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मराठीहिंदीEN

Part of: श्रीदुर्गासप्तशती

दशमोऽध्यायः · शुम्भवध

Chapter 10 · The slaying of Shumbha

Durga Saptashati, chapter 10: Shumbha is slain

34 verses Audio will be added later

Source: Gita Press, Chapter 10 Scholar review pending
About this stotra

Shumbha-vadha, the slaying of Shumbha, is the tenth chapter of the Durga Saptashati, the Devi Mahatmya of the Markandeya Purana. Its colophon places it in the Savarni Manvantara section. By tradition, chapters 5 to 13 form the final episode (uttama carita), and the story of Shumbha and Nishumbha ends here.

Nishumbha fell in chapter 9. Stung by his brother's death, Shumbha taunts the Devi for leaning on others. She answers, 'In this world there is only me,' and the Matrikas all merge back into her body. Ambika then faces Shumbha alone. His weapons are cut away one by one, and the two end up wrestling in mid-air. At last she throws him to the earth and drives her trident through his chest, and the world grows calm again.

How the chapter is laid out

It opens with a meditation verse on Kameshvari. Then come 32 numbered mantras in the Gita Press count: four 'said' lines, 27 verses and a closing half-verse, followed by the colophon. References (10.1, 10.2 …) follow Gita Press.

A note on the text: some older printed editions have an extra half-verse after 10.17, aśvāṃś ca pātayām āsa rathaṃ sārathinā saha, 'she struck down his horses, and his chariot along with the charioteer'. Gita Press lacks it, and we follow Gita Press. That is why his horses and charioteer are suddenly gone at 10.18.

If you are reading it for the first time

Go slowly, one half-verse per breath. Watch these words:

  • धनुश्शर: a doubled śś; hold it for a beat.
  • युद्ध्यसे, नियुद्धं: keep ddh and ddhy clear.
  • दैत्यश्छिन्नधन्वा: the visarga has become ś; don't split it.
  • चिच्छेद: say the full cch, not 'chiched'.

The meaning on this page was written by our team directly from the Sanskrit. Whether a scholar has reviewed it is shown on the page.

ध्यानम्

ॐ उत्तप्तहेमरुचिरां रविचन्द्रवह्निनेत्रां धनुश्शरयुताङ्कुशपाशशूलम्। रम्यैर्भुजैश्च दधतीं शिवशक्तिरूपां कामेश्वरीं हृदि भजामि धृतेन्दुलेखाम्॥

oṃ uttaptahemarucirāṃ ravicandravahninetrāṃ dhanuśśarayutāṅkuśapāśaśūlam | ramyairbhujaiśca dadhatīṃ śivaśaktirūpāṃ kāmeśvarīṃ hṛdi bhajāmi dhṛtendulekhām ||

In my heart I worship Kameshvari. She glows like gold fresh from the fire. The sun, the moon and fire are her three eyes. In her lovely arms she holds a bow with arrows, a goad, a noose and a trident. She is the power of Shiva in visible form, and she wears the crescent moon.

ॐ ऋषिरुवाच॥

oṃ ṛṣiruvāca ||

Om. The sage said:

verse 10.2

निशुम्भं निहतं दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरं प्राणसम्मितम्। हन्यमानं बलं चैव शुम्भः क्रुद्धोऽब्रवीद्वचः॥

niśumbhaṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā bhrātaraṃ prāṇasammitam | hanyamānaṃ balaṃ caiva śumbhaḥ kruddho'bravīdvacaḥ ||

Shumbha saw Nishumbha, the brother as dear to him as life, lying dead, and his army being cut down. In anger he said:

verse 10.3

बलावलेपाद् दुष्टे त्वं मा दुर्गे गर्वमावह। अन्यासां बलमाश्रित्य युद्ध्यसे यातिमानिनी॥

balāvalepād duṣṭe tvaṃ mā durge garvamāvaha | anyāsāṃ balamāśritya yuddhyase yātimāninī ||

'Wicked Durga, don't be so proud of your strength. You think so highly of yourself, yet you fight by leaning on the strength of others.'

