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Part of: श्रीदुर्गासप्तशती

सप्तमोऽध्यायः · चण्डमुण्डवध

Chapter 7 · The slaying of Chanda and Munda

Durga Saptashati, chapter 7: Chanda and Munda are slain

29 verses Audio will be added later

About this stotra

Chanda-Munda-vadha, the slaying of Chanda and Munda, is the seventh chapter of the Durga Saptashati, the Devi Mahatmya of the Markandeya Purana. Its colophon places it within the Savarni Manvantara section of that Purana. By tradition, chapters 5 to 13 form the final episode (uttama carita) of the Saptashati, and this chapter belongs to it.

At the close of chapter 6, Shumbha ordered Chanda and Munda to capture the Devi. They reach the Himalaya with a large army. At the sight of them Ambika's face turns black with anger, and Kali bursts out of her forehead. Kali swallows the asura army almost whole. She cuts off Chanda's head and strikes Munda down, then carries both heads to Chandika. Chandika tells her that because she has brought Chanda and Munda, she will be known as Chamunda. The chapter itself gives the reason for this name of the Devi.

How the chapter is laid out

It opens with a meditation verse on the goddess Matangi. Then come 27 numbered mantras in the Gita Press count: two 'said' lines and 25 verses, followed by the colophon. The references shown here (7.1, 7.2 …) follow the Gita Press edition.

If you are reading it for the first time

The battle moves fast, but the recitation should not. Pause after each half-verse. The meditation verse is in a long metre, so read it slowly two or three times before reciting. A few words need care:

  • शृण्वतीं: the syllable is śṛ; don't add an extra 'r' as in 'shri'.
  • खट्वाङ्ग: keep ṭv together; not 'khata-vang'.
  • पार्ष्णिग्राह: rṣṇ is a hard cluster; take it slowly.
  • दुर्दर्शदशनोज्ज्वला: sound the rd and the double jjv clearly.

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.

ॐ ध्यायेयं रत्नपीठे शुककलपठितं शृण्वतीं श्यामलाङ्गीं न्यस्तैकाङ्घ्रिं सरोजे शशिशकलधरां वल्लकीं वादयन्तीम्। कह्लाराबद्धमालां नियमितविलसच्चोलिकां रक्तवस्त्रां मातङ्गीं शङ्खपात्रां मधुरमधुमदां चित्रकोद्भासिभालाम्॥

oṃ dhyāyeyaṃ ratnapīṭhe śukakalapaṭhitaṃ śṛṇvatīṃ śyāmalāṅgīṃ nyastaikāṅghriṃ saroje śaśiśakaladharāṃ vallakīṃ vādayantīm | kahlārābaddhamālāṃ niyamitavilasaccolikāṃ raktavastrāṃ mātaṅgīṃ śaṅkhapātrāṃ madhuramadhumadāṃ citrakodbhāsibhālām ||

I meditate on the goddess Matangi. She sits on a jewelled seat, listening to the sweet chatter of a parrot. Her body is dark. One foot rests on a lotus. She wears a sliver of the moon and plays the vina. A garland of white water-lilies hangs from her neck. She wears a close-fitting, shining bodice and red clothes. She holds a cup made of conch shell. She is pleasantly flushed with sweet wine, and a tilaka mark shines on her forehead.

ॐ ऋषिरुवाच॥

oṃ ṛṣiruvāca ||

Om. The sage said:

आज्ञप्तास्ते ततो दैत्याश्चण्डमुण्डपुरोगमाः। चतुरङ्गबलोपेता ययुरभ्युद्यतायुधाः॥

ājñaptāste tato daityāścaṇḍamuṇḍapurogamāḥ | caturaṅgabalopetā yayurabhyudyatāyudhāḥ ||

So commanded, the daityas set out with Chanda and Munda at their head. They had the fourfold army with them, elephants, chariots, horse and foot, and their weapons were raised.

ददृशुस्ते ततो देवीमीषद्धासां व्यवस्थिताम्। सिंहस्योपरि शैलेन्द्रशृङ्गे महति काञ्चने॥

dadṛśuste tato devīmīṣaddhāsāṃ vyavasthitām | siṃhasyopari śailendraśṛṅge mahati kāñcane ||

Then they saw the Devi. She was seated on her lion on a great golden peak of the king of mountains, smiling slightly.

ते दृष्ट्वा तां समादातुमुद्यमं चक्रुरुद्यताः। आकृष्टचापासिधरास्तथान्ये तत्समीपगाः॥

te dṛṣṭvā tāṃ samādātumudyamaṃ cakrurudyatāḥ | ākṛṣṭacāpāsidharāstathānye tatsamīpagāḥ ||

On seeing her, they made ready and tried to seize her. Others came close to her with bows drawn and swords in hand.

ततः कोपं चकारोच्चैरम्बिका तानरीन् प्रति। कोपेन चास्या वदनं मषीवर्णमभूत्तदा॥

tataḥ kopaṃ cakāroccairambikā tānarīn prati | kopena cāsyā vadanaṃ maṣīvarṇamabhūttadā ||

Then Ambika grew fiercely angry with those enemies. In her anger her face turned black as ink.

