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.
राजन्नहं हनिष्यामि का चिन्ता स्त्रीविहिंसने । इत्युक्त्वा स्वबलैर्युक्तः प्रययौ रथसंयुतः
'O King, I will slay her myself; what is there to fear in fighting a woman?' So saying, he set out, equipped with his own forces and mounted on a chariot.
द्वितीयं पार्ष्णिरक्षं तु कृत्वा ताम्रं महाबलम् । महता सैन्यघोषेण पूरयन्गगनं दिशः
Appointing Tamra, of great might, as his second-in-command, he filled the sky and quarters with the thunderous sound of his vast army.
तमागच्छन्तमालोक्य देवी भगवती शिवा । चकार शङ्खज्याघोषं घण्टानादं महाद्भुतम्
Seeing him approach, the blessed Goddess Shiva sounded her conch and bowstring, and made a wondrous ringing of bells.
तत्रसुस्तेन शब्देन ते च सर्वे सुरारयः । किमेतदिति भाषन्तो दुद्रुवुर्भयकम्पिताः
Struck by that tremendous sound, all those enemies of the gods, trembling with fear, fled while exclaiming, 'What is this?'
चिक्षुराख्यस्तु तान्दृष्ट्वा पलायनपरायणान् । उवाचातीव संकुद्धः किं भयं वः समागतम्
Seeing them intent on fleeing, Cikshura, greatly enraged, said, 'What fear has come over you?'
अद्यैवाहं हनिष्यामि बाणैर्बालां मदोन्नताम् । तिष्ठन्त्वत्र भयं त्यक्त्वा दैत्याः समरमूर्धनि
'Today itself I will slay the proud maiden with arrows; let the demons stand here on the battlefield, casting aside fear.'
इत्युक्त्वा दानवश्रेष्ठश्चापपाणिर्बलान्वितः । आगत्य सङ्गरे देवीमित्युवाच गतव्यथः
So saying, the foremost of demons, armed with a bow and full of strength, approached the Goddess in battle, his anxiety gone, and spoke thus.
किं गर्जसि विशालाक्षि भीषयन्तीतरान्नरान् । नाहं बिभेमि तन्वङ्गि श्रुत्वा तेऽद्य विचेष्टितम्
'Why do you roar, O wide-eyed one, frightening other men? I do not fear you, slender-limbed lady, even after hearing your display today.'
स्त्रीवधे दूषणं ज्ञात्वा तथैवाकीर्तिसम्भवम् । उपेक्षां कुरुते चित्तं मदीयं वामलोचने
'Knowing that killing a woman brings disgrace and infamy, my mind, O lovely-eyed one, inclines toward forbearance.'
स्त्रीणां युद्धं कटाक्षैश्च तथा हावैश्च सुन्दरि । न शस्त्रैर्विहितं क्वापि त्वादृशीनां कदाचन
'O beautiful one, the battle of women is with glances and gestures, never with weapons for those like you, at any time.'