देव्युवाच॥

devyuvāca ||

The Devi said:

verse 10.5

एकैवाहं जगत्यत्र द्वितीया का ममापरा। पश्यैता दुष्ट मय्येव विशन्त्यो मद्विभूतयः॥

ekaivāhaṃ jagatyatra dvitīyā kā mamāparā | paśyaitā duṣṭa mayyeva viśantyo madvibhūtayaḥ ||

'In this world there is only me. Who else is there besides me? Look, wicked one. These are my own powers, and they are entering back into me.'

verse 10.6

ततः समस्तास्ता देव्यो ब्रह्माणीप्रमुखा लयम्। तस्या देव्यास्तनौ जग्मुरेकैवासीत्तदाम्बिका॥

tataḥ samastāstā devyo brahmāṇīpramukhā layam | tasyā devyāstanau jagmurekaivāsīttadāmbikā ||

Then all those goddesses, Brahmani and the rest, dissolved into the Devi's body, and Ambika alone remained.

देव्युवाच॥

devyuvāca ||

The Devi said:

verse 10.8

अहं विभूत्या बहुभिरिह रूपैर्यदास्थिता। तत्संहृतं मयैकैव तिष्ठाम्याजौ स्थिरो भव॥

ahaṃ vibhūtyā bahubhiriha rūpairyadāsthitā | tatsaṃhṛtaṃ mayaikaiva tiṣṭhāmyājau sthiro bhava ||

'By my own power I stood here in many forms. I have drawn them all back in. Now I stand alone on this field. Hold your ground.'

ऋषिरुवाच॥

ṛṣiruvāca ||

The sage said:

verse 10.10

ततः प्रववृते युद्धं देव्याः शुम्भस्य चोभयोः। पश्यतां सर्वदेवानामसुराणां च दारुणम्॥

tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ devyāḥ śumbhasya cobhayoḥ | paśyatāṃ sarvadevānāmasurāṇāṃ ca dāruṇam ||

Then the battle began between the two of them, the Devi and Shumbha. It was terrible, and all the gods and asuras looked on.

verse 10.11

शरवर्षैः शितैः शस्त्रैस्तथास्त्रैश्चैव दारुणैः। तयोर्युद्धमभूद्भूयः सर्वलोकभयङ्करम्॥

śaravarṣaiḥ śitaiḥ śastraistathāstraiścaiva dāruṇaiḥ | tayoryuddhamabhūdbhūyaḥ sarvalokabhayaṅkaram ||

With showers of arrows, sharp weapons and dreadful missiles, the fight between the two flared up again, and every world was afraid.

verse 10.12

दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि शतशो मुमुचे यान्यथाम्बिका। बभञ्ज तानि दैत्येन्द्रस्तत्प्रतीघातकर्तृभिः॥

divyānyastrāṇi śataśo mumuce yānyathāmbikā | babhañja tāni daityendrastatpratīghātakartṛbhiḥ ||

Ambika let fly divine missiles by the hundred. The lord of the daityas broke them with missiles made to counter them.

verse 10.13

मुक्तानि तेन चास्त्राणि दिव्यानि परमेश्वरी। बभञ्ज लीलयैवोग्रहुङ्कारोच्चारणादिभिः॥

muktāni tena cāstrāṇi divyāni parameśvarī | babhañja līlayaivograhuṅkāroccāraṇādibhiḥ ||

The divine missiles he released, Parameshvari, the supreme Devi, broke as if in play, with no more than a fierce cry of 'hum' and the like.

verse 10.14

ततः शरशतैर्देवीमाच्छादयत सोऽसुरः। सापि तत्कुपिता देवी धनुश्चिच्छेद चेषुभिः॥

tataḥ śaraśatairdevīmācchādayata so'suraḥ | sāpi tatkupitā devī dhanuściccheda ceṣubhiḥ ||

Then the asura buried the Devi under hundreds of arrows. Angered by this, she cut through his bow with her own arrows.

verse 10.15

छिन्ने धनुषि दैत्येन्द्रस्तथा शक्तिमथाददे। चिच्छेद देवी चक्रेण तामप्यस्य करे स्थिताम्॥

chinne dhanuṣi daityendrastathā śaktimathādade | ciccheda devī cakreṇa tāmapyasya kare sthitām ||

