Shloka 40

Adhyaya 82 — Death of Shumbha

Sanskrit

महिषासुरसेनानीश्चिक्षुराख्यो महासुरः ।

युयुधे चामरश्चान्यैश्चतुरङ्गबलान्वितः ॥

Transliteration

mahiṣāsura-senānīś cikṣurākhyo mahāsuraḥ |

yuyudhe cāmaraś cānyaiś caturaṅga-balānvitaḥ ||

Translation

Der große Asura namens Cikṣura, ein Befehlshaber im Heer Mahishasuras, kämpfte; ebenso kämpften Cāmara und andere, ausgerüstet mit den vier Heeresgattungen.

Word by Word

महिषासुर-सेनानीःthe commander of (the army of) Mahiṣāsura

चिक्षुर-आख्यःnamed Cikṣura

महासुरःthe great demon

युयुधेfought

चand

अमरःAmara (name)

चand

अन्यैःwith others

चतुरङ्ग-बल-अन्वितःendowed with a fourfold force

Speakers

Narrative voice within Devi Mahatmyam

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

Devī (implied)CikṣuraCāmaraMahishasura (as overlord)

Shakti Aspects

Devī (implied opponent in the battle)

Key Themes

Cataloguing of hostile forcesEpic battle styleAsura polity and command

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Adharma often appears organized and well-resourced (caturaṅga-bala). The text implies that numerical strength and military structure are secondary before the principle of righteous power (Śakti).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita: battlefield narration and naming of antagonists; not directly sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa catalogs, though it uses list-like style.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘fourfold army’ can symbolize the coordinated instruments of embodied life (body, senses, mind, ego) marshaled under ignorance; Devī’s victory later signifies their reintegration under higher order.