आलम्भञ्च करिष्यामि यथा हिंसा न जायते । इत्युक्त्वा सा तदा देवी खड्गेन शिरसी तयोः
'I will perform the offering so that no harm arises.' Thus speaking, the goddess then struck off their heads with her sword.
चकर्त तरसा काली पपौ च रुधिरं मुदा । एवं दैत्यौ हतौ दृष्ट्वा मुदितोवाच चाम्बिका
Kali swiftly severed their heads and joyfully drank the blood; seeing the demons thus slain, Ambika spoke with delight.
कृतं कार्यं सुराणां ते ददाम्यद्य वरं शुभम् । चण्डमुण्डौ हतौ यस्मात्तस्मात्ते नाम कालिके । चामुण्डेति सुविख्यातं भविष्यति धरातले
'The gods' task is accomplished; today I grant you an auspicious boon. Because you have slain Chanda and Munda, your name on earth will be famed as Chamunda, O Kali.'
रक्तबीजद्वारा देवीसमीपे शुम्भनिशुम्भसंवादवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच हतौ तौ दानवौ दृष्ट्वा हतशेषाश्च सैनिकाः । पलायनं ततः कृत्वा जग्मुः सर्वे नृपं प्रति
Description of the conversation between Shumbha and Nishumbha near the goddess through Raktabija. Vyasa said: Seeing those two demons slain and the remaining soldiers also killed, all of them fled and went to their king.
भिन्नाङ्गा विशिखैः केचित्केचिच्छिन्नकरास्तथा । रुधिरस्रावदेहाश्च रुदन्तोऽभिययुः पुरे
Some, their limbs shattered by arrows, others with severed hands, their bodies streaming with blood, weeping, entered the city.
गत्वा दैत्यपतिं सर्वे चक्रुर्बुम्बारवं मुहुः । रक्ष रक्ष महाराज भक्षयत्यद्य कालिका
Having reached the lord of the demons, all repeatedly cried out in distress, 'Protect us, protect us, great king! Kali is devouring us today!'
तया हतौ महावीरौ चण्डमुण्डौ सुरार्दनौ । भक्षिताः सैनिकाः सर्वे वयं भग्ना भयातुराः
By her, the two great warriors Chanda and Munda, who oppressed the gods, were slain; all their soldiers were devoured, and we, defeated and terrified, have fled.
भीतिदञ्च रणस्थानं कृतं कालिकया प्रभो । पातितैर्गजवीराश्वैर्दासेरकपदातिभिः
O Lord, Kali has made the battlefield a place of terror, strewn with fallen elephants, heroes, horses, slaves, and foot soldiers.
शोणितौघवहा कुल्या कृता मांसातिकर्दमा । केशशैवलिनी भग्नरथचक्रविराजिता
A stream carrying floods of blood has been made, thick with flesh and mud, adorned with hair like water plants and broken chariot wheels.
छिन्नबाह्वादिमत्स्याढ्या शीर्षतुम्बीफलान्विता । भयदा कातराणां वै सुराणां मोदवर्धिनी
It is filled with severed arms like fish, with heads like gourds, a source of fear for the frightened gods, yet increasing joy for others.
कुलं रक्ष महाराज पातालं गच्छ सत्वरम् । क्रुद्धा देवी क्षयं सद्यः करिष्यति न संशयः
O great king, protect your clan; quickly go to the netherworld. The goddess, enraged, will bring destruction at once—there is no doubt.
सिंहोऽपि भक्षयत्याजौ दानवान्दनुजेश्वर । तथैव कालिका देवी हन्ति बाणैरनेकधा
Even the lion devours the demons in battle, O lord of the Danavas; likewise, the goddess Kali slays many with her arrows.
तस्मात्त्वमपि राजेन्द्र मरणाय मृषा मतिम् । करोषि सहितो भ्रात्रा शुम्भेन कुपिताशयः
Therefore, O king of kings, you too, together with your brother Shumbha, are making your mind ready for death, filled with anger.
किं करिष्यति नार्येषा क्रूरा कुलविनाशिनी । यस्या हेतोर्महाराज हन्तुमिच्छसि बान्धवान्
What will this cruel woman, destroyer of clans, do? For her sake, O great king, you wish to kill your own kin.
दैवाधीनौ महाराज लोके जयपराजयौ । अल्पार्थाय महद्दुःखं बुद्धिमान्न प्रकल्पयेत्
Victory and defeat in this world, O great king, are subject to fate; the wise should not bring great suffering for a trivial cause.
