Varaha Purana

तथैव योधाः स्थगितेतरेतरा - स्तितीर्षवः प्रवरास्तूर्णपाणयः । रणे रणे लब्धजयाः प्रहारिणो विरेजुरुच्चैरसुरानुगा भृशम् ।। ९५.

Likewise, the warriors, closely arrayed and eager to cross over, foremost and swift-handed, victorious in battle after battle, shone greatly as followers of the asuras.

देवेषु चैव भग्नेषु विनिर्गत्य जलात् ततः । चतुरङ्गबलोपेतः प्रायादिन्द्रपुरं प्रति ।। ९५.

And when the gods were defeated, that army, equipped with fourfold forces, emerged from the water and advanced towards the city of Indra.

युयोध च सूरैः सार्द्धं रुरुर्दैत्यपतिस्तथा । मुद्गरैर्मुशलैः शूलैः शरैर्दण्डायुधैस्तथा । जघ्नुर्दैत्याः सुरान् संख्ये सुराश्चैव तथाऽसुरान् ।। ९५.

The lord of the daityas, Ruru, fought together with his heroes, using maces, clubs, spears, arrows, and staff-weapons; the daityas struck the gods in battle, and the gods likewise struck the asuras.

एवं क्षणमथो युद्धं तदा देवाः सवासवाः । असुरैर्निर्जिताः सद्यो दुद्रुवुर्विमुखा भृशम् ।। ९५.

Thus, after a moment of battle, the gods along with Indra were suddenly defeated by the asuras and fled in great disarray.

देवेषु चैव भग्नेषु विद्रुतेषु विशेषतः । असुरः सर्वदेवानामन्वधावत वीर्यवान् ।। ९५.

When the gods were broken and especially scattered, the mighty asura pursued all the gods.

ततो देवगणाः सर्वे द्रवन्तो भयविह्वलाः । नीलं गिरिवरं जग्मुर्यत्र देवी व्यवस्थिता ।। ९५.

Then all the hosts of gods, fleeing and overwhelmed by fear, went to the great blue mountain where the goddess was present.

ौद्री तपोरता देवी तामसी शक्तिरुत्तमा । संहारकारिणी देवी कालरात्रीति तां विदुः ।। ९५.

That goddess, devoted to austerities, fierce, and of supreme power, the destroyer, is known as Kalaratri.

सा दृष्ट्वा तान् तदा देवान् भयत्रस्तान् विचेतसः । मा भैष्टेत्युच्चकैर्देवी तानुवाच सुरोत्तमान् ।। ९५.

Seeing those gods then, terrified and bewildered by fear, the goddess loudly spoke to those best of gods, 'Do not be afraid.'

देव्युवाच । किमियं व्याकुला देवा गतिर्व उपलक्ष्यते । कथयध्वं द्रुतं देवाः सर्वथा भयकारणम् ।। ९५.

The goddess said: 'Why are you so troubled, O gods? What danger is seen? Quickly tell me, O gods, the cause of your fear.'

देवा ऊचुः । अयमायाति दैत्येन्द्रो रुरुर्भीमपराक्रमः । एतस्य भीतान् रक्षस्व त्वं देवान् परमेश्वरि ।। ९५.

The gods said: 'This king of the daityas, Ruru, of terrible might, is coming. Protect these frightened gods, O supreme goddess.'

एवमुक्ता तदा देवैर्देवी भीमपराक्रमा । जहास परया प्रीत्या देवानां पुरतः शुभा ।। ९५.

Thus addressed by the gods, the goddess of terrible power, beautiful, laughed with great delight before the gods.

तस्या हसन्त्या वक्त्रात् तु बह्व्यो देव्यो विनिर्ययुः । याभिर्विश्वमिदं व्याप्तं विकृताभिरनेकशः ।। ९५.

As she laughed, many goddesses emerged from her mouth, by whom this whole world is pervaded, taking on many fierce forms.

पाशाङ्कुशधराः सर्वाः सर्वाः पीनपयोधराः । सर्वाः शूलधरा भीमाः सर्वाश्चापधराः शुभाः ।। ९५.

All of them held nooses and goads, all had full breasts, all bore spears and were terrifying, and all were beautiful archers.

ताः सर्वाः कोटिशो देव्यस्तां देवीं वेष्ट्य संस्थिताः । युयुधुदर्निवैः सार्द्धं बद्धतूणा महाबलाः । क्षणेन दानवबलं तत्सर्वं निहतं तु तैः ।। ९५.

All those goddesses, numbering in the millions, surrounded that Goddess and stood firm; together, possessing great might and armed with bows, they fought with the armies of the demons, and in a moment, all the demon forces were destroyed by them.

देवाश्च सर्वे संयत्ता युयुधुर्दानवं बलम् । आदित्या वसवो रुद्रा विश्वेदेवास्तथाश्विनौ । सर्वे शस्त्राणि संगृह्य युयुधुर्दानवं बलम् ।। ९५.

