पप्रच्छ विस्मयाद्देवी प्रोत्फुल्लांबुजलोचना। पृष्ठतो वो न पश्यामि भयं किंचिदुपागतम्
The goddess, her eyes wide as blossoming lotuses, asked in astonishment, 'I do not see any danger approaching from behind you.'
कथं तु विद्रुता देवाः सर्वे शक्रपुरःसराः। देवा ऊचुः। अयमायाति दैत्येंद्रो रुरुर्भीमपराक्रमः
‘Then why are all the gods, with Indra at their head, fleeing?’ The gods said: ‘Here comes the lord of the daityas, Ruru, of terrible might.’
चतुरंगेण सैन्येन महता परिवारितः। तस्माद्दीना वयं देवीं भवतीं शरणं गताः
‘Surrounded by a great fourfold army, he advances; therefore, O goddess, we, distressed, have come to seek your refuge.’
देवानामिति वै श्रुत्वा वाक्यमुच्चैर्जहास सा। तस्यां हसंत्यां निश्चेरुर्वरांग्यो वदनात्ततः
Hearing the words of the gods, she laughed aloud; as she laughed, splendid women emerged from her mouth.
पाशांकुशधराः सर्वाः पीनोन्नतपयोधराः। सर्वाश्शूलधरा भीमाः सर्वा दंष्ट्राङ्कुशाननाः
All of them bore nooses and goads, with full, high breasts; all held tridents, were fearsome, and had faces with fangs and goads.
आबद्धमकुटाः सर्वाः संदष्टदशनच्छदाः। फूत्काररावैरशिवैस्त्रासयंत्यश्चराचरम्
All wore crested crowns, their teeth clenched and bared; with unholy roars and shouts, they terrified all beings, moving and unmoving.
काश्चिच्छुक्लाम्बरधराः काश्चिच्चित्राम्बरास्तथा। सुनीलवसनाः काश्चिद्रक्तपानातिलालसाः
Some wore white garments, some wore varied clothes; some were dressed in deep blue, others were eager for the taste of blood.
नानारूपैर्मुखैस्तास्तु नानावेषवपुर्धराः। ताभिरेवं वृता देवी देवानामभयंकरी
They had faces of many forms, bodies of many appearances; surrounded by them, the goddess became the giver of safety to the gods.
मा भैष्ट देवा भद्रं वो यावद्वदति दानवः। चतुरंगबलोपेतो रुरुस्तावत्समागतः
‘Do not fear, gods—may good befall you!’ she said, but even as she spoke, Ruru, equipped with a fourfold force, arrived.
तं नीलपर्वतवरं देवानां मार्गमार्गणः। देवानामग्रतः सैन्यं दृष्ट्वा देवी समाकुलम्
That best of blue mountains, the path and refuge of the gods, was approached by the goddess; seeing the gods’ army in confusion before her,
तिष्ठतिष्ठेति जल्पंतो दैत्यास्ते समुपागताः। ततः प्रववृते युद्धं तासां तेषां महाभयम्
The daityas came up, shouting ‘Stop! Stop!’ Then a terrible battle began between those women and them.
नाराचैर्भिन्नदेहानां दैत्यानां भुवि सर्पतां। रोषाद्दंडप्रभग्नानां सर्पाणामिव सर्पताम्
On the earth lay daityas with bodies pierced by arrows, writhing like snakes whose backs had been broken in anger.
शक्तिनिर्भिन्नहृदया गदासंचूर्णितोरसः। कुठारैर्भिन्नशिरसो मुसलैर्भिन्नमस्तकाः
Some had hearts split by spears, chests crushed by maces, heads cleaved by axes, and skulls shattered by clubs.
विद्धोदरास्त्रिशूलाग्रैश्छिन्नग्रीवा वरासिभिः। क्षताश्वरथमातंगपादाताः पेतुराहवे
Some had bellies pierced by tridents, necks severed by excellent swords; wounded horses, chariots, elephants, and foot soldiers fell in the battle.
रणभूमिं समासाद्य दैत्याः सर्वे रुरुं विना। ततो बलं हतं दृष्ट्वा रुरुर्मायां तदाददे
When all the Daityas, except Ruru, entered the battlefield, Ruru, seeing his army slain, resorted to his magic.