भ्रुकुटीकुटिलात्तस्या ललाटफलकाद्द्रुतम्। काली करालवदना विनिष्क्रान्तासिपाशिनी॥

bhrukuṭīkuṭilāttasyā lalāṭaphalakāddrutam | kālī karālavadanā viniṣkrāntāsipāśinī ||

From her forehead, where her brows were knotted in a frown, Kali sprang out at once. Her face was terrifying, and she held a sword and a noose.

विचित्रखट्वाङ्गधरा नरमालाविभूषणा। द्वीपिचर्मपरीधाना शुष्कमांसातिभैरवा॥

vicitrakhaṭvāṅgadharā naramālāvibhūṣaṇā | dvīpicarmaparīdhānā śuṣkamāṃsātibhairavā ||

She carried a strange khaṭvāṅga, a staff topped with a skull. A garland of human heads was her ornament. She wore a leopard skin. Her flesh was shrunken and dry, which made her all the more frightening.

अतिविस्तारवदना जिह्वाललनभीषणा। निमग्नारक्तनयना नादापूरितदिङ्मुखा॥

ativistāravadanā jihvālalanabhīṣaṇā | nimagnāraktanayanā nādāpūritadiṅmukhā ||

Her mouth gaped very wide, and her lolling tongue made her dreadful to see. Her reddish eyes were sunk deep. Her roar filled every direction.

सा वेगेनाभिपतिता घातयन्ती महासुरान्। सैन्ये तत्र सुरारीणामभक्षयत तद्बलम्॥

sā vegenābhipatitā ghātayantī mahāsurān | sainye tatra surārīṇāmabhakṣayata tadbalam ||

She fell on them with great speed and began killing the great asuras. Right there in the army of the gods' enemies, she devoured their forces.

पार्ष्णिग्राहाङ्कुशग्राहियोधघण्टासमन्वितान्। समादायैकहस्तेन मुखे चिक्षेप वारणान्॥

pārṣṇigrāhāṅkuśagrāhiyodhaghaṇṭāsamanvitān | samādāyaikahastena mukhe cikṣepa vāraṇān ||

With one hand she picked up elephants, together with the guards riding behind, the mahouts with their goads, the warriors and the bells, and flung them into her mouth.

तथैव योधं तुरगै रथं सारथिना सह। निक्षिप्य वक्त्रे दशनैश्चर्वयन्त्यतिभैरवम्॥

tathaiva yodhaṃ turagai rathaṃ sārathinā saha | nikṣipya vaktre daśanaiścarvayantyatibhairavam ||

In the same way she threw warriors in with their horses, and chariots with their drivers, into her mouth and chewed them horribly with her teeth.

एकं जग्राह केशेषु ग्रीवायामथ चापरम्। पादेनाक्रम्य चैवान्यमुरसान्यमपोथयत्॥

ekaṃ jagrāha keśeṣu grīvāyāmatha cāparam | pādenākramya caivānyamurasānyamapothayat ||

She grabbed one by the hair and another by the neck. Another she trampled underfoot, and another she crushed against her chest.

तैर्मुक्तानि च शस्त्राणि महास्त्राणि तथासुरैः। मुखेन जग्राह रुषा दशनैर्मथितान्यपि॥

tairmuktāni ca śastrāṇi mahāstrāṇi tathāsuraiḥ | mukhena jagrāha ruṣā daśanairmathitānyapi ||

The weapons and great missiles the asuras hurled at her she caught in her mouth in fury and ground to pieces with her teeth.

बलिनां तद् बलं सर्वमसुराणां दुरात्मनाम्। ममर्दाभक्षयच्चान्यानन्यांश्चाताडयत्तथा॥

balināṃ tad balaṃ sarvamasurāṇāṃ durātmanām | mamardābhakṣayaccānyānanyāṃścātāḍayattathā ||

She crushed that whole army of strong and evil-minded asuras. Some she devoured, and others she struck down.

असिना निहताः केचित्केचित्खट्वाङ्गताडिताः। जग्मुर्विनाशमसुरा दन्ताग्राभिहतास्तथा॥

asinā nihatāḥ kecitkecitkhaṭvāṅgatāḍitāḥ | jagmurvināśamasurā dantāgrābhihatāstathā ||

Some asuras were cut down by her sword, some were struck by her khaṭvāṅga, and others perished, torn by the points of her teeth.

क्षणेन तद् बलं सर्वमसुराणां निपातितम्। दृष्ट्वा चण्डोऽभिदुद्राव तां कालीमतिभीषणाम्॥

kṣaṇena tad balaṃ sarvamasurāṇāṃ nipātitam | dṛṣṭvā caṇḍo'bhidudrāva tāṃ kālīmatibhīṣaṇām ||

Seeing the whole asura army laid low in a moment, Chanda charged at that most terrifying Kali.