And all the gods, having assembled, fought against the army of the demons—the Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Visvedevas, and the Ashvins—all took up weapons and battled the demon forces.

कालरात्र्या बलं यच्च यच्च देवबलं महत् । तत्सर्वं दानवबलमनयद् यमसादनम् ।। ९५.

Whatever power belonged to Kalaratri and whatever great strength the gods possessed, all of it drove the demon army to the abode of Yama (death).

एक एव महादैत्यो रुरुस्तस्थौ महामृधे । स च मायां महारौद्रीं रौरवीं विससर्ज ह ।। ९५.

Only one great demon, Ruru, remained standing in the mighty battle; and he unleashed a most terrible and fearsome illusion.

सा माया ववृधे भीमा सर्वदेवप्रमोहिनी । तया तु मोहिता देवाः सद्यो निद्रां तु भेजिरे ।। ९५.

That illusion grew immense and dreadful, deluding all the gods; and under its spell, the gods immediately fell into sleep.

देवी च त्रिशिखेनाजौ तं दैत्यं समताड्यत् । तया तु ताडितान्तस्य दैत्यस्य शुभलोचने । चर्ममुण्डे उभे सम्यक् पृथग्भूते बभूवतुः ।। ९५.

But the Goddess, with her trident on the battlefield, struck that demon; and from the demon, thus struck by her, two beings—Charma and Munda—emerged, separate and distinct.

रुरोस्तु दानवेन्द्रस्य चर्ममुण्डे क्षणाद् यतः । अपहृत्याहरद् देवी चामुण्डा तेन साभवत् ।। ९५.

From Ruru, the lord of the demons, Charma and Munda instantly arose; and the Goddess, having taken them, became known as Chamunda.

सर्वभूतमहारौद्री या देवी परमेश्वरी । संहारिणी तु या चैव कालरात्रिः प्रकीर्तिता ।। ९५.

That Goddess, the supreme ruler, who is the most terrible among all beings, the destroyer, and who is called Kalaratri—

तस्या ह्यनुचरा देव्यो या ह्यसंख्यातकोटयः । तास्तां देवीं महाभागां परिवार्य व्यवस्थिताः ।। ९५.

Her attendants, the goddesses, numbering countless millions, surrounded that highly fortunate Goddess and stood by her.

या क्यामासुरव्यग्रास्तास्तां देवीं बुभुक्षिताः । बुभुक्षिता वयं देवि देहि नो भोजनं शुभे ।। ९५.

Those who were eager for demon flesh, those hungry ones, addressed the Goddess: 'We are hungry, O auspicious one; give us food, O Goddess.'

एवमुक्ता तदा देवी दध्यौ तासां तु भोजनम् । न चाध्यगच्छच्च यदा तासां भोजनमन्तिकात् ।। ९५.

Thus addressed, the Goddess contemplated food for them; but she could not find anything suitable nearby to give them.

ततो दध्यौ महादेवं रुद्रं पशुपतिं विभुम् । सोऽपि ध्यानात् समुत्तस्थौ परमात्मा त्रिलोचनः ।। ९५.

Then she meditated upon Mahadeva, Rudra, the lord of creatures, the all-pervading one; and he, too, arose from meditation, the supreme self, the three-eyed one.

उवाच च द्रुतं देवीं किं ते कार्यं विवक्षितम् । ब्रूहि देवि वरारोहे यत् ते मनसि वर्त्तते ।। ९५.

He quickly spoke to the Goddess: 'What task do you wish to accomplish? Speak, O beautiful one, tell me what is on your mind.'

देव्युवाच । भक्ष्यार्थमासां देवेश किञ्चिद् दातुमिहार्हसि । बलात्कुर्वन्ति मामेता भक्षार्थिन्यो महाबलाः । अन्यथा मामपि बलाद् भक्षयिष्यन्ति मां प्रभो ।। ९५.

The Goddess said: 'O lord of the gods, you should give something here for these ones to eat; these mighty ones are forcefully demanding food from me. Otherwise, O lord, they will forcibly devour even me.'

रुद्र उवाच । एतासां श्रृणु देवेशि भक्षमेकं मयोद्यतम् । कथ्यमानं वरारोहे कालरात्रि महाप्रभे ।। ९५.

Rudra said: 'Hear from me, O queen of the gods, of one food I have prepared for them. Listen as I declare it, O beautiful one, O Kalaratri, O greatly radiant.'

या स्त्री सगर्भा देवेशि अन्यस्त्रीपरिधानकम् । परिधत्ते स्पृशेच्चापि पुरुषस्य विशेषतः ।। ९५.

Any woman who, while pregnant, wears the clothing of another woman, or puts it on, or even touches it—especially that of a man—