Shloka 18

Adhyaya 90 — The Slaying of Shumbha and the Reabsorption of the Goddesses into Ambika

Sanskrit

उत्पत्य च प्रगृह्योच्चैर्देवीं गगनमास्थितः ।

तत्रापि सा निराधारा युयुधे तेन चण्डिका ॥

Transliteration

utpatya ca pragṛhyoccair devīṃ gaganam āsthitaḥ / tatrāpi sā nirādhārā yuyudhe tena caṇḍikā

Translation

وثبَ ثم أمسك بالإلهة وارتفع عاليًا في السماء. وحتى هناك، من غير سندٍ ولا مستند، قاتلته تشانديكا.

Word by Word

• utpatya: having sprung up
• utpatya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud+pat (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) ‘having leapt up’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• pragṛhya: having seized
• pragṛhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+grah (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) ‘having seized’

• uccaiḥ: high (up)
• uccaiḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uccaiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (उच्चैः-क्रियाविशेषण) ‘high/upwards’

• devīm: the Goddess
• devīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• gaganam: the sky
• gaganam: Karma (गत्यर्थक-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gagana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; goal with motion verb (to/into)

• āsthitaḥ: having reached / stationed in
• āsthitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā+sthā (धातु)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘having mounted/entered, being in’

• tatra: there
• tatra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) ‘also/even’

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• nirādhārā: unsupported
• nirādhārā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir+ādhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) ‘having no support’; Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• yuyudhe: fought
• yuyudhe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yudh (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• tena: with him
• tena: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• caṇḍikā: Caṇḍikā
• caṇḍikā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṇḍikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; proper epithet of Devī

Speakers

• Narrative within the Devi Mahatmyam

Primary Deities

• Devī (Caṇḍikā)

Shakti Aspects

• Caṇḍikā (explicitly named) as transcending dependence on ‘support’

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Transcendence
• Fearlessness
• Aerial battle motif

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The Goddess’s stability does not depend on external supports; likewise, steadfastness in dharma persists even when one is ‘lifted’ into uncertain conditions.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita: an intensification of the battle narrative, presenting the Goddess as beyond ordinary constraints (space/ground/support).

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Nirādhārā’ suggests the Self’s independence from worldly bases; in yogic symbolism, consciousness can remain poised even when the usual ‘ground’ (habitual reference points) is removed.