तया संमोहिता देव्यो देवाश्चापि रणाजिरे। तामस्या मायया देव्या सर्वमन्धंतमोभवत्
By that illusion, both the goddesses and the gods on the field of battle were bewildered; by the dark magic of the goddess, everything became enveloped in deep darkness.
ततो देवी महाशक्या तं दैत्यं समताडयत्। तया तु ताडितस्याजौ दैत्यस्य प्रगतं तमः
Then the great and powerful goddess struck that Daitya; when he was struck in battle by her, the darkness departed from the Daitya.
मायायामथ नष्टायां तामस्यां दानवो रुरुः। पातालमाविशत्तूर्णं तत्रापि परमेश्वरी
When that dark illusion was destroyed, the Dānava Ruru swiftly entered Pātāla, and even there, the Supreme Goddess was present.
देवीभिः सहिता क्रुद्धा पुरतोभिमुखी स्थिता। रुरोस्तु दानवेंद्रस्य भीतस्याग्रे गतस्य च
Together with the goddesses, angry, she stood before him, facing him directly—before Ruru, the lord of the Dānavas, who was frightened and had gone ahead.
नखाग्रेण शिरश्छित्वा चर्म चादाय वेगिता। निष्पपाताथ पातालात्पुष्करं च पुनर्गिरिम्
With the tip of her nail she severed his head, seized his skin with speed, and then emerged from Pātāla, going again to Puṣkara mountain.
कन्या सैन्येन महता बहुरूपेण भास्वता। देवैस्तुविस्मितैर्दृष्टा चर्ममुंडधरा रुरोः
The maiden, with a great and radiant army of many forms, was seen by the astonished gods, bearing the skin and head of Ruru.
स्वकीये तपसः स्थाने निविष्टा परमेश्वरी। ततो देव्यो महाभागाः परिवार्य व्यवस्थिताः
The Supreme Goddess, having taken her place at her own seat of penance, was then surrounded and attended by the illustrious goddesses.
याचयामासुरव्यग्रास्तां तु देवीं बुभुक्षिताः। बुभुक्षिता वयं देवि देहि नो भोजनं वरम्
Eager and hungry, the goddesses began to beg that goddess: 'We are hungry, O Goddess, grant us the boon of food.'
एवमुक्त्वा ततो देवी दध्यौ तासां तु भोजनम्। नाध्यगच्छत्तदा तासां भोजनं चिन्तितम्महत्
Having thus spoken, the goddess meditated on food for them; but she could not find any suitable food for them, though she pondered greatly.
तदा दध्यौ महादेवं रुद्रं पशुपतिं विभुम्। सोपि ध्यानात्समुत्तस्थौ परमात्मा त्रिलोचनः1.31.
Then she meditated on Mahādeva, Rudra, the Lord of Creatures, the mighty one; and from meditation, the Supreme Self, the three-eyed one, arose.
उवाच रुद्रस्तां देवीं किं ते कार्यं विवक्षितम्। ब्रूहि देवि महामाये यत्ते मनसि वर्तते
Rudra spoke to that goddess: 'What task do you wish to accomplish? Speak, O Goddess, great enchantress, whatever is in your mind.'
शिवदूत्युवाच। छागमध्ये तु वै देव छागरूपेण वर्तसे। एतास्त्वां भक्षयिष्यन्ति भक्ष्यमीप्सितमादरात्
The emissary of Śiva said: 'O God, you dwell among the goats, taking the form of a goat; these goddesses will devour you as their desired food, with reverence.'
भक्षार्थमासां देवेश किंचिद्दातुमिहार्हसि। शूलीकुर्वंति मामेता भक्षार्थिन्यो महाबलाः
'O Lord of gods, for their food you should give something here; these mighty ones, desiring food, threaten me with their tridents.'
अन्यथा मामपि बलाद्भक्षयेयुर्बुभुक्षिताः। एवं मां तु समालक्ष्य भक्ष्यं कल्पय सत्वरम्
'Otherwise, these hungry ones might forcibly devour me as well; therefore, seeing me, quickly provide suitable food.'
रुद्र उवाच। शिवदूति ब्रवीम्येकं प्रवृत्तं यद्युगांतरे। गंगाद्वारे दक्षयज्ञो गणैर्विध्वंसितो मम
Rudra said: 'Śivadūtī, I will tell you something that happened in a former age: at Gaṅgādvāra, my attendants destroyed Dakṣa's sacrifice.'