यो मां जयति संग्रामे यो मे दर्पं व्यपोहति । यो मे प्रतिबलो लोके स मे भर्ता भविष्यति
Whoever defeats me in battle, whoever dispels my pride, whoever stands as my equal in the world—he shall become my husband.
तदागच्छतु शुम्भो ऽत्र निशुम्भो वा महासुरः । मां जित्वा किं चिरेणात्र पाणि गृह्णातु मे लघु
Let Shumbha or Nishumbha, the great demon, come here; having conquered me, why delay? Let him quickly take my hand.
अवलिप्तासि मैवं त्वं देवि ब्रूहि ममाग्रतः । त्रैलोक्ये कः पुमांस्तिष्ठेदग्रे शुम्भनिशुम्भयोः
You are arrogant, O Devi; speak before me—who in the three worlds could stand against Shumbha and Nishumbha?
अन्येषामपि दैत्यानां सर्वे देवा न वै युधि । तिष्ठन्ति संमुखे देवि किं पुनः स्त्री त्वमेकिका
Even all the gods and other demons do not stand face to face with them in battle, O Devi; how then, as a woman alone, will you?
इन्द्राद्याः सकला देवास्तस्थुर्येषां न संयुगे । शुम्भादीनां कथं तेषां स्त्री प्रयास्यसि संमुखम्
All the gods, including Indra, have retreated from battle with Shumbha and his kind; how will you, a woman, go forth alone against them?
सा त्वं गच्छ मयैवोक्ता पार्श्वं शुम्भनिशुम्भयोः । केशाकर्षणनिर्धूतगौरवा मा गमिष्यसि
Go, as I have told you, to the side of Shumbha and Nishumbha; you will not go, shaken from your dignity by hair-pulling.
एवमेतद् बली शुम्भो निशुम्भश्चातिवीर्यवान् । किं करोमि प्रतिज्ञा मे यदनालोचिता पुरा
Thus it is: Shumbha is powerful, and Nishumbha is exceedingly mighty. What can I do? I made a promise before, without considering this.
स त्वं गच्छ मयोक्तं ते यदेतत्सर्वमादृतः । तदाचक्ष्वासुरेन्द्राय स च युक्तं करोतु तत्
So you go, as I have told you, and respectfully convey all this to the lord of the asuras. Let him act accordingly.
इत्याकर्ण्य वचो देव्याः स दूतो ऽमर्षपूरितः । समाचष्ट समागम्य दैत्यराजाय विस्तरात्
Hearing the words of the Goddess, the messenger, filled with indignation, went and reported everything in detail to the king of the demons.
तस्य दूतस्य तद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्यासुरराट् ततः । सक्रोधः प्राह दैत्यानामधिपं धूम्रलोचनम्
Upon hearing the messenger's words, the king of the asuras, with anger, addressed Dhūmralocana, the chief of the demons.
हे धूम्रलोचनाशु त्वं स्वसैन्यपरिवारितः । तामानय बलाद् दुष्टां केशाकर्षणविह्वलाम्
O Dhūmralocana, quickly go, surrounded by your own army, and bring that wicked woman here by force, dragging her by the hair if she resists.
तत्परित्राणदः कश्चिद्यदि वोत्तिष्ठते ऽपरः । स हन्तव्यो ऽमरो वापि यक्षो गन्धर्व एव वा
If anyone else rises to protect her, whether immortal, yaksha, or gandharva, he must be slain.
तेनाज्ञप्तस्ततः शीघ्रं स दैत्यो धूम्रलोचनः । वृतः पष्ट्या सहस्राणामसुराणां द्रुतं ययो
Then, commanded by him, that demon Dhumralochana swiftly set out, surrounded by thousands of asuras, and advanced quickly.
न चेत्प्रीत्याद्य भवती मद्भर्तारमुपैष्यति । ततो बलान्नयाम्येष केशाकर्षणविह्वलाम्
If today, out of affection, you do not approach my master, then by force I will take you, your hair seized and you distressed.
दैत्येश्वरेण प्रहितो बलवान् बलसंवृतः । बलान्नयसि मामेवं ततः किं ते करोम्यहम्
Sent by the lord of the daityas, powerful and accompanied by force, if you take me away by force, then what can I do to you?