With his bow gone, the daitya lord took up a spear (śakti). The Devi cut that too with her discus while it was still in his hand.

verse 10.16

ततः खड्गमुपादाय शतचन्द्रं च भानुमत्। अभ्यधावत्तदा देवीं दैत्यानामधिपेश्वरः॥

tataḥ khaḍgamupādāya śatacandraṃ ca bhānumat | abhyadhāvattadā devīṃ daityānāmadhipeśvaraḥ ||

Then the overlord of the daitya kings took up a sword and a gleaming shield marked with a hundred moons, and rushed at the Devi.

verse 10.17

तस्यापतत एवाशु खड्गं चिच्छेद चण्डिका। धनुर्मुक्तैः शितैर्बाणैश्चर्म चार्ककरामलम्॥

tasyāpatata evāśu khaḍgaṃ ciccheda caṇḍikā | dhanurmuktaiḥ śitairbāṇaiścarma cārkakarāmalam ||

Even as he charged, Chandika cut his sword apart with sharp arrows from her bow, and his shield too, bright as the rays of the sun.

verse 10.18

हताश्वः स तदा दैत्यश्छिन्नधन्वा विसारथिः। जग्राह मुद्गरं घोरमम्बिकानिधनोद्यतः॥

hatāśvaḥ sa tadā daityaśchinnadhanvā visārathiḥ | jagrāha mudgaraṃ ghoramambikānidhanodyataḥ ||

His horses were dead, his bow broken, his charioteer gone. Then the daitya seized a dreadful club (mudgara), set on killing Ambika.

verse 10.19

चिच्छेदापततस्तस्य मुद्गरं निशितैः शरैः। तथापि सोऽभ्यधावत्तां मुष्टिमुद्यम्य वेगवान्॥

cicchedāpatatastasya mudgaraṃ niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ | tathāpi so'bhyadhāvattāṃ muṣṭimudyamya vegavān ||

As he rushed in, she cut the club apart with sharp arrows. Even so, he kept coming at full speed, his fist raised.

verse 10.20

स मुष्टिं पातयामास हृदये दैत्यपुङ्गवः। देव्यास्तं चापि सा देवी तलेनोरस्यताडयत्॥

sa muṣṭiṃ pātayāmāsa hṛdaye daityapuṅgavaḥ | devyāstaṃ cāpi sā devī talenorasyatāḍayat ||

That foremost of daityas brought his fist down on the Devi's chest, and the Devi struck him on the chest with the flat of her hand.

verse 10.21

तलप्रहाराभिहतो निपपात महीतले। स दैत्यराजः सहसा पुनरेव तथोत्थितः॥

talaprahārābhihato nipapāta mahītale | sa daityarājaḥ sahasā punareva tathotthitaḥ ||

Struck by that blow of her palm, the daitya king crashed to the ground, but in a moment he was up again.

verse 10.22

उत्पत्य च प्रगृह्योच्चैर्देवीं गगनमास्थितः। तत्रापि सा निराधारा युयुधे तेन चण्डिका॥

utpatya ca pragṛhyoccairdevīṃ gaganamāsthitaḥ | tatrāpi sā nirādhārā yuyudhe tena caṇḍikā ||

He sprang up, seized the Devi and carried her high into the sky. Even there, with nothing to stand on, Chandika fought him.

verse 10.23

नियुद्धं खे तदा दैत्यश्चण्डिका च परस्परम्। चक्रतुः प्रथमं सिद्धमुनिविस्मयकारकम्॥

niyuddhaṃ khe tadā daityaścaṇḍikā ca parasparam | cakratuḥ prathamaṃ siddhamunivismayakārakam ||

There in the sky the daitya and Chandika wrestled hand to hand. No one had ever seen such a fight, and the siddhas and sages watched in wonder.

verse 10.24

ततो नियुद्धं सुचिरं कृत्वा तेनाम्बिका सह। उत्पात्य भ्रामयामास चिक्षेप धरणीतले॥

tato niyuddhaṃ suciraṃ kṛtvā tenāmbikā saha | utpātya bhrāmayāmāsa cikṣepa dharaṇītale ||