चित्रं पश्य विधेः कर्म यदधीनं जगत् प्रभो । निहता राक्षसाः सर्वे स्त्रिया पश्यैकयानया
Behold the wondrous workings of destiny, O Lord, by which the world is governed; see how all the demons have been slain by this one woman.
जेता त्वं लोकपालानां सैन्ययुक्तो हि साम्प्रतम् । एका प्रार्थयते बाला युद्धायेति सुसम्भ्रमः
You, who are now the conqueror of the guardians of the worlds, supported by armies, are challenged to battle by a single young woman, and there is great commotion.
पुरा त्वया तपस्तप्तं पुष्करे देवतायने । वरदानाय सम्प्राप्तो ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः
Once, you performed austerities at Pushkara, the abode of the gods; Brahma, the grandfather of the worlds, came to grant you a boon.
धात्रोक्तस्त्वं महाराज वरं वरय सुव्रत । तदा त्वयामरत्वं च प्रार्थितं ब्रह्मणः किल
O great king, the Creator said: 'Choose a boon, O virtuous one.' Then you requested immortality from Brahma, it is said.
देवदैत्यमनुष्येभ्यो न भवेन्मरणं मम । सर्पकिन्नरयक्षेभ्यः पुंल्लिङ्गवाचकादपि
From gods, demons, and humans, let there be no death for me; nor from serpents, kinnaras, yakshas, nor from any male being.
तस्मात्त्वां हन्तुकामैषा प्राप्ता योषिद्वरा प्रभो । युद्धं मा कुरु राजेन्द्र विचार्यैवं धियाधुना
Therefore, O Lord, she has come to slay you, taking the form of a woman. O king of kings, do not fight; reflect on this with your mind now.
देवी ह्येषा महामाया प्रकृतिः परमा मता । कल्पान्तकाले राजेन्द्र सर्वसंहारकारिणी
This goddess is the great illusion, regarded as the supreme nature; at the end of the world-cycle, O king, she brings about the destruction of all.
उत्पादयित्री लोकानां देवानामीश्वरी शुभा । त्रिगुणा तामसी देवी सर्वशक्तिसमन्विता
She is the creator of the worlds, the auspicious ruler of the gods; the goddess, endowed with the three qualities and darkness, possesses all powers.
अजय्या चाक्षया नित्या सर्वज्ञा च सदोदिता । वेदमाता च गायत्री सन्ध्या सर्वसुरालया
She is unconquerable, eternal, all-knowing, ever manifest; the mother of the Vedas, Gayatri, Sandhya, and the abode of all gods.
निर्गुणा सगुणा सिद्धा सर्वसिद्धिप्रदाव्यया । आनन्दानन्ददा गौरी देवानामभयप्रदा
She is beyond attributes and with attributes, accomplished, the giver of all accomplishments, imperishable; Gauri, who gives bliss and joy, grants fearlessness to the gods.
एवं ज्ञात्वा महाराज वैरभावं त्यजानया । शरणं व्रज राजेन्द्र देवी त्वां पालयिष्यति
Knowing thus, O great king, abandon hostility; take refuge, O lord of kings, the Goddess will protect you.
आज्ञाकरो भवैतस्याः सञ्जीवय निजं कुलम् । हतशेषाश्च ये दैत्यास्ते भवन्तु चिरायुषः
Become obedient to her command and revive your lineage; let those demons who remain after the slaughter live long lives.
व्यास उवाच इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा शुम्भः सुरबलार्दनः । उवाच वचनं तथ्यं वीरवर्यगुणान्वितम्
Vyasa said: Hearing their words, Shumbha, the destroyer of the gods' forces, spoke truthful words, endowed with the qualities of a great hero.
शुम्भ उवाच मौनं कुर्वन्तु भो मन्दा यूयं भग्ना रणाजिरात् । शीघ्रं गच्छत पातालं जीविताशा बलीयसी
Shumbha said: Be silent, you fools, you who have been broken on the battlefield; quickly go to the underworld, for your hope of life is strong.
दैवाधीनं जगत्सर्वं का चिन्तात्र जये मम । देवास्तथैव ब्रह्माद्या दैवाधीना वयं यथा
The whole world is dependent on fate—why should I worry about victory? The gods, Brahma and the rest, are also subject to fate, just as we are.