Chapter 8: The Slaying of Raktabīja

ṛṣir uvāca

8.1 The seer said

 

caṇḍe ca nihate daitye muṇḍe ca vinipātite
bahuleṣu ca sainyeṣu kṣayiteṣv asureśvaraḥ

8.2 “After caṇḍa was killed, muṇḍa slain, and the vast armies annihilated, the lord of asuras

 

tataḥ kopaparādhīnacetāḥ śumbhaḥ pratāpavān
udyogaṁ sarvasainyānām daityānām ādideśa ha

8.3 burned with rage. His reason overcome, sumbha ordered the marshaling of all the demon hosts:

 

adya sarvabalair daityāḥ ṣaḍaśītir udāyudhāḥ
kambūnāṁ caturasītir niryāntu svabalair vṛtāḥ

8.4 ‘Now let the daitya clans with all their troops go forth, the eighty-six udāyudha and the eighty-four kambu families, together with their forces.

 

koṭivīryāṇi pañcāśad asurāṇāṁ kulāni vai
śataṁ kulāni dhaumrāṇāṁ nirgacchantu mamājnayā

8.5 Let the fifty koṭivīrya families and the hundred dhaumra clans depart at my command

 

kālakā daurhṛdā mauryāḥ kālakeyās tathāsurāḥ
yuddhāya sajjā niryāntu ājñayā tvaritā mama

8.6 So also at my command, let the kālaka, daurhṛda, maurya, and kālakeya asuras set out in haste, armed for battle.’

 

ity ājñāpyāsurapatiḥ śumbho bhairavaśāsanaḥ
nirjagāma mahāsainyasahasrair bahubhir vṛtaḥ

8.7 Having issued his orders, sumbha, the despotic lord of asuras, went forth, attended by many thousands of mighty troops.

 

āyāntaṁ Caṇḍikā dṛṣṭvā tat sainyam atibhīṣaṇam
jyāsvanaiḥ pūrayāmāsa dharaṇīgaganāntaram

8.8 Seeing that most formidable army approach, Caṇḍikā Filled the space between earth and sky with the resonance of Her Bowstring

 

tataḥ siṁho mahānādam atīva kṛtavān nṛpa
ghaṇṭāsvanena tān nādān Ambikā copabṛṁhayat

8.9 Thereupon Her lion emitted a deafening roar, O king, and Ambikā Heightened the noise with Her Clanging Bell.

 

dhanurjyāsiṁhaghaṇṭānāṁ nādāpūritadiṅmukhā
ninādair bhīṣanaiḥ Kālī jigye vistāritānanā

8.10 Kālī Drowned out the din of bowstring, lion, and bell, filling every direction With Terrifying Howls from Her Gaping Mouth.

 

taṁ ninādam upaśrutya daityasainyaiś caturdiśam
Devī siṁhas tathā Kālī saroṣaiḥ parivāritāḥ

8.11 Hearing the tumult, the enraged demon armies closed in on The Devī, Her lion, and Kālī from all four sides.

 

etasminn antare bhūpa vināśāya suradviṣām
bhavāyāmarasiṁhānām ativīryabalānvitāḥ

8.12 O king, at that very moment, to insure the well-being of the supreme Gods and to annihilate their adversaries, surpassingly brave and powerful

 

brahmeśaguhaviṣṇūnāṁ tathendrasya ca śaktayaḥ
śarīrebhyo viniṣkramya tadrūpaiś Caṇḍikāṁ yayuḥ

8.13 śaktis, the Gods’ embodied powers, sprang forth from the bodies of Brahmā, Śiva, Skanda, Viṣṇu, and Indra, mirroring the form of each. They approached Caṇḍikā.

 

yasya devasya yadrūpaṁ yathā bhūṣaṇavāhanam
tad vad eva hi tac chaktir asurān yoddhum āyayau

8.14 Whatever that God’s form was, whatever his adornments and his mount, in that very form his śakti went forth to combat the asuras.

 

haṁsayuktavimānāgre sākṣasūtrakamaṇḍaluḥ
āyātā brahmaṇaḥ śaktir Brahmāṇī sābhidhīyate

8.15 In a celestial chariot drawn by swans, Brahmā’s śakti came forth with prayer beads and waterpot in hand. She is called Brahmāṇī.

 

Māheśvarī vṛṣārūḍhā triśūlavaradhāriṇī
mahāhivalayā prāptā candrarekhāvibhūṣaṇā

8.16 Māheśvarī arrived astride a bull, holding the finest trident, wearing great serpents for bracelets, and adorned with the crescent moon.

