व्यास उवाच एवं देवा भयोद्विग्नाश्चिन्तामापुर्महत्तराम् । यदा तदाम्बिका प्राह कालीं कमललोचनाम्
Vyasa said: Thus, when the gods were seized by great fear, they became deeply anxious. At that time, Ambika spoke to Kali, the lotus-eyed one.
चामुण्डे कुरु विस्तीर्णं वदनं त्वरिता भृशम् । मच्छस्त्रपातसम्भूतं रुधिरं पिब सत्वरा
O Camunda, quickly make your mouth wide, and eagerly drink the blood that arises from my weapons.
भक्षयन्ती चर रणे दानवानद्य कामतः । हनिष्यामि शरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्गदासिमुसलैस्तथा
Freely devour the demons on the battlefield as you wish; I will slay them with sharp arrows, as well as with mace, sword, and club.
तथा कुरु विशालाक्षि पानं तद्रुधिरस्य च । बिन्दुमात्रं यथा भूम्यां न पतेदपि साम्प्रतम्
So do this, O wide-eyed one: drink all that blood, so that not even a single drop falls to the ground at this time.
भक्ष्यमाणास्तदा दैत्या न चोत्पत्स्यन्ति चापरे । एवमेषां क्षयो नूनं भविष्यति न चान्यथा
As the demons are being devoured, no others will arise; in this way, their destruction will certainly occur and not otherwise.
घातयिष्याम्यहं दैत्यं त्वं भक्षय च सत्वरा । पिबन्ती क्षतजं सर्वं यतमानारिसंक्षये
I will strike down the demon, and you, swiftly devour, drinking all the blood as I strive to destroy the enemy.
इत्थं दैत्यक्षयं कृत्वा दत्त्वा राज्यं सुरालयम् । इन्द्राय सुस्थिरं सर्वं गमिष्यामो यथासुखम्
Thus, after destroying the demons and restoring the kingdom of the gods to Indra, we shall all depart happily as we wish.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्ताम्बिकया देवी चामुण्डा चण्डविक्रमा । पपौ च क्षतजं सर्वं रक्तबीजशरीरजम्
Vyasa said: Thus addressed by Ambika, the fiercely valiant Camunda drank all the blood from the body of Raktabija.
अम्बिका तं जघानाशु खड्गेन मुसलेन च । चखाद देहशकलांश्चामुण्डा तान्कृशोदरी
Ambika quickly struck him down with sword and club, and Camunda, the slender-waisted, devoured the pieces of his body.
सोऽपि क्रुद्धो गदाघातैश्चामुण्डां समघातयत् । तथापि सा पपावाशु क्षतजं तमभक्षयत्
Even as he, enraged, struck Camunda with his mace, still she swiftly drank his blood and devoured him.
येऽन्ये रुधिरजाः क्रूरा रक्तबीजा महाबलाः । तेऽपि निष्पातिताः सर्वे भक्षिता गतशोणिताः
All the other fierce and mighty beings born from Raktabija's blood were likewise destroyed and devoured, drained of their blood.
कृत्रिमा भक्षिताः सर्वे यस्तु स्वाभाविकोऽसुरः । सोऽपि प्रपातितो हत्वा खड्गेनातिविखण्डितः
All the artificial ones were devoured, and the original demon himself was struck down, cut to pieces with the sword.
रक्तबीजे हते रौद्रे ये चान्ये दानवा रणे । पलायनं ततः कृत्वा गतास्ते भयकम्पिताः
When the terrible Raktabija was slain, the other demons on the battlefield fled, trembling with fear.
हाहेति विब्रुवन्तस्ते शुम्भं प्रोचुः सविह्वलाः । रुथिरारक्तदेहाश्च विगतास्त्रा विचेतसः
Crying out 'Alas!' they approached Shumbha, distraught, their bodies stained with blood, weapons lost, and minds bewildered.
राजन्नम्बिकया रक्तबीजोऽसौ विनिपातितः । चामुण्डा तस्य देहात्तु पपौ सर्वं च शोणितम्
O King, by Ambika, Raktabija was struck down, and Camunda drank all the blood from his body.
