घोररूपाथ पञ्चास्यमित्युवाच स्मितानना । देवदेव व्रजाशु त्वं दैत्यानामधिपं प्रति
With a dreadful form and five faces, yet smiling, she said: 'O Lord of gods, go swiftly to the lord of the Daityas.'
दूतत्वं कुरु कामारे ब्रूहि शुम्भं स्मराकुलम् । निशुम्भञ्च मदोत्सिक्तं वचनान्मम शङ्कर
'Become a messenger, O enemy of desire, and speak to Shumbha, who is agitated by passion, and to Nishumbha, who is intoxicated with pride, these words of mine, O Shankara.'
मुक्त्वा त्रिविष्टपं यात यूयं पातालमाशु वै । देवाः स्वर्गे सुखं यान्तु तुराषाट् स्वासनं शभम्
'Abandoning heaven, you all should quickly go to the netherworld, where the Daityas dwell; let the gods enjoy happiness in heaven, and Turashat his splendid throne.'
प्राप्नोतु त्रिदिवं स्थानं यज्ञभागांश्च देवताः । जीवितेच्छा च युष्माकं यदि स्यात्तु महत्तरा
'Let the gods regain their place in heaven and their shares of the sacrifice. If your desire for life is greater—'
तर्हि गच्छत पातालं तरसा यत्र दानवाः । अथवा बलमास्थाय युद्धेच्छा मरणाय चेत्
'Then go swiftly to the netherworld, where the Danavas are. Or, if you wish for battle and death, relying on your strength—'
तदाऽऽगच्छन्तु तृप्यन्तु मच्छिवाः पिशितेन वः । व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्याः शूलपाणिस्त्वरान्वितः
'Then come, and let my fierce attendants be satisfied with your flesh.' Vyasa said: Hearing her words, the trident-bearing one, filled with urgency—
गत्वाऽऽह दैत्यराजानं शुम्भं सदसि संस्थितम् । शिव उवाच राजन् दूतोऽहमम्बायास्त्रिपुरान्तकरो हरः
Went and addressed the Daitya king Shumbha, who was seated in his assembly. Shiva said: 'O King, I am the messenger of Ambika, the destroyer of Tripura, Hara.'
त्वत्सकाशमिहायातो हितं कर्तुं तवाखिलम् । त्यक्त्वा स्वर्गं तथा भूमिं यूयं गच्छत सत्वरम्
'I have come here to you to do what is wholly beneficial for you. Abandoning heaven and earth, you all should go at once—'
पातालं यत्र प्रह्लादो बलिश्च बलिनां वरः । अथवा मरणेच्छा चेत्तर्ह्यागच्छत सत्वरम्
'To the netherworld, where Prahlada and Bali, the foremost among the strong, reside. Or, if you desire death, then come at once.'
संग्रामे वो हनिष्यामि सर्वानेवाहमाशु वै । इत्युवाच महाराज्ञी युष्मत्कल्याणहेतवे
'In battle, I will swiftly slay you all.' Thus spoke the great queen for your welfare.
व्यास उवाच इति दैत्यवरान्देवीवाक्यं पीयूषसन्निभम् । हितकृच्छ्रावयित्वा स प्रत्यायातश्च शूलभृत्
Vyasa said: Thus, having conveyed the goddess's words, sweet as nectar, to the foremost of the Daityas for their benefit, the trident-bearer returned.
ययासौ प्रेरितः शंभुर्दूतत्वे दानवान्प्रति । शिवदूतीति विख्याता जाता त्रिभुवनेऽखिले
By whom Shambhu was sent as a messenger to the Danavas, she became renowned throughout the three worlds as Shiva's messenger.
तेऽपि श्रुत्वा वचो देव्याः शङ्करोक्तं तुदुष्करम् । युद्धाय निर्ययुः शीघ्रं दंशिताः शस्त्रपाणयः
They too, having heard the goddess's words, spoken by Shankara and difficult to endure, quickly went out for battle, their hands gripping weapons.
तरसा रणमागत्य चण्डिकां प्रति दानवाः । निर्जघ्नुश्च शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः कर्णाकृष्टैः शिलाशितैः
With force, the Danavas came to the battlefield against Chandika and struck her with sharp arrows drawn to the ear, tipped with stone.
कालिका शूलपातैस्तान् गदाशक्तिविदारितान् । कुर्वन्ती व्यचरत्तत्र भक्षयन्ती च दानवान्
Kālikā moved about there, striking them down with her trident and crushing them with her mace and spear, devouring the Dānavas.
