गच्छध्वं पामरा यूयं पातालं वा जलार्णवम् । जीविताशां स्थिरां कृत्वा त्यक्त्वात्रैवायुधानि च
"Go, you wretches, to Pātāla or into the ocean; fix your hope on life, and here and now lay down your weapons."
अथवा मच्छराघातहतप्राणा रणाजिरे । प्राप्य स्वर्गसुखं सर्वे क्रीडन्तु विगतज्वराः
"Or, if you are struck down by my arrows and lose your lives on the battlefield, then all of you, freed from suffering, may attain the happiness of heaven and play there."
कातरत्वं च शूरत्वं न भवत्येव सर्वथा । ददाम्यभयदानं वै यान्तु सर्वे यथासुखम्
"Cowardice and heroism do not always arise; I grant you the boon of fearlessness—let all depart as they wish."
व्यास उवाच इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्या निशुम्भो मदगर्वितः । निशितं खड्गमादाय चर्म चैवाष्टचन्द्रकम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing her words, Niśumbha, swollen with pride, seized his sharp sword and his shield adorned with eight moons.
धावमानस्तु तरसासिना सिंहं मदोत्कटम् । जघानातिबलान्मूर्ध्नि भ्रामयञ्जगदम्बिकाम्
Rushing swiftly with his sword, he struck the fierce, intoxicated lion on the head, whirling as he confronted the Mother of the Universe.
ततो देवी स्वगदया वञ्चयित्वासिपातनम् । ताडयामास तं बाहोर्मूले परशुना तदा
Then the Goddess, evading the blow of his sword with her mace, struck him at the root of his arm with her axe.
खड्गेन निहतः सोऽपि बाहुमूले महामदः । संस्तभ्य वेदनां भूयो जघान चण्डिकां तदा
Though struck at the root of his arm by the sword, the greatly arrogant one suppressed his pain and again attacked Caṇḍikā.
सापि घण्टास्वनं घोरं चकार भयदं नृणाम् । पपौ पुनः पुनः पानं निशुम्भं हन्तुमिच्छती
She then made a terrible, fearsome sound with her bell, terrifying to men, and drank again and again, desiring to slay Niśumbha.
एवं परस्परं युद्धं बभूवातिभयप्रदम् । देवानां दानवानाञ्च परस्परजयैषिणाम्
Thus, a mutual battle arose, exceedingly dreadful, between the gods and the Dānavas, each seeking victory over the other.
पलादाः पक्षिणः क्रूराः सारमेयाश्च जम्बुकाः । ननृतुश्चातिसन्तुष्टा गृध्राः कङ्काश्च वायसाः
Flesh-eating birds, cruel jackals, wild dogs, and vultures, crows, and kites danced in great delight.
रणभूर्भाति भूयिष्ठपतितासुरवर्ष्मकैः । रुधिरस्रावसंयुक्तैर्गजाश्वदेहसंकुला
The battlefield shone, covered mostly with the bodies of fallen Asuras, mingled with streams of blood, and crowded with the carcasses of elephants and horses.
पतितान्दानवान्दृष्ट्वा निशुम्भोऽतिरुषान्वितः । प्रययौ चण्डिकां तूर्णं गदामादाय दारुणाम्
Seeing the fallen Dānavas, Niśumbha, filled with intense rage, quickly advanced on Caṇḍikā, seizing his dreadful mace.
सिंहं जघान गदया मस्तके मदगर्वितः । प्रहृत्य च स्मितं कृत्वा पुनर्देवीमताडयत्
Mad with pride, he struck the lion on the head with his mace and, after delivering the blow and smiling, again attacked the Goddess.
सापि तं कुपितातीव निशुम्भं पुरतः स्थितम् । प्रहरन्तं समीक्ष्याथ देवी वचनमब्रवीत्
Seeing Niśumbha, furious and standing before her, striking out, the Goddess then spoke these words.
देव्युवाच तिष्ठ मन्दमते तावद्यावत्खड्गमिदं तव । ग्रीवायां प्रेरयाम्यस्माद् गन्तासि यमसादनम्
The Goddess said: 'Stop, you fool, until I drive this sword into your neck; then you will go to the abode of Yama.'