ये चान्ये दानवाः शूरा वाहनेनातिरंहसा । सिंहेन निहताः सर्वे काल्या च भक्षिताः परे
And all the other heroic demons, swiftly struck down by the lion mount, were likewise devoured by Kali.
वयं त्वां कथितुं राजन्नागता युद्धचेष्टितम् । चरितञ्च तथा देव्याः संग्रामे परमाद्भुतम्
O King, we have come to tell you of the deeds in battle, and of the wondrous exploits of the Goddess in the war.
अजेयेयं महाराज सर्वथा दैत्यदानवैः । गन्धर्वासुरयक्षैश्च पन्नगोरगराक्षसैः
O great king, she is truly unconquerable by all the demon clans, as well as by Gandharvas, Asuras, Yakshas, Nagas, Uragas, and Rakshasas.
अन्यास्तत्रागता देव्य इन्द्राणीप्रमुखा भृशम् । युध्यमाना महाराज वाहनैरायुधैर्युताः
Other goddesses also arrived there, with Indrani at their head, O great king, all fiercely engaged in battle, equipped with their vehicles and weapons.
ताभिः सर्वं हतं सैन्यं दानवानां वरायुधैः । रक्तबीजोऽपि राजेन्द्र तरसा विनिपातितः
By those goddesses, all the army of the demons was destroyed with mighty weapons; even Raktabija, O king of kings, was forcefully struck down.
एकापि दुःसहा देवी किं पुनस्ताभिरन्विता । सिंहोऽपि हन्ति संग्रामे राक्षसानमितप्रभः
Even a single goddess is unbearable; what then when she is joined by these others? The lion of immeasurable splendor also slays the demons in battle.
अतो विचार्य सचिवैर्यद्युक्तं तद्विधीयताम् । न वैरमनया युक्तं सन्धिरेव सुखप्रदः
Therefore, after due consideration with your counselors, do what is appropriate; enmity with her is not fitting—only a treaty brings happiness.
आश्चर्यमेतदखिलं यन्नारी हन्ति राक्षसान् । रक्तबीजोऽपि निहतः पीतं तस्यापि शोणितम्
It is truly astonishing that a woman slays the demons; even Raktabija has been killed, and his blood has been drunk by her.
अन्ये निपातिता दैत्याः संग्रामेऽम्बिकया नृप । चामुण्डया च मांसं वै भक्षितं सकलं रणे
Other demons were also struck down in battle by Ambika, O king, and all their flesh was devoured on the battlefield by Chamunda.
वरं पातालगमनं तस्याः सेवाथवा वरा । न तु युद्धं महाराज कार्यमम्बिकया सह
It is better to go to the netherworld or to serve her, O best of kings, but not to wage war with Ambika.
न नारी प्राकृता ह्येषा देवकार्यार्थसाधिनी । मायेयं प्रबला देवी क्षपयन्तीयमुत्थिता
She is not an ordinary woman; she accomplishes the purpose of the gods. This powerful goddess, arisen here, is Maya itself, destroying all.
व्यास उवाच इति तेषां वचस्तथ्यं श्रुत्वा कालविमोहितः । मुमूर्षुः प्रत्युवाचेदं शुम्भः प्रस्फुरिताधरः
Vyasa said: Hearing these truthful words, Shumbha, deluded by time and desiring death, replied with quivering lips:
शुम्भ उवाच यूयं गच्छत पातालं शरणं वा भयातुराः । हनिष्याम्यहमद्यैव ताञ्च ताश्च समुद्यतः
Shumbha said: You may go to the netherworld or seek refuge elsewhere, terrified by fear; but I, prepared, will slay both them and those goddesses today itself.
जित्वा सर्वान्सुरानाजौ कृत्वा राज्यं सुपुष्कलम् । कथं नारीभयोद्विग्नः पातालं प्रविशाम्यहम्
Having conquered all the gods in battle and established a flourishing kingdom, how can I, disturbed by fear of a woman, enter the netherworld?
निहत्य पार्षदान्सर्वान् रक्तबीजमुखान् रणे । प्राणत्राणाय गच्छामि हित्वा किं विपुलं यशः
Having slain all the attendants, with Raktabija at their head, in battle, should I abandon great fame merely to save my life?