पतिते बाष्कले सैन्यं भग्नं तस्य दुरात्मनः । जयेति च मुदा देवाश्चुक्रुशुर्गगने स्थिताः
When Bashkala fell, his evil army was broken, and the gods, standing in the sky, joyfully cried out, 'Victory!'
तस्मिंश्च निहते दैत्ये दुर्मुखोऽतिबलान्वितः । आजगाम रणे देवीं क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः
With that demon slain, Durmukha, endowed with great strength, came to battle the Goddess, his eyes reddened with rage.
तिष्ठ तिष्ठाबले सोऽपि भाषमाणः पुनः पुनः । धनुर्बाणधरः श्रीमान्रथस्थः कवचावृतः
He too, armed with bow and arrows, resplendent, standing on his chariot and clad in armor, repeatedly shouted, 'Stand, stand, O powerful one!'
तमागच्छन्तमालोक्य देवी शङ्खमवादयत् । कोपयन्ती दानवं तं ज्याघोषञ्च चकार ह
Seeing him approach, the Goddess sounded her conch, provoking that demon, and made the twang of her bowstring resound.
सोऽपि बाणान्मुमोचाशु तीक्ष्णानाशीविषोपमान् । स्वबाणैस्तान्महामाया चिच्छेद च ननाद च
He too swiftly released arrows, sharp and venomous as deadly serpents; with his own arrows, Mahāmāyā cut them down and roared.
तयोः परस्परं युद्धं बभूव तुमुलं नृप । बाणशक्तिगदाघातैर्मुसलैस्तोमरैस्तथा
Between the two, a fierce battle arose, O King, with blows from arrows, spears, maces, clubs, and javelins.
रणभूमौ तदा जाता रुधिरौघवहा नदी । पतितानि तदा तीरे शिरांसि प्रबभुस्तदा
On the battlefield then, a river carrying streams of blood was formed; severed heads appeared along its banks.
यथा सन्तरणार्थाय यमकिङ्करनायकैः । तुम्बीफलानि नीतानि नवशिक्षापरैर्मुदा
Just as, for crossing over, the leaders of Yama’s attendants joyfully bring bottle-gourds for new trainees—
रणभूमिस्तदा घोरा बभूवातीव दुर्गमा । शरीरैः पतितैर्भूमौ खाद्यमानैर्वृकादिभिः
The battlefield then became dreadful and extremely impassable, with bodies fallen upon the ground, being devoured by wolves and others.
गोमायुसारमेयाश्च काकाः कङ्का अयोमुखाः । गृध्रा श्येनाश्च खादन्ति शरीराणि दुरात्मनाम्
Jackals, dogs, crows, vultures, iron-beaked birds, vultures, and hawks devoured the bodies of the wicked.
ववौ वायुश्च दुर्गन्धो मृतानां देहसङ्गतः । अभूत्किलकिलाशब्दः खगानां पलभक्षिणाम्
A foul wind blew, carrying the stench of the corpses; there arose a rattling sound from the birds feeding on flesh.
तदा चुकोप दुष्टात्मा दुर्मुखः कालमोहितः । देवीमुवाच गर्वेण कृत्वा चोर्ध्वकरं शुभम्
Then the evil-minded Durmukha, deluded by Time, became enraged; with pride, he raised his auspicious hand and spoke to the Goddess.
गच्छ चण्डि हनिष्यामि त्वामद्यैव सुबालिशे । दैत्यं वा भज वामोरु महिषं मदगर्वितम्
Go, Caṇḍī! I will slay you today, foolish woman; or else, seek refuge with the demon or with Mahisha, proud of his strength.
देव्युवाच आसन्नमरणः कामं प्रलपस्यद्य मोहितः । अद्यैव त्वां हनिष्यामि यथायं बाष्कलो हतः
The Goddess said: You, whose death is near, speak deliriously today, deluded; I will slay you this very day, just as Bāṣkala was slain.
गच्छ वा तिष्ठ वा मन्द मरणं यदि रोचते । हत्वा त्वां वै वधिष्यामि बालिशं महिषीसुतम्
Go or stay, fool, if you desire death; having slain you, I will destroy the childish son of Mahisha.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्या दुर्मुखो मर्तुमुद्यतः । मुमोच बाणवृष्टिं तु चण्डिकां प्रति दारुणाम्
Hearing her words, Durmukha, intent on dying, released a fierce shower of arrows at Caṇḍikā.
