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.
तं पुनः सबलं कृत्वा जयायोपदधाति हि । दातारं याचकं कालः करोति समये क्वचित्
Time again makes him powerful and places him in victory; the donor and the beggar are sometimes exchanged by time.
भिक्षुकं धनदातारं करोति समयान्तरे । विष्णुः कालवशे नूनं ब्रह्मा वा पार्वतीपतिः
At another moment, time turns the beggar into a giver of wealth; indeed, Vishnu, Brahma, or Shiva are subject to time.
इन्द्राद्या निर्जराः सर्वे काल एव प्रभुः स्वयम् । तस्मात्कालं प्रतीक्षस्व विपरीतं तवाधुना
All the immortals, including Indra and others, are governed by time alone; therefore, wait for time, which is now unfavorable to you.
सम्मुखो देवतानाञ्च दैत्यानां नाशहेतुकः । एकैव च गतिर्नास्ति कालस्य किल भूपते
Time stands before the gods and demons as the cause of their destruction; truly, O king, there is no other path but that of time.
नानारूपधराप्यस्ति ज्ञातव्यं तस्य चेष्टितम् । कदाचित्सम्भवो नॄणां कदाचित्प्रलयस्तथा
Though time assumes many forms, its actions must be understood; sometimes it brings creation for men, sometimes dissolution.
उत्पत्तिहेतुः कालोऽन्यः क्षयहेतुस्तथापरः । प्रत्यक्षं ते महाराज देवाः सर्वे सवासवाः
One kind of time is the cause of creation, another of destruction; you see directly, O great king, all the gods with Indra.
करदास्ते कृताः पूर्वं कालेन सम्मुखेन च । तेनैव विमुखेनाद्य बलिनोऽबलयासुराः
Previously, the gods were made tribute-payers by time when it was favorable; now, by that same time turned away, the powerful demons have become weak.
निहता नितरां कालः करोति च शुभाशुभम् । नैवात्र कारणं काली नैव देवाः सनातनाः
Time utterly destroys and brings forth good and evil; neither Kali nor the eternal gods are the cause here.
यथा ते रोचते राजंस्तथा कुरु विमृश्य च । कालोऽयं नात्र हेतुस्ते दानवानां तथा पुनः
Do as you wish, O king, after considering; time is not the cause here, nor again for the demons.
त्वदग्रतो गतः शक्रो भग्नः संख्ये निरायुधः । तथा विष्णुस्तथा रुद्रो वरुणो धनदो यमः
Indra has gone before you, defeated in battle and weaponless; likewise Vishnu, likewise Rudra, Varuna, Kubera, and Yama.