इत्युक्तः सो ऽभ्यधावत्तामसुरो धूम्रलोचनः । हुङ्कारेणैव तं भस्म सा चकाराम्बिका ततः
Thus addressed, that asura Dhumralochana rushed at her; but with a mere roar, Ambika reduced him to ashes.
अथ क्रुद्धं महासैन्यमसुराणां तथाम्बिका । ववर्ष सायकैस्तीक्ष्णैस्तथा शक्तिपरश्वधैः
Then Ambika showered the great army of asuras, who were enraged, with sharp arrows, as well as spears and axes.
ततो धुतसटः कोपात् कृत्वा नादं सुभैरवम् । पपातासुरसेनायां सिंहो देव्याः स्ववाहनः
Then, shaking his mane in anger and making a most terrifying roar, the lion, the Devi’s own mount, leapt into the army of the asuras.
कांश्चित् करप्रहारेण दैत्यानास्येन चापरान् । आक्रम्य चाधरेणान्यान् स जघान महासुरान्
Some of the great demons he struck with his paws, others with his mouth; and seizing yet others with his lower jaw, he killed them.
केषाञ्चित् पाटयामास नखैः कोष्ठानि केसरी । तथा तलप्रिहारेण शिरांसि कृतवान् पृथक्
The lion tore open the bellies of some with his claws, and with blows of his paw, he severed the heads of others.
विच्छिन्नबाहुशिरसः सृतास्तेन तथापरे । पपौ च रुधिरं कोष्ठादन्येषां धुतकेसरः
Some, whose arms and heads were cut off by him, fell down; and the lion, shaking his mane, drank the blood from the bellies of others.
क्षणेन तद्बलं सर्वं क्षयं नीतं महात्मना । तेन केसरिणा देव्या वाहनेनातिकोपिना
In a moment, that lion—Devi’s furious mount—destroyed all that army completely.
श्रुत्वा तमसुरं देव्या निहतं धूम्रलोचनम् । बलं च क्षयितं कृत्स्त्रं देवीकेसरिणा ततः
Hearing that the demon Dhumralocana had been slain by the Devi, and that his entire force had been annihilated by the lion,
चुकोप दैत्याधिपतिः शुम्भः प्रस्फुरिताधरः । आज्ञापयामास च तौ चण्डमुण्डौ महासुरौ
The lord of the demons, Shumbha, lips quivering with rage, became furious and ordered the two great demons, Chanda and Munda.
हे चण्ड हे मुण्ड बलैर्बहुभिः परिवारितौ । तत्र गच्छत गत्वा च सा समानीयतां लघु
O Caṇḍa, O Muṇḍa, surrounded by your many forces, go there; having gone, quickly bring her here.
केशेष्वाकृष्य बद्ध्वा वा यदि वः संशयो युधि । तदाशेषायुधैः सर्वैरसुरैर्विनिहन्यताम्
Seize her by the hair and bind her, or if you have any doubt in battle, let all the asuras kill her with every weapon.
तस्यां हतायां दुष्टायां सिंहे च विनिपातिते । शीघ्रमागम्यतां बद्ध्वा गृहीत्वा तामथाम्बिकाम्
When that wicked one is slain, and the lion is also destroyed, quickly come back, having bound and captured that Ambikā.
आज्ञप्तास्ते ततो दैत्याश्चण्डमुण्डपुरोगमाः । चतुरङ्गबलोपेता ययुरभ्युद्यतायुधाः
Then, commanded thus, the daityas, led by Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa, equipped with fourfold armies and weapons raised, advanced.
ददृशुस्ते ततो देवीमीषद्धासां व्यवस्थिताम् । सिंहस्योपरि शैलेन्द्रशृङ्गे महति काञ्चने
There they saw the Goddess, standing with a slight smile, upon a great golden peak of the king of mountains, above the lion.
ते दृष्ट्वा तां समादातुमुद्यमं चक्रुरुद्यताः । आकृष्टचापासिधरास्तथान्ये सत्समीपगाः
Seeing her, they prepared to seize her, drawing their bows and brandishing swords, while others stood close by.