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Chapter 10: The Slaying of Śumbha

ṛṣir uvāca
10.1 The seer said:

 

niśumbhanihatadṛṣṭvā bhrātaraprāṇasammitam
hanyam
ānabalacaiva śumbhakiuddho ’bravld vaca
10.2 “Seeing the lifeless body of Niśumbha, the brother who was as dear to him as life itself, and seeing his forces being slaughtered, the enraged Śumbha spoke these words:

 

balāvalepaduṣṭe tvam Mā Durge garvam āvaha
any
āsāṁ balam āśritya yuddhyase yātimāninī
10.3 ‘O Durgā, who are corrupt with the arrogance of power, do not show your pride here, for though you are haughty, you fight depending on the strength of others.’

 

Devy uvāca
10.4 The Devī said:

 

Ekaivāham jagaty atra dvitīyā kā mamāparā
paśyaitā duṣṭa mayy eva viśantyo madvibhūtaya
10.5 ‘I Am Alone Here in the world. Who else is there besides Me? Behold, O vile one! These are but Projections of My Own Power, now Entering Back into Me.’

 

tatasamastās tā Devyo Brahmāṇīpramukhā layam
tasy
ā Devyās tanau jagmur ekaivāsīt Tadāmbikā
10.6 Thereupon All Those Goddesses, Led By Brahmāṇī, Merged Into The Devī’s Body. Then Ambikā Alone Remained.

 

Devy uvāca
10.7 The Devī Said:

 

Ahavibhūtyā bahubhir iha rūpair yadāsthitā
tat sahtaMayaikaiva tiṣṭhāmy ājau sthiro Bhava
10.8 ‘I have Now Withdrawn the Many Forms I Inhabited Here, Projected by My power. I Stand Alone. Be resolute in combat.’”

 

ṛṣir uvāca
10.9 The seer said:

 

tatapravavte yuddhaṁ Devyāḥ śumbhasya cobhayo
paśyatāṁ sarvadevānām asurāṇāṁ ca dāruam
10.10 “Then a horrific battle broke out between the two of them, the Devī and Śumbha, while all the Gods and asuras looked on.

 

śaravaraiḥ śitaiḥ śastrais tathāstraiś caiva dāruai
tayor yuddham abhūd bhūyasarvalokabhayakaram
10.11 With showers of arrows, sharp weapons, and terrifying missiles, the two met again in a combat that frightened all the world.

 

Divyāny astrāṇi śataśo mumuce yāny Athāmbikā
babhañja tāni daityendras tatpratīghātakartbhi
10.12 The Wondrous Weapons That Ambikā Now Unleashed by the hundreds, the daitya chief deflected with defensive strikes.

 

muktāni tena cāstrāṇi Divyāni Parameśvarī
babhañja līlayaivograhukāroccāraṇādibhi
10.13 And the magic missiles that he hurled, the Supreme Devī Shattered Playfully With Fierce Cries of Contempt.

tataḥ śaraśatair Devīm ācchādayata so ’sura
sāpi tatkupitā Devī dhanuś ciccheda ceubhi
10.14 Then the asura covered Her with hundreds of arrows. Provoked, the Devī Discharged Her arrows and Split his bow.

 

chinne dhanui daityendras tathā śaktim athādade
ciccheda Dev
ī cakrea tām apy asya kare sthitām
10.15 His bow broken, the daitya chief took up his spear, but even as it rested in his hand, the Devī Cut Through it With Her Discus.

 

tatakhagam upādāya śatacandraca bhānumat
abhyadh
āvat tadā Devīṁ daityānām adhipeśvara
10.16 Then, grasping his sword, emblazoned with a hundred moons, the supreme lord of the daityas rushed at the Devī.

 

tasyāpatata evāśu khagaciccheda Caṇḍikā
dhanurmuktaiḥ śitair bāṇaiś carma cārkakarāmalam
10.17 As he advanced, Caṇḍikā Broke his sword with sharp Arrows shot from Her bow, and also his shield that shone as the sun’s rays.