After wrestling with him for a long time, Ambika lifted him up, spun him round and hurled him down to the earth.

verse 10.25

स क्षिप्तो धरणीं प्राप्य मुष्टिमुद्यम्य वेगितः। अभ्यधावत दुष्टात्मा चण्डिकानिधनेच्छया॥

sa kṣipto dharaṇīṃ prāpya muṣṭimudyamya vegitaḥ | abhyadhāvata duṣṭātmā caṇḍikānidhanecchayā ||

Thrown down, the evil one hit the ground. But he raised his fist again and ran at her, still bent on killing Chandika.

verse 10.26

तमायान्तं ततो देवी सर्वदैत्यजनेश्वरम्। जगत्यां पातयामास भित्त्वा शूलेन वक्षसि॥

tamāyāntaṃ tato devī sarvadaityajaneśvaram | jagatyāṃ pātayāmāsa bhittvā śūlena vakṣasi ||

As the lord of all the daityas came on, the Devi pierced his chest with her trident and brought him down to the earth.

verse 10.27

स गतासुः पपातोर्व्यां देवीशूलाग्रविक्षतः। चालयन् सकलां पृथ्वीं साब्धिद्वीपां सपर्वताम्॥

sa gatāsuḥ papātorvyāṃ devīśūlāgravikṣataḥ | cālayan sakalāṃ pṛthvīṃ sābdhidvīpāṃ saparvatām ||

Torn by the point of the Devi's trident, he fell lifeless to the earth, and as he fell the whole earth shook, with its oceans, islands and mountains.

verse 10.28

ततः प्रसन्नमखिलं हते तस्मिन् दुरात्मनि। जगत्स्वास्थ्यमतीवाप निर्मलं चाभवन्नभः॥

tataḥ prasannamakhilaṃ hate tasmin durātmani | jagatsvāsthyamatīvāpa nirmalaṃ cābhavannabhaḥ ||

With that evil one dead, the whole world grew calm and bright. It was at ease once more, and the sky turned clear.

verse 10.29

उत्पातमेघाः सोल्का ये प्रागासंस्ते शमं ययुः। सरितो मार्गवाहिन्यस्तथासंस्तत्र पातिते॥

utpātameghāḥ solkā ye prāgāsaṃste śamaṃ yayuḥ | sarito mārgavāhinyastathāsaṃstatra pātite ||

The clouds of ill omen that had gathered before, with meteors falling, settled down. Once he had fallen there, the rivers flowed in their proper courses again.

verse 10.30

ततो देवगणाः सर्वे हर्षनिर्भरमानसाः। बभूवुर्निहते तस्मिन् गन्धर्वा ललितं जगुः॥

tato devagaṇāḥ sarve harṣanirbharamānasāḥ | babhūvurnihate tasmin gandharvā lalitaṃ jaguḥ ||

With him slain, the hearts of all the gods were full of joy, and the gandharvas sang sweetly.

verse 10.31

अवादयंस्तथैवान्ये ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः। ववुः पुण्यास्तथा वाताः सुप्रभोऽभूद्दिवाकरः॥

avādayaṃstathaivānye nanṛtuścāpsarogaṇāḥ | vavuḥ puṇyāstathā vātāḥ suprabho'bhūddivākaraḥ ||

Others played their instruments, and troupes of apsaras danced. Pure, pleasant winds blew, and the sun shone out brightly.

verse 10.32

जज्वलुश्चाग्नयः शान्ताः शान्ता दिग्जनितस्वनाः॥ ॐ॥

jajvaluścāgnayaḥ śāntāḥ śāntā digjanitasvanāḥ || oṃ ||

The sacred fires that had died down blazed up again, and the frightening noises that had risen from every quarter fell silent. Om.

पुष्पिका

॥ इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे सावर्णिके मन्वन्तरे देवीमाहात्म्ये शुम्भवधो नाम दशमोऽध्यायः॥

|| iti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe sāvarṇike manvantare devīmāhātmye śumbhavadho nāma daśamo'dhyāyaḥ ||

Here ends the tenth chapter, called ‘The Slaying of Shumbha’, of the Devi Mahatmya, in the account of the Savarni Manvantara in the Shri Markandeya Purana.