व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं दैत्यः संगृह्य कार्मुकं दृढम् । कालिकां तां शरासारैर्ववर्षातिशिलाशितैः
Vyāsa said: Hearing those words, the demon grasped his sturdy bow and showered Kālī with a torrent of arrows, sharp as stones.
देवास्तु प्रेक्षकास्तत्र विमानवरसंस्थिताः । तां स्तुवन्तो जयेत्यूचुर्देवीं शक्रपुरोगमाः
The gods stood as spectators there, stationed in excellent aerial chariots; led by Indra, they praised the Goddess, exclaiming, 'Victory!'
तयोः परस्परं युद्धं प्रवृत्तं चातिदारुणम् । बाणखड्गगदाशक्तिमुसलादिभिरुत्कटम्
A fierce battle then began between the two, dreadful and intense, fought with arrows, swords, maces, spears, clubs, and other weapons.
कालिका बाणपातैस्तु हत्वा पूर्वं खरानथ । बभञ्ज तद्रथं व्यूढं जहास च मुहुर्मुहुः
Kālī first slew the donkeys with her arrows, then broke that well-formed chariot, and laughed again and again.
स चान्यं रथमारूढः कोपेन प्रज्वलन्निव । बाणवृष्टिं चकारोग्रां कालिकोपरि भारत
He mounted another chariot, blazing with fury, and unleashed a fierce shower of arrows upon Kālī, O Bhārata.
सापि चिच्छेद तरसा तस्य बाणानसङ्गतान् । मुमोचान्यानुग्रवेगान्दानवोपरि कालिका
But Kālī swiftly cut down his arrows as they came, and released her own, of terrible speed, upon the demon.
तैर्बाणैर्निहतास्तस्य पार्ष्णिग्राहा सहस्रशः । बभञ्ज च रथं वेगात्सूतं हत्वा खरानपि
By those arrows, his charioteers were struck down by the thousands; she broke his chariot with force, slew the driver, and the donkeys as well.
चिच्छेद तद्धनुः सद्यो बाणैरुरगसन्निभैः । मुदं चक्रे सुराणां सा शङ्खनादं तथाकरोत्
She immediately cut his bow with arrows like serpents, delighted the gods, and sounded the conch in triumph.
विरथः परिघं गृह्य सर्वलोहमयं दृढम् । आजगाम रथोपस्थं कुपितो धूम्रलोचनः
Viratha, seizing a massive iron club, approached the chariot in anger, his eyes smoky.
वाचा निर्भर्त्सयन्कालीं करालः कालसन्निभः । अद्यैव त्वां हनिष्यामि कुरूपे पिङ्गलोचने
With harsh words, grim and dark as death, he rebuked Kali: 'Today I will kill you, ugly one with tawny eyes.'
इत्युक्त्वा सहसाऽऽगत्य परिघं क्षिपते यदा । हुङ्कारेणैव तं भस्म चकार तरसाम्बिका
Having spoken thus, he rushed forward and hurled the club; but with a single roar, Ambika swiftly reduced him to ashes.
दृष्ट्वा भस्मीकृतं दैत्यं सैनिका भयविह्वलाः । चक्रुः पलायनं सद्यो हा तातेत्यब्रुवन्पथि
Seeing the demon turned to ashes, the soldiers, overwhelmed by fear, immediately fled, crying 'Alas, father!' as they ran.
देवास्तं निहतं दृष्ट्वा दानवं धूम्रलोचनम् । मुमुचुः पुष्पवृष्टिं ते मुदिता गगने स्थिताः
The gods, witnessing the death of the demon Dhumralocana, released a shower of flowers, rejoicing as they stood in the sky.
रणभूमिस्तदा राजन् दारुणा समपद्यत । निहतैर्दानवैरश्वैः खरैश्च वारणैस्तथा
O King, the battlefield then became dreadful, strewn with slain demons, horses, mules, and elephants.
गृध्राः काका वटाः श्येना वरफा जम्बुकास्तथा । ननृतुश्चुक्रुशुः प्रेतान्पतितान् रणभूमिषु
Vultures, crows, bats, hawks, jackals, and wild dogs danced and howled over the corpses fallen on the battlefield.
