॥ Dhyanam ॥

Om Arunam Karunatarangitakshim
Dhritapashankushabana chapahastam।
Animadibhiravritam Mayukhai-
Rahamityeva Vibhavaye Bhavanim॥

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 kopa parādhīna cetāḥ 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 catura sītir 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 dhaum rāṇāṁ 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 ājñāpyā surapatiḥ 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 dharaṇī gaganāntaram
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 copa bṛṁhayat
8.9 Thereupon Her lion emitted a deafening roar, O king, and Ambikā Heightened the
noise with Her Clanging Bell.
dhanurjyāsiṁha ghaṇṭānāṁ 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

bhavāyāmarav siṁhānām ativīryav balānvitāḥ

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

brahmeśa guha viṣṇūnāṁ 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.

haṁsayukta vimānāgre sākṣasūtraka maṇḍaluḥ

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 candrarekhā vibhūṣaṇā

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
śaṅkhacakragadā śārnga khaḍgahastābhyu pāyayau

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 saṭākṣepa kṣiptanakṣatra saṁhatiḥ

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 viniṣkrāntāti bhīṣaṇā

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:

trailokyam 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.

balāvale pād 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 śaraśak tyṛṣṭi vṛṣṭibhiḥ

vavarṣur uddha tāmarṣās 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 chūlaśakti paraśvadhān

ciccheda līlayādhmāta dhanurmuktair 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

khaṭvāṅga pothitāṁś 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

kamaṇḍalujalākṣepa hatavīryān 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 rudhiraugha pravarṣiṇaḥ

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

tuṇḍa prahāra vidhvastā daṁṣṭrā grakṣata vakṣasaḥ

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 mātṛ gaṇārditān

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.

kuliśenā hatasyāśu 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 tadvīrya balavikramāḥ

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 atyugra śastra pātāti bhīṣaṇam

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.

vaiṣṇavī cakrav bhinnasya rudhirās ravasambhavaiḥ

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 cā surāsṛk sambhūtair 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

macchastra pātasa mbhūtān 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 śastra saṁgha samāhataḥ

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 nanartāvsṛṅ madoddhataḥ

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