कमण्डलुजलाक्षेपगतप्राणान् महाबलान् । ब्रह्माणी चाकरोत्तत्र दानवान्समराङ्गणे
Brahmāṇī, by sprinkling water from her water-pot, took the life of those mighty Dānavas there on the battlefield.
माहेश्वरी वृषारूढा त्रिशूलेनातिरंहसा । जघान दानवान्संख्ये पातयामास भूतले
Māheśvarī, mounted on a bull, struck down Dānavas in the battle with her trident at great speed, casting them to the ground.
वैष्णवी चक्रपातेन गदापातेन दानवान् । गतप्राणांश्चकाराशु चोत्तमाङ्गविवर्जितान्
Vaiṣṇavī, by hurling her discus and mace, swiftly made the Dānavas lifeless and severed their heads.
ऐन्द्री वज्रप्रहारेण पातयामास भूतले । ऐरावतकराघातपीडितान्दैत्यपुङ्गवान्
Aindrī, with the blow of her thunderbolt, cast the foremost Daityas to the ground, crushing them with the strike of Airāvata's trunk.
वाराही तुण्डघातेन दंष्ट्राग्रपातनेन च । जघान क्रोधसंयुक्ता शतशो दैत्यदानवान्
Vārāhī, filled with wrath, struck hundreds of Daityas and Dānavas with the blow of her snout and the fall of her sharp tusks.
नारसिंही नखैस्तीव्रैर्दारितान्दैत्यपुङ्गवान् । भक्षयन्ती चचाराजौ ननाद च मुहुर्मुहुः
Nārasiṃhī tore apart the foremost Daityas with her fierce claws, roaming the battlefield devouring them and roaring again and again.
शिवदूती अट्टहासैः पातयामास भूतले । तांश्चखादाथ चामुण्डा कालिका च त्वरान्विता
Śivadūtī, with loud laughter, cast them to the ground; then Cāmuṇḍā and Kālikā, swift in action, devoured them.
शिखिसंस्था च कौमारी कर्णाकृष्टैः शिलाशितैः । निजघान रणे शत्रून्देवानां च हिताय वै
Kaumārī, stationed on a peacock, slew the enemies in battle for the sake of the gods, using sharp stones drawn to her ear.
वारुणी पाशसम्बद्धान्दैत्यान्समरमस्तके । पातयामास तत्पृष्ठे मूर्च्छितान्गतचेतनान्
Vāruṇī, with her noose, bound the Daityas at the height of battle, casting them behind her, unconscious and deprived of sense.
एवं मातृगणेनाजावतिवीर्यपराक्रमम् । मर्दितं दानवं सैन्यं पलायनपरं ह्यभूत्
Thus, by the host of Mothers, the army of Dānavas, though full of strength and valor, was crushed in battle and turned to flight.
बुम्बारवस्तु सुमहानभूत्तत्र बलार्णवे । पुष्पवृष्टिं तदा देवाश्चक्रुर्देव्या गणोपरि
A tremendous tumult arose there in that ocean of forces; then the gods showered flowers upon the Goddess and her hosts.
तच्छ्रुत्वा निनदं घोरं जयशब्दं च दानवाः । रक्तबीजश्चुकोपाशु दृष्ट्वा दैत्यान्पलायितान्
Hearing that dreadful roar and the cry of victory, Raktabīja grew angry, seeing the Daityas fleeing.
गर्जमानांस्तथा देवान्वीक्ष्य दैत्यो महाबलः । रक्तबीजस्तु तेजस्वी रणमभ्याययौ तदा
Observing the gods roaring and the Daityas in flight, the mighty Raktabīja, full of energy, then advanced to the battle.
सायुधो रथसंविष्टः कुर्वञ्ज्याशब्दमद्भुतम् । आजगाम तदा देवीं क्रोधरक्तेक्षणोद्यतः
Armed and seated in his chariot, making a wondrous twang with his bowstring, he approached the Goddess, his eyes red with rage.
देव्यासह युद्धकरणाय निशुम्भप्रयाणम् व्यास उवाच वरदानमिदं तस्य दानवस्य शिवार्पितम् । अत्यद्भुततरं राजञ्छ्रुणु तत्प्रब्रवीम्यहम्
Vyāsa said: Listen, O King, to the extraordinary boon granted to that Dānava by Śiva; I shall now tell you of it.