अम्बिका तद्रणस्थानं त्यक्त्वा दूरं स्थलान्तरे । गत्वा चकार चाप्युग्रं शङ्खनादं भयप्रदम्
Ambika, leaving that place of battle, went far away to another spot and sounded a fierce, terrifying conch.
तं श्रुत्वा दरशब्दं तु शुम्भः सद्मनि संस्थितः । दृष्ट्वाथ दानवान्भग्नानागतान् रुधिरोक्षितान्
Hearing that fearful sound, Shumbha, seated in his palace, saw the demons broken, returning covered in blood.
छिन्नपादकराक्षांश्च मञ्चकारोपितानपि । भग्नपृष्ठकटिग्रीवान्क्रन्दमानाननेकशः
He saw those with severed limbs, placed on stretchers, their backs, hips, and necks broken, many crying out in pain.
वीक्ष्य शुम्भो निशुम्भश्च क्व गतो धूम्रलोचनः । कथं भग्नाः समायाता नानीता किं वरानना
Shumbha and Nishumbha asked, 'Where has Dhumralocana gone? How have you returned defeated? Why was the beautiful one not brought?'
सैन्यं कुत्र गतं मन्दाः कथयन्तु यथोचितम् । कस्यायं शङ्खनादोऽद्य श्रूयते भयवर्धनः
'Where has the army gone, fools? Speak as is fitting. Whose conch sound is heard today, increasing fear?'
गणा ऊचुः बलञ्च पातितं सर्वं निहतो धूम्रलोचनः । कृतं कालिकया कर्म रणभूमावमानुषम्
The attendants said: 'All the force has been destroyed, Dhumralocana slain; Kali has performed a superhuman deed on the battlefield.'
शङ्खनादोऽम्बिकायास्तु गगनं व्याप्य राजते । हर्षदः सुरसङ्घानां दानवानाञ्च शोककृत्
The conch blast of Ambika shines, filling the sky; it brings joy to the hosts of gods and grief to the demons.
यदा निपातिताः सर्वे तेन केसरिणा विभो । रथा भग्ना हयाश्चैव बाणपातैर्विनाशिताः
When all were struck down by the lion, O Lord, chariots were broken and horses destroyed by volleys of arrows.
गगनस्थाः सुराश्चक्रुः पुष्पवृष्टिं मुदान्विताः । दृष्ट्वा भग्नं बलं सर्वं पातितं धूम्रलोचनम्
The gods standing in the sky showered flowers with delight, seeing the whole force broken and Dhumralocana slain.
निश्चयस्तु कृतोऽस्माभिर्जयो नैव भवेदिति । विचारं कुरु राजेन्द्र मन्त्रिभिर्मन्त्रवित्तमैः
We have decided: victory will not be ours. Consider, O king, with ministers skilled in counsel.
विस्मयोऽयं महाराज यदेका जगदम्बिका । भवद्भिः सह युद्धाय संस्थिता सैन्यवर्जिता
O great king, it is astonishing that the single World-Mother stands ready for battle against you, without an army.
निर्भयैकाकिनी बाला सिंहारूढा मदोत्कटा । चित्रमेतन्महाराज भासतेऽद्भुतमञ्जसा
A fearless, solitary girl, mounted on a lion and overflowing with pride—O great king, this is a marvelous and truly astonishing sight.
सन्धिर्वा विग्रहो वाद्य स्थानं निर्याणमेव च । मन्त्रयित्वा महाराज कुरु कार्यं यथारुचि
Whether it is alliance, conflict, negotiation, remaining, or departing—O great king, after due deliberation, act as you see fit.
तत्सन्निधौ बलं नास्ति तथापि शत्रुतापन । पार्ष्णिग्राहा सुराः सर्वे भविष्यन्ति किलापदि
In her presence, there is no strength; yet, O tormentor of foes, in adversity, all the gods will become mere followers.
समये तत्समीपस्थौ ज्ञातौ च हरिशङ्करौ । लोकपालाः समीपेऽद्य वर्तन्ते गगने स्थिताः
At this time, Hari and Shankara are known to be near her; today, the guardians of the worlds are stationed close by in the sky.