Shloka 18

Adhyaya 89 — The Wrath of Shumbha and Nishumbha and the Fall of Nishumbha

Sanskrit

पूरयामास ककुभो निजघण्टास्वनेन च ।

समस्तदैत्यसैन्यानां तेजोवधविधायिना ॥

Transliteration

pūrayāmāsa kakubho nijaghaṇṭāsvanena ca / samastadaityasainyānāṃ tejovadhavidhāyinā

Translation

ملأتِ الإلهةُ الجهاتِ الأربعَ بصوتِ جرسِها هي—رنينًا مهيبًا مُروِّعًا حطَّمَ عزيمةَ جيشِ الأسورا كلِّه وبهاءَه.

Word by Word

• पूरयामास: filled
• पूरयामास: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूरय् (धातु) < पूर् (धातु) + णिच्
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• ककुभः: the quarters/directions
• ककुभः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ककुभ् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया/प्रथमा बहुवचन-रूपसदृश; अत्र द्वितीया बहुवचन (acc. pl.)—‘दिशः/ककुभः’

• निज-घण्टा-स्वनेन: by the sound of his own bell
• निज-घण्टा-स्वनेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + घण्टा (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (instrumental/करण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘निजायाः घण्टायाः स्वनः’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• समस्त-दैत्य-सैन्यानाम्: of all the demon armies
• समस्त-दैत्य-सैन्यानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.) ‘सैन्य’, षष्ठी (genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (‘समस्तानि दैत्यसैन्यानि’ → ‘समस्तदैत्यसैन्यानि’)

• तेजः-वध-विधायिना: by (that which) causes the destruction of their brilliance
• तेजः-वध-विधायिना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक) + विधायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (instrumental/करण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘तेजसः वधं विधत्ते’); विशेषणम् (qualifier)

Speakers

• Narratorial (Devi Mahatmyam frame within Markandeya Purana; not the Dharmapakṣi dialogue here)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "raudra", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Devī (Ambikā/Caṇḍikā)

Shakti Aspects

• Ambikā/Devī (battle-form; closely aligned with Caṇḍikā imagery)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Divine battle
• Sound as spiritual power
• Rout of adharma

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Adharma is first weakened inwardly—its ‘tejas’ (confidence and coherence) collapses—before it is outwardly defeated. The Devī’s bell symbolizes the awakening force that disperses confusion and fear in the righteous while destabilizing the unrighteous.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This passage belongs to vaṃśānucarita/ākhyāna-style narrative within the Purāṇa (exemplary divine history), not to sarga/pratisarga/manvantara proper; it functions as dharma-upadeśa through sacred narrative.

What is the esoteric significance?

The bell-sound signifies nāda (primordial vibration). In esoteric reading, the Devī’s nāda subdues tamas and rajas in the asuric psyche, making adharma unable to ‘stand’ in the presence of awakened consciousness.