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा तरसा देवी कृपाणेन समाहिता । चिच्छेद मस्तकं तस्य निशुम्भस्याथ चण्डिका
Vyāsa said: Having spoken thus, the Goddess, resolute, swiftly cut off Niśumbha’s head with her sword.
सच्छिन्नमस्तको देव्या कबन्धोऽतीव दारुणः । बभ्राम च गदापाणिस्त्रासयन्देवतागणान्
Though his head was severed by the Goddess, the dreadful headless trunk, mace in hand, wandered about, terrifying the hosts of gods.
देवी तस्य शितैर्बाणैश्चिच्छेद चरणौ करौ । पपातोर्व्यां ततः पापी गतासुः पर्वतोपमः
The Goddess cut off his feet and hands with sharp arrows; then the wicked one, lifeless and mountain-like, fell to the ground.
तस्मिन्निपतिते दैत्ये निशुम्भे भीमविक्रमे । हाहाकारो महानासीत्तत्सैन्ये भयकम्पिते
When the mighty Niśumbha, the demon, fell, a great cry of distress arose in his army, trembling with fear.
त्यक्त्वाऽऽयुधानि सर्वाणि सैनिकाः क्षतजाप्लुताः । जग्मुर्बुम्बारवं सर्वे कुर्वाणा राजमन्दिरम्
Covered in blood, all the soldiers abandoned their weapons and, making a tumultuous noise, fled to the royal palace.
तानागतान्सुसम्प्रेक्ष्य शुम्भः शत्रुनिषूदनः । पप्रच्छ क्व निशुम्भोऽसौ कथं भग्नाः पलायिताः ॥ ४२ तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं राज्ञस्ते प्रोचुः प्रणता भृशम् । राजंस्ते निहतो भ्राता शेते समरमूर्धनि
Seeing them arrive, Śumbha, destroyer of enemies, asked, 'Where is Niśumbha? How were you defeated and made to flee?'
तया निपातिताः शूरा ये च तेऽप्यनुजानुगाः । वयं त्वां कथितुं सर्वं वृत्तान्तं समुपागताः
Those warriors, deeply bowed, replied upon hearing the king’s words: 'O King, your brother has been slain and lies on the battlefield.'
निशुम्भो निहतस्तत्र तया चण्डिकयाधुना । न हि युद्धस्य कालोऽद्य तव राजन् रणाङ्गणे
The heroes who followed him have also been struck down by her; we have come to tell you all that has happened.
देवकार्यं समुद्दिश्य कापीयं परमाङ्गना । हन्तुं दैत्यकुलं नूनं प्राप्तेति परिचिन्तय
Niśumbha has just been killed by Caṇḍikā; today is not the time for you to fight in the arena of battle, O King.
नैषा प्राकृतयोषैव देवी शक्तिरनुत्तमा । अचिन्त्यचरिता क्वापि दुर्ज्ञेया दैवतैरपि
Reflect that the supreme Goddess has come, intent on the gods’ purpose, to destroy the demon clan.
नानारूपधरातीव मायामूलविशारदा । विचित्रभूषणा देवी सर्वायुधधरा शुभा
She is not an ordinary woman; the Goddess is the highest power, her deeds unfathomable, difficult to comprehend even for the gods.
गहना गूढचरिता कालरात्रिरिवापरा । अपारपारगा पूर्णा सर्वलक्षणसंयुता
She assumes many forms, skilled in the magic of illusion, wondrously adorned, bearing all weapons, and auspicious.
अन्तरिक्षस्थिता देवास्तां स्तुवन्त्यकुतोभयाः । देवकार्यञ्च कुर्वाणां श्रीदेवीं परमाद्भुताम्
Profound and secret in her ways, like another Kālarātri, boundless and complete, endowed with all marks.
पलायनं परो धर्मः सर्वथा देहरक्षणम् । रक्षिते किल देहेस्मिन्कालेऽस्मत्सुखताङ्गते
The gods, fearless, praise her as she stands in the sky, performing the gods’ work, the wondrous Goddess.
संग्रामे विजयो राजन् भविता ते न संशयः । कालः करोति बलिनं समये निर्बलं क्वचित्
Flight is the highest duty, always, for the protection of the body; when the body is preserved, happiness remains for us.