Chapter 10: The Slaying of Śumbha
ṛṣir uvāca
10.1 The seer said:
niśumbhaṁ nihataṁ dṛṣṭvā bhrātaraṁ prāṇasammitam
hanyamānaṁ balaṁ caiva śumbhaḥ kiuddho ’bravld vacaḥ
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
anyāsāṁ 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 madvibhūtayaḥ
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.’
tataḥ samastās tā Devyo Brahmāṇīpramukhā layam
tasyā 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:
Ahaṁ vibhūtyā bahubhir iha rūpair yadāsthitā
tat saṁhṛtaṁ Mayaikaiva 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10.8 ‘I have Now Withdrawn the Many Forms I Inhabited Here, Projected by My power.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:
tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṁ Devyāḥ śumbhasya cobhayoḥ
paśyatāṁ sarvadevānām asurāṇāṁ ca dāruṇam
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.
śaravarṣaiḥ śitaiḥ śastrais tathāstraiś caiva dāruṇaiḥ
tayor yuddham abhūd bhūyaḥ sarvalokabhayaṅkaram
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 tatpratīghātakartṛbhiḥ
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 līlayaivograhuṅkāroccāraṇādibhiḥ
10.13 And the magic missiles that he hurled, the Supreme Devī Shattered Playfully With Fierce Cries of Contempt.
tataḥ śaraśatair Devīm ācchādayata so ’suraḥ
sāpi tatkupitā Devī dhanuś ciccheda ceṣubhiḥ
10.14 Then the asura covered Her with hundreds of arrows. Provoked, the Devī Discharged Her arrows and Split his bow.
chinne dhanuṣi daityendras tathā śaktim athādade
ciccheda Devī cakreṇa 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.
tataḥ khaḍgam upādāya śatacandraṁ ca bhānumat
abhyadhāvat tadā Devīṁ daityānām adhipeśvaraḥ
10.16 Then, grasping his sword, emblazoned with a hundred moons, the supreme lord of the daityas rushed at the Devī.
tasyāpatata evāśu khaḍgaṁ ciccheda 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.
hatāśvaḥ sa tadā daityaś chinnadhanvā visārathiḥ
jagrāha mudgaraṁ ghoram Ambikānidhanodyataḥ
10.18 His steed slain, his bow broken, his chariot wrecked, the daitya grasped his fearsome mace, intent on destroying Ambikā.
cicchedāpatatas tasya mudgaraṁ niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
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 hṛdaye daityapuṅgavah
Devyās taṁ cāpi 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 daityarājaḥ sahasā punareva tathotthitaḥ
10.21 Struck by that blow, the demon king fell to the ground. At once, he rose up again,
utpatya ca pragṛhyoccair Devīṁ gaganam āsthitaḥ
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.
niyuddhaṁ khe tadā daityaś Caṇḍikā ca parasparam
cakratuḥ prathamaṁ siddhamunivismayakārakam
10.23 In the sky, the daitya and Caṇḍikā fought hand to hand as never before, to the astonishment of saints and sages.
tato niyuddhaṁ suciraṁ kṛtvā tenāmbikā saha
utpāṭya bhrāmayāmāsa cikṣepa dharaṇītale
10.24 And after prolonged combat, Ambikā Snatched him up, swung him around, and Flung him to the earth.
sa kṣipto dharaṇīm prāpya muṣṭim udyamya vegataḥ
abhyadhāvata duṣṭātmā Caṇḍikānidhanecchayā
10.25 Striking the ground, the evil one immediately raised his fist and ran forward, desirous of destroying Ambikā.
tam āyāntaṁ tato Devī sarvadaityajaneśvaram
jagaty āṁ pātayāmāsa bhitvā śūlena vakṣasi
10.26 The Devī thrust Her Spear through his chest and Threw that onrushing lord of all demonic creatures to the ground.
sa gatāsuḥ papātorvyāṁ Devī śūlāgravikṣataḥ
cālayan sakalāṁ pṛthvīṁ 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.
tataḥ prasannam akhilaṁ hate tasmin durātmani
jagat svāsthyam atīvāpa nirmalaṁ cābhavan nabhaḥ
10.28 When the evil one was slain, all the universe became calm, regaining its natural order, and the sky cleared.
utpātameghāḥ solkā ye prāgāsaṁs te śamaṁ yayuḥ
sarito mārgavāhinyas tathāsaṁs 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 harṣanirbharamānasāḥ
babhūvur nihate tasmin gandharvā lalitaṁ jaguḥ
10.30 All the hosts of Gods were overjoyed when he lay slain, and the celestial musicians sang sweetly.
avādayaṁs tathaivānye nanṛtuś cāpsarogaṇāḥ
vavuḥ puṇyās tathā vātāḥ suprabho ’bhūd divākaraḥ
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.”