 

Kaumārī śaktihastā ca mayūravaravāhanā
yoddhum abhyāyayau daityān Ambikā guharūpiṇī

8.17 Ambikā, having the war God’s form and riding a fine peacock, came forth as Kaumārī with spear in hand to fight against the daityas.

 

tathaiva Vaiṣṇavī śaktir garuḍopari saṁsthitā
śaṅkhacakragadāśārngakhaḍgahastābhyupāyayau

8.18 Likewise the śakti Vaiṣṇavī, mounted on Garuda, approached holding conch, discus, mace, bow, and sword.

 

yajñavārāham atulaṁ rūpaṁ yā bibhrato hareḥ
śaktiḥ sāpyāyayau tatra Vārāhīṁ bibhratī tanum

8.19 The śakti of Hari, Who Bears the Unique Form of The Sacrificial Boar, Came Forward As Vārāhī in that Boarlike Aspect.

 

nārasiṁhī nṛsiṁhasya bibhratī sadṛśaṁ vapuḥ
prāptā tatra saṭākṣepakṣiptanakṣatrasaṁhatiḥ

8.20 Nārasirhhī, resembling Viṣṇu’s embodiment as a man-lion, arrived there, scattering the constellations with the toss of Her Mane.

 

vajrahastā tathaivaindrī gajarājopari sthitā
prāptā sahasranayanā yathā śakrastathaiva sā

8.21 Thousand-eyed like Indra, and in like manner with thunderbolt in hand, Aindrī Arrived Riding on the lord of elephants.

 

tataḥ parivṛtas tābhir īśāno devaśaktibhiḥ
hanyantām asurāḥ śīghraṁ mama prītyāha Caṇḍikām

8.22 Then Śiva, surrounded by those śaktis of the Gods, said to Caṇḍikā, ‘Let the asuras quickly be slain for My satisfaction.’

 

tato devīśarīrāt tu viniṣkrāntātibhīṣaṇā
caṇḍikāśaktir atyugrā śivāśataninādinī

8.23 Thereupon from The Devī’s Body there issued Forth Caṇḍikā’s Own Terrifying śakti, savage in Her Fury and Howling like a hundred jackals.

 

sā cāha dhūmrajaṭilam īśānam aparājitā
dūtas tvaṁ gaccha bhagavan pārśvaṁ śumbhaniśumbhayoḥ

8.24 And She, The Unvanquished One, said to Śiva of dark, matted locks, ‘Go, My Lord, as My Messenger to sumbha and niśumbha.

 

brūhi śumbhaṁ niśumbhaṁ ca dānavav atigarvitau
ye cānye dānavās tatra yuddhāya samupasthitāḥ

8.25 Say to those two arrogant dānavas, sumbha and niśumbha, and to the other dānavas assembled there for battle:

 

trailoyam indro labhatāṁ devāḥ santu havirbhujaḥ
yūyaṁ prayāta pātālaṁ yadi jīvitum icchatha

8.26 “Indra must regain the three worlds, the Gods must again enjoy the sacrificial oblations, and you must return to the nether world if you wish to live.

 

balāvalepād atha ced bhavanto yuddhakāṅkṣiṇaḥ
tadāgacchata tṛpyantu macchivāḥ piśitena vaḥ

8.27 But if through the conceit of strength you are desirous of battle, then come and let My jackals be satiated with your flesh!”’

 

yato niyukto dautyena tayā Devyā śivaḥ svayam
Sivadūtīti loke ’smiṁs tataḥ sā khyātimāgatā

8.28 Since The Devī appointed Śiva himself as messenger, She Has Come to be Known in this world As Śivadūtī.

 

te ’pi śrutvā vaco Devyāḥ sarvākhyātaṁ mahāsurāḥ
amarṣāpūritā jagmur yataḥ Kātyāyanī sthitā

8.29 Hearing Śiva declare The Devī’s words, the great asuras were filled with indignation and went to where Kātyāyanī stood.

 

tataḥ prathamam evāgre śaraśaktyṛṣṭivṛṣṭibhiḥ
vavarṣur uddhatāmarṣās tāṁ Devīṁ amarārayaḥ

8.30 At the outbreak of battle, the Gods’ adversaries, arrogant in their anger, rained torrents of arrows, spears, and lances upon The Devī.

 

sā ca tān prahitān bāṇāñ chūlaśaktiparaśvadhān
ciccheda līlayādhmātadhanurmuktair maheṣubhiḥ

8.31 And She, with great arrows shot from Her resounding bow, playfully split asunder their hurtling arrows, lances, spears, and axes.

