Vamana Purana — Slaying of Raktabija, Shloka 67
The Slaying of Raktabīja and Niśumbha–Śumbha; the Manifestation of the Mātṛkās and the Devas’ Hymn
देव्युवाच/ भूयो भविष्याम्यसृगुक्षितानना हराननस्वेदजलोद्भवा सुराः अन्धासुरस्याप्रतिपोषणे रता नाम्ना प्रसिद्धा भुवनेषु चर्चिका
devyuvāca/ bhūyo bhaviṣyāmyasṛgukṣitānanā harānanasvedajalodbhavā surāḥ andhāsurasyāpratipoṣaṇe ratā nāmnā prasiddhā bhuvaneṣu carcikā
দেবী বললেন— “আমি আবার আবির্ভূত হব—রক্তছিটানো মুখ নিয়ে। হে দেবগণ! হরের (শিবের) মুখের ঘামের জলে আমি উৎপন্ন হব। অন্ধাসুরের অপোষণ, অর্থাৎ তার শক্তি রোধে রত থেকে, ‘চর্চিকা’ নামে আমি লোকসমূহে প্রসিদ্ধ হব।”
{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "raudra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
FAQs
It encodes intimate Śaiva-Śākta theology: Śakti is not external to Śiva but emerges from him as his power made manifest. The ‘sweat-water’ motif also conveys immediacy—Devī appears as a direct, embodied response to cosmic crisis.
Literally ‘devoted to non-nourishing’: it means Devī acts to prevent Andhaka’s increase—checking his strength, proliferation, or regenerative advantage—rather than allowing him to be ‘fed’ by boons, blood, or battlefield conditions.
Here it is a deity-epithet: Devī declares she will be known as Carcikā. The verse functions as a name-etymology/manifestation notice, not as sacred geography.