शरवर्षैर्महाभीमैर्भीमाक्षीं तां महासुरः। छादयामास चक्रैश्च मुण्डः क्षिप्तैः सहस्रशः॥

śaravarṣairmahābhīmairbhīmākṣīṃ tāṃ mahāsuraḥ | chādayāmāsa cakraiśca muṇḍaḥ kṣiptaiḥ sahasraśaḥ ||

The great asura Chanda buried the fierce-eyed Kali under showers of dreadful arrows, and Munda covered her with discuses hurled by the thousand.

तानि चक्राण्यनेकानि विशमानानि तन्मुखम्। बभुर्यथार्कबिम्बानि सुबहूनि घनोदरम्॥

tāni cakrāṇyanekāni viśamānāni tanmukham | babhuryathārkabimbāni subahūni ghanodaram ||

Those many discuses, vanishing into her mouth, looked like a host of suns sinking into the belly of a cloud.

ततो जहासातिरुषा भीमं भैरवनादिनी। कालीकरालवक्त्रान्तर्दुर्दर्शदशनोज्ज्वला॥

tato jahāsātiruṣā bhīmaṃ bhairavanādinī | kālīkarālavaktrāntardurdarśadaśanojjvalā ||

Then Kali, with a terrible roar, laughed dreadfully in her great fury. Inside her fearsome mouth her teeth gleamed, too frightening to look at.

उत्थाय च महासिं हं देवी चण्डमधावत। गृहीत्वा चास्य केशेषु शिरस्तेनासिनाच्छिनत्॥

utthāya ca mahāsiṃ haṃ devī caṇḍamadhāvata | gṛhītvā cāsya keśeṣu śirastenāsinācchinat ||

Then, with the cry 'haṃ', the Devi raised her great sword and rushed at Chanda. She seized him by the hair and cut off his head with that sword.

अथ मुण्डोऽभ्यधावत्तां दृष्ट्वा चण्डं निपातितम्। तमप्यपातयद्भूमौ सा खड्गाभिहतं रुषा॥

atha muṇḍo'bhyadhāvattāṃ dṛṣṭvā caṇḍaṃ nipātitam | tamapyapātayadbhūmau sā khaḍgābhihataṃ ruṣā ||

Seeing Chanda fall, Munda rushed at her. In her fury she struck him with her sword and brought him down too.

हतशेषं ततः सैन्यं दृष्ट्वा चण्डं निपातितम्। मुण्डं च सुमहावीर्यं दिशो भेजे भयातुरम्॥

hataśeṣaṃ tataḥ sainyaṃ dṛṣṭvā caṇḍaṃ nipātitam | muṇḍaṃ ca sumahāvīryaṃ diśo bheje bhayāturam ||

When the rest of the army saw that Chanda had fallen, and the mighty Munda too, they scattered in every direction, overcome with fear.

शिरश्चण्डस्य काली च गृहीत्वा मुण्डमेव च। प्राह प्रचण्डाट्टहासमिश्रमभ्येत्य चण्डिकाम्॥

śiraścaṇḍasya kālī ca gṛhītvā muṇḍameva ca | prāha pracaṇḍāṭṭahāsamiśramabhyetya caṇḍikām ||

Kali took up the heads of Chanda and Munda. She came to Chandika and, with a fierce peal of laughter, said:

मया तवात्रोपहृतौ चण्डमुण्डौ महापशू। युद्धयज्ञे स्वयं शुम्भं निशुम्भं च हनिष्यसि॥

mayā tavātropahṛtau caṇḍamuṇḍau mahāpaśū | yuddhayajñe svayaṃ śumbhaṃ niśumbhaṃ ca haniṣyasi ||

“I have brought you Chanda and Munda here, two great beasts for the offering. In this sacrifice of battle you yourself will slay Shumbha and Nishumbha.”

ऋषिरुवाच॥

ṛṣiruvāca ||

The sage said:

तावानीतौ ततो दृष्ट्वा चण्डमुण्डौ महासुरौ। उवाच कालीं कल्याणी ललितं चण्डिका वचः॥

tāvānītau tato dṛṣṭvā caṇḍamuṇḍau mahāsurau | uvāca kālīṃ kalyāṇī lalitaṃ caṇḍikā vacaḥ ||

Seeing the two great asuras Chanda and Munda brought before her, the gracious Chandika spoke gentle words to Kali:

यस्माच्चण्डं च मुण्डं च गृहीत्वा त्वमुपागता। चामुण्डेति ततो लोके ख्याता देवि भविष्यसि॥ ॐ॥

yasmāccaṇḍaṃ ca muṇḍaṃ ca gṛhītvā tvamupāgatā | cāmuṇḍeti tato loke khyātā devi bhaviṣyasi || oṃ ||

“Because you have seized Chanda and Munda and brought them here, Devi, you will be known in the world as Chamunda.” Om.

॥ इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे सावर्णिके मन्वन्तरे देवीमाहात्म्ये चण्डमुण्डवधो नाम सप्तमोऽध्यायः॥

|| iti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe sāvarṇike manvantare devīmāhātmye caṇḍamuṇḍavadho nāma saptamo'dhyāyaḥ ||

Here ends the seventh chapter, called ‘The Slaying of Chanda and Munda’, of the Devi Mahatmya, in the account of the Savarni Manvantara in the Shri Markandeya Purana.