 

tasyāgratas tathā Kālī śūlapātavidāritān
khaṭvāṅgapothitāṁś cārīn kurvatī vyacarat tadā

8.32 Kālī Roamed about the battlefront, Slashing Her enemies to Shreds with Her Spear and Crushing them with Her Skull-Topped Staff

 

kamaṇḍalujalākṣepahatavīryān hataujasaḥ
Brahmāṇī cākaroc chatrān yena yena sma dhāvati

8.33 And Brahmāṇī, wherever She Went, left Her enemies sapped of strength, disabled by the holy water sprinkled from Her waterpot.

 

Māheśvarī triśulena tathā cakreṇa Vaiṣṇavi
daityāñ jaghāna Kaumārī tathā śaktyātikopanā

8.34 Māheśvarī Slew the daityas with Her Trident; so, too, did Vaiṣṇavī with Her Discus, Kaumārī with Her Spear, and the Wrathful

 

aindrī kuliśapātena śataśo daityadānavāḥ
petur vidāritāḥ pṛthvyāṁ rudhiraughapravarṣiṇaḥ

8.35 Aindrī with Her Thunderbolt. Daityas and dānavas, torn asunder, fell by the hundreds, discharging torrents of blood upon the earth.

 

tuṇḍaprahāravidhvastā daṁṣṭrāgrakṣatavakṣasaḥ
vārāhamūrtyā nyapataṁś cakreṇa ca vidāritāḥ

8.36 They fell, scattered by Blows from Vārāhī’s Boarlike Snout, Pierced through the chest by Her Tusks, and Ripped apart by Her Discus.

 

nakhair vidāritāmś cānyān bhaksayantī mahāsurān
Nārasiṁhī cacārājau nādāpūrṇadigambarā

8.37 Nārasiṁhī, Tearing other great asuras apart with Her Claws and Devouring them, Roamed about the battlefield, Filling the sky with Her Roars.

 

caṇḍāṭṭahāsair asurāḥ Sivadūty abhidūṣitāḥ
petuḥ pṛthivyāṁ patitāṁs tāṁś cakhādātha sā tadā

8.38 Dazed by Śivadūtī’s violent Laughter, the asuras fell to the ground, and She Devoured those fallen ones.

 

iti mātṛgaṇaṁ kruddhaṁ mardayantaṁ mahāsurān
dṛṣtvābhyupāyair vividhair neśur Devārisainikāḥ

8.39 When the enemy troops saw the enraged Band Of Mothers Crushing the mighty asuras by diverse means, they fled.

 

palāyanaparān dṛṣṭvā daityān mātṛgaṇārditān
yoddhum abyāyayau kruddho raktabījo mahāsuraḥ

3.40 Seeing the remaining daityas flee, Tormented thus By The Band Of Mothers, the great asura raktabīja went forth in anger to do battle.

 

raktabindur yadā bhūmau pataty asya śarīrataḥ
samutpatati medinyāṁ tatpramāṇas tadāsuraḥ

3.41 Whenever a drop of blood fell from his body to the ground, an asura of like measure would rise up from the earth.

 

yuyudhe sa gadāpāṇir indraśaktyā mahāsuraḥ
tataś Caindrī svavajreṇa raktabījam aṭādayat

8.42 With club in hand the great asura fought with Indra’s śakti. Then Aindrī Struck raktabīja with Her Thunderbolt.

 

kuliśenāhatasyāśu bahu susrāva śoṇitam
samuttasthus tato yodhās tadrūpās tatparākramāḥ

8.43 Blood streamed in torrents from the stricken asura, and from that blood rose up warriors of identical form and might.

 

yāvantaḥ patitās tasya śarīrād raktabindavaḥ
tāvantaḥ puruṣā jātās tadvīryabalavikramāḥ

8.44 As many drops of blood fell from his body, so many beings of equal valor, strength, and courage arose,

 

te cāpi yuyudhus tatra puruṣā raktasambhavāḥ
samaṁ māṭrbhir atyugraśastrapātātibhīṣaṇam

8.45 and those who sprang up from his blood battled there with The Mothers ever more fiercely, hurling the most formidable of weapons.

 

punaś ca vajrapātena kṣatam asya siro yadā
vavāha raktaṁ puruṣās tato jātāḥ sahasraśaḥ

8.46 When The Devī’s Thunderbolt Struck raktabīja’s head, blood flowed again, and from it asuras were born by the thousands

 

vaiṣṇavī samare cainaṁ cakreṇābhijaghāna ha
gadayā tāḍayāmāsa Aindrī tam asureśvaram

8.47 In the combat Vaiṣṇavī Attacked the lord of asuras with Her Discus, and Aindri Beat him with Her Mace.

 

vaiṣṇavīcakrabhinnasya rudhirāsravasambhavaiḥ
sahasraśo jagad vyāptaṁ tatpramāṇair mahāsuraiḥ

8.48 Blood flowed from the cuts of Vaiṣṇavī’s Discus, and there from great asuras of equal measure arose by the thousands and filled the world.

