोरू सम्बभूवतुः
Her breasts arose from Soma's energy, her waist from Indra's, and then, O King, her thighs and shanks were formed from Varuna's radiance.
नितम्बौ तेजसा भूमेः पादौ ब्राह्मेण तेजसा । पादाङ्गुल्यो भानवेन वासवेन कराङ्गुली
Her hips were made from the radiance of the earth, her feet from Brahma's energy; her toes from the Sun's brilliance, and her fingers from Vasava's power.
कौबेरेण तथा नासा दन्ताः सञ्जज्ञिरे तदा । प्राजापत्येनोत्तमेन तेजसा वसुधाधिप
Her nose was formed from Kubera's energy, her teeth at that time from the supreme radiance of Prajapati, O lord of the earth.
पावकेन च सञ्जातं लोचनत्रितयं शुभम् । सान्ध्येन तेजसा जाते भृकुट्यौ तेजसां निधी
Her three beautiful eyes were created by Agni, and her eyebrows by the radiance of Sandhya, the repository of energies.
कर्णौ वायव्यतो जातौ तेजसो मनुजाधिप । सर्वेषां तेजसा देवी जाता महिषमर्दिनी
Her ears were formed from Vayu's energy, O king of men; thus, from the radiance of all, the goddess Mahishamardini was born.
शूलं ददौ शिवो विष्णुश्चक्रं शङ्खं च पाशभृत् । हुताशनो ददौ शक्तिं मारुतश्चापसायकौ
Shiva gave her a trident, Vishnu a discus and a conch, the Lord of Bonds a noose, Agni gave her a spear, and Maruta a bow and arrows.
वज्रं महेन्द्रः प्रददौ घण्टां चैरावताद् गजात् । कालदण्डं यमो ब्रह्मा चाक्षमालाकमण्डलू
Mahendra gave her a thunderbolt, and a bell from Airavata the elephant; Yama gave her the staff of time, and Brahma a rosary and water-pot.
दिवाकरो रश्मिमालां रोमकूपेषु सन्ददौ । कालः खड्गं तथा चर्म निर्मलं वसुधाधिप
The Sun bestowed a garland of rays to be set in her pores; Kala gave her a sword and a spotless shield, O lord of the earth.
समुद्रो निर्मलं हारमजरे चाम्बरे नृप । चूडामणिं कुण्डले च कटकानि तथाङ्गदे
The ocean gave her a pure garland and an unaging garment, O king, as well as a crest-jewel, earrings, bracelets, and armlets.
अर्धचन्द्रं निर्मलं च नूपुराणि तथा ददौ । ग्रैवेयकं भूषणं च तस्यै देव्यै मुदान्वितः
He joyfully gave her a flawless crescent moon, anklets, a neck ornament, and other adornments.
विश्वकर्मा चोर्मिकाश्च ददौ तस्यै धरापते । हिमवान्वाहनं सिंहं रत्नानि विविधानि च
Vishvakarma gave her armlets, O lord of the earth; Himavat gave her a lion as a mount and various gems.
पानपात्रं सुरापूर्णं ददौ तस्यै धनाधिपः । शेषश्च भगवान्देवो नागहारं ददौ विभुः
The lord of wealth gave her a drinking vessel filled with divine liquor; the blessed god Shesha gave her a serpent-necklace.
अन्यैरशेषविबुधैर्मानिता सा जगन्मयी । तां तुष्टुवुर्महादेवीं देवा महिषपीडिताः
Honored by all the other gods without exception, that World-Encompassing Goddess was praised by the gods, who were afflicted by Mahisha.
नानास्तोत्रैर्महेशानीं जगदुद्भवकारिणीम् । तेषां निशम्य देवेशी स्तोत्रं विबुधपूजिता
With various hymns, they praised the great Lady, the cause of the world's creation; hearing their hymn, the goddess, worshipped by the gods, listened.
महिषस्य वधार्थाय महानादं चकार ह । तेन नादेन महिषश्चकितोऽभूद्धरापते
To slay Mahiṣa, she made a great roar; by that sound, Mahiṣa, lord of the Dānavas, was startled.
आससाद जगद्धात्रीं सर्वसैन्यसमावृतः । ततः स युयुधे देव्या महिषाख्यो महासुरः
Surrounded by his entire army, the Mother of the Universe confronted him; then that great demon, called Mahiṣa, fought with the Goddess.
शस्त्रास्त्रैर्बहुधा क्षिप्तैः पूरयन्नम्बरान्तरम् । चिक्षुरो ग्रामणीः सेनापतिर्दुर्धरदुर्मुखौ
Filling the sky with many weapons and missiles hurled, the generals—Cikṣura, Durdhara, and Durmukha—led the army.
बाष्कलस्ताम्रकश्चैव बिडालवदनोऽपरः । एतैश्चान्यैरसंख्यातैः संग्रामान्तकसन्निभैः
Bāṣkala, Tāmraka, and another with a cat-like face, along with countless others fierce as Death on the battlefield, joined them.
योधैः परिवृतो वीरो महिषो दानवोत्तमः । ततः सा कोपताम्राक्षी देवी लोकविमोहिनी
Surrounded by these warriors, the valiant Mahiṣa, best of the Dānavas, stood; then the Goddess, whose eyes blazed with anger, the bewilderer of the worlds—
जघान योधान्समरे देवी महिषमाश्रितान् । ततस्तेषु हतेष्वेव स दैत्यो रोषमूर्च्छितः
—struck down in battle the warriors who had taken refuge with Mahiṣa; seeing his followers slain, that demon was seized by furious wrath.
आससाद तदा देवीं तूर्णं मायाविशारदः । रूपान्तराणि सम्भेजे मायया दानवेश्वरः
Then, skilled in magic, he swiftly approached the Goddess; the lord of the Dānavas assumed various forms by his illusion.
तानि तान्यस्य रूपाणि नाशयामास सा तदा । ततोऽन्ते माहिषं रूपं बिभ्राणममरार्दनम्
She destroyed each of his forms as they appeared; at last, he took on his buffalo shape, the terror of the immortals.