 

hatāśvasa tadā daityaś chinnadhanvā visārathi
jagrāha mudgaraghoram Ambikānidhanodyata
10.18 His steed slain, his bow broken, his chariot wrecked, the daitya grasped his fearsome mace, intent on destroying Ambikā.

 

cicchedāpatatas tasya mudgaraniśitaiḥ śarai
tathāpi so ’bhyadhāvat tāṁ muṣṭim udyamya vegavān
10.19 With sharp Arrows, She Shattered the onrushing Śumbha’s mace. Still, he rushed at Her with fist upraised.

 

sa muṣṭim pātayāmāsa hdaye daityapugavah
Devy
ās tacāpi sā Devī talenorasy atāḍayat
10.20 The daitya chief slammed his fist down on the Devī’s Heart, and She Struck him on the chest with Her Palm.

 

talaprahārābhihato nipapāta mahītale
sa daityar
ājasahasā punareva tathotthita
10.21 Struck by that blow, the demon king fell to the ground. At once, he rose up again,

 

utpatya ca praghyoccair Devīṁ gaganam āsthita
tatrāpi sā nirādhārā yuyudhe tena Caṇḍikā
10.22 and springing upward, he seized the Devī and ascended high into the sky. There in midair Caṇḍikā Battled with him.

 

niyuddhakhe tadā daityaś Caṇḍikā ca parasparam
cakratu
prathamasiddhamunivismayakārakam
10.23 In the sky, the daitya and Caṇḍikā fought hand to hand as never before, to the astonishment of saints and sages.

 

tato niyuddhasuciraktvā tenāmbikā saha
utp
āṭya bhrāmayāmāsa cikepa dharaṇītale
10.24 And after prolonged combat, Ambikā Snatched him up, swung him around, and Flung him to the earth.

 

sa kipto dharaṇīm prāpya muṣṭim udyamya vegata
abhyadhāvata duṣṭātmā Caṇḍikānidhanecchayā
10.25 Striking the ground, the evil one immediately raised his fist and ran forward, desirous of destroying Ambikā.

tam āyāntatato Devī sarvadaityajaneśvaram
jagaty
āṁ pātayāmāsa bhitvā śūlena vakasi
10.26 The Devī thrust Her Spear through his chest and Threw that onrushing lord of all demonic creatures to the ground.

 

sa gatāsupapātorvyāṁ Devī śūlāgravikata
cālayan sakalāṁ pthvīṁ sābdhidvīpām saparvatām
10.27 Pierced through by The Devī’s Weapon, his life-breath gone, he fell to the ground, shaking all the earth together with its oceans, islands, and mountains.

 

tataprasannam akhilahate tasmin durātmani
jagat sv
āsthyam atīvāpa nirmalacābhavan nabha
10.28 When the evil one was slain, all the universe became calm, regaining its natural order, and the sky cleared.

 

utpātameghāḥ solkā ye prāgāsas te śamayayu
sarito mārgavāhinyas tathāsas tatra pātite
10.29 The flaming clouds of portent that formerly gathered now subsided, and rivers again flowed along their courses when Śumbha fell slain.

 

tato devagaṇāḥ sarve haranirbharamānasāḥ
babhūvur nihate tasmin gandharvā lalitajagu
10.30 All the hosts of Gods were overjoyed when he lay slain, and the celestial musicians sang sweetly.

 

avādayas tathaivānye nantuś cāpsarogaṇāḥ
vavupuyās tathā vātāḥ suprabho ’bhūd divākara
10.31 Others sounded their instruments, and throngs of heavenly nymphs danced. Favorable winds blew, and the sun shone in glory.

 

jajvaluś cāgnayaḥ śāntāḥ śāntadigjanitasvanāḥ
10.32 The sacred fires glowed peacefully, and the sounds born of the four directions faded away.”

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