 

śaktyā jaghāna Kaumārī Vārāhī ca tathāsinā
Māheśvarī triśūlena raktabījaṁ mahāsuram

8.49 Kaumārī with Her Spear, Vārāhī with Her Wword, and Māheśvarī with Her Trident Struck the great asura Raktabīja,

 

sa cāpi gadayā daityaḥ sarvā evāhanat pṛthak
mātṝḥ kopasamāviṣṭo raktabījo mahāsuraḥ

8.50 and he, the mighty, rage-filled daitya, struck All The Mothers one by one with his club.

 

tasyāhatasya bahudhā śaktiśūlādibhir bhuvi
papāta yo vai raktaughas tenāsañ chataśo ’surāḥ

8.51 Out of the blood that streamed upon the earth from the relentless wounds of spear, lance, and other weapons, asuras sprang up by the hundreds,

 

taiś cāsurāsṛksambhūtair asuraiḥ sakalaṁ jagat
vyāptam āsīt tato devā bhayam ājagmur uttamam

8.52 and those demons born from this one demon’s flowing blood pervaded all the world. Utter terror seized the Gods.

 

tān viṣaṇṇān surān dṛṣṭvā Caṇḍikā prāhasat tvarā
uvāca Kālīṁ Cāmuṇḍe vistīrṇaṁ vadanaṁ kuru

8.53 Caṇḍikā Burst into Laughter at their despair and said to Kālī, ‘O Cāmuṇḍā, open wide your mouth

 

macchastrapātasambhūtān raktabindūn mahāsurān
raktabindoḥ pratīccha tvaṁ vaktreṇānena vegitā

8.54 and quickly drink in the drops of blood from my weapons’ blows and the great asuras born therefrom.

 

bhakṣayantī cara raṇe tadutpannān mahāsuran
evam eṣa kṣayaṁ daityaḥ kṣīṇarakto gamiṣyati

8.55 Roam about on the battlefield and devour the great demons sprung from Raktabīja. So shall this daitya, drained of blood, go to his destruction.

 

bhakṣyamāṇās tvayā cogrā na cotpatsyanti cāpare
ity uktvā tāṁ tato Devī śūlenābhijaghāna tam

8.56 As You Consume those fierce asuras, others shall not arise.’ Having Spoken thus, The Devī Attacked raktabīja with Her Lance,

 

mukhena Kālī jagṛhe raktabījasya śoṇitam
tato ’sāvājaghānātha gadayā tatra Caṇḍikām

8.57 while Kālī avidly Lapped up his blood. raktabīja turned upon Caṇḍikā with his club,

 

na cāsyā vedanāṁ cakre gadāpāto ’lpikām api
tasyāhatasya dehāt tu bahu susrāva śoṇitam

8.58 but his cudgel blows caused Her not even the slightest pain. From his beaten body blood flowed copiously

 

yatas tatas tad vaktreṇa Cāmuṇḍā sampratīcchati
mukhe samudgatā ye ’syā raktapātān mahāsurāḥ

8.59 in every direction, and Cāmuṇḍā Engulfed it with Her Mouth. And within Her Mouth those great asuras who sprang into being from the flow,

 

tāṁś cakhādātha Cāmuṇḍā papau tasya ca śoṇitam

8.60 those She now Devoured, even while Drinking raktabīja’s blood.

 

Devī śūlena vajreṇa bāṇair asibhir ṛṣṭibhiḥ
jaghāna raktabījaṁ taṁ Cāmuṇḍāpītaśoṇitam

8.61 The Devī Assailed raktabīja with Lance, Thunderbolt, Arrows, Swords, and Spears while Cāmuṇḍā Drank his blood.

 

sa papāta mahīpṛṣṭhe śastrasaṁghasamāhataḥ
nīraktaś ca mahīpāla raktabījo mahāsuraḥ

8.62 O king, battered by that Array Of Weapons and drained of blood, the great asura raktabīja toppled to the ground.

 

tatas te harṣam atulam avāpus tridaśā nṛpa
tēṣāṁ mātṛgaṇo jāto nanartāsṛṅmadoddhataḥ

8.63 The Gods attained immeasurable joy, O king, and The Band Of Mothers Born From Them Danced About, intoxicated with blood.”