सापि तां तरसा छित्त्वा बाणवृष्टिं शितैः शरैः । जघान दानवं कृद्धा वृत्रं वज्रधरो यथा
She, swiftly cutting through that shower of arrows with her sharp shafts, slew the demon in anger, as Indra slew Vṛtra.
तयोः परस्परं युद्धं सञ्जातं चातिकर्कशम् । भयदं कातराणाञ्च शूराणां बलवर्धनम्
Between the two, a harsh battle arose, terrifying to the fearful and strengthening the brave.
देवी चिच्छेद तरसा धनुस्तस्य करे स्थितम् । तथैव पञ्चभिर्बाणैर्बभञ्ज रथमुत्तमम्
The Goddess, with force, cut the bow held in his hand; then, with five arrows, she broke his excellent chariot.
रथे भग्ने महाबाहुः पदातिर्दुर्मुखस्तदा । गदां गहीत्वा दुर्धर्षां जगाम चण्डिकां प्रति
With his chariot broken, the mighty-armed Durmukha became a foot-soldier; taking up his formidable mace, he advanced toward Caṇḍikā.
चकार स गदाघातं सिंहमौलौ महाबलः । न चचाल हरिः स्थानात्ताडितोऽपि महाबलः
He struck with his mace at the lion-headed one, mighty in strength; but Hari, though struck, did not move from his place.
अम्बिका तं समालोक्य गदापाणिं पुरःस्थितम् । खड्गेन शितधारेण शिरश्चिच्छेद मौलिमत्
Ambikā, seeing him standing before her with mace in hand, cut off his crowned head with her sharp-edged sword.
छिन्ने च मस्तके भूमौ पपात दुर्मुखो मृतः । जयशब्दं तदा चक्रुर्मुदिता निर्जरा भृशम्
When his head was severed, Durmukha fell dead to the ground; at that moment, the delighted immortals loudly proclaimed victory.
तुष्टुवुस्तां तदा देवीं दुर्मुखे निहतेऽमराः । पुष्पवृष्टिं तथा चक्रुर्जयशब्दं नभःस्थिताः
Then, with Durmukha slain, the gods praised the Goddess; those stationed in the sky showered flowers and resounded with cries of triumph.
ऋषयः सिद्धगन्धर्वाः सविद्याधरकिन्नराः । जहृषुस्तं हतं दृष्ट्वा दानवं रणमस्तके
The seers, perfected beings, Gandharvas, Vidyadharas, and Kinnaras all rejoiced upon seeing that demon, the chief in battle, struck down.
ताम्रचिक्षुराख्यवधवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच दुर्मुखं निहतं श्रुत्वा महिषः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः । उवाच दानवान्सर्वान्किं जातमिति चासकृत्
The Slaying of Tamracikshur Vyasa said: When he heard that Durmukha had been killed, Mahisha, overcome with rage, repeatedly asked all the demons, 'What has happened?'
निहतौ दानवौ शूरौ रणे दुर्मुखबाष्कलौ । तन्व्या तत्परमाश्चर्यं पश्यन्तु दैवचेष्टितम्
The two heroic demons, Durmukha and Baskala, have been slain in battle; let everyone witness this extraordinary act of the slender one, the divine intervention.
कालो हि बलवान्कर्ता सततं सुखदुःखयोः । नराणां परतन्त्राणां पुण्यपापानुयोगतः
For time is powerful and always the agent of both happiness and sorrow for men, who are dependent on the results of their virtue and sin.
निहतौ दानवश्रेष्ठौ किं कर्तव्यमतः परम् । ब्रुवन्तु मिलिताः सर्वे यद्युक्तं कार्यसङ्कटे
Now that the foremost demons have been killed, what should be done next? Let all assembled speak what is fitting in this crisis.
व्यास उवाच एवं ब्रुवति राजेन्द्र महिषेऽतिबलान्विते । चिक्षुराख्यस्तु सेनानीस्तमुवाच महारथः
Vyasa said: As Mahisha, endowed with immense strength, was saying this, the great chariot-warrior and general named Cikshura addressed him.