Shloka 15

Adhyaya 87 — The Slaying of Dhumralochana and the Emergence of Kali; the Fall of Chanda and Munda (Chamunda Named)

Sanskrit

क्षणेन तन्महासैन्यमसुराणां निपातितम् ।

दृष्ट्वा चण्डोऽभिमैर्भोमाक्षीं तां महासुरः ॥

Transliteration

kṣaṇena tanmahāsainyam asurāṇāṃ nipātitam | dṛṣṭvā caṇḍo 'bhimair bhomākṣīṃ tāṃ mahāsuraḥ ||

Translation

In einem Augenblick wurde jenes gewaltige Heer der Asuras niedergestreckt. Als der furchtbare Bhomākṣī erblickt wurde, rückte der große Asura Caṇḍa mit grimmigem Vorsatz gegen sie vor.

Word by Word

• क्षणेन: in a moment
• क्षणेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by/within a moment)

• तत्-महा-सैन्यम्: that great army
• तत्-महा-सैन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + महा (उपसर्गवत्/पूर्वपद) + सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nom./Acc. singular (that great army)

• असुराणाम्: of the demons
• असुराणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive plural (of the demons)

• निपातितम्: was struck down
• निपातितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + पत् (धातु) → निपातित (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्मणि-प्रयोगे क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; Past passive participle (having been felled)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): having seen

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चण्डः: Caṇḍa (demon)
• चण्डः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (Caṇḍa)

• अभिमैः: with missiles
• अभिमैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभि (उपसर्ग) + मा (धातु) → अभिम (प्रातिपदिक, weapon-name)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (with missiles/shafts)

• भोमाक्षीम्: Bhomākṣī
• भोमाक्षीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोमाक्षी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (Bhomākṣī)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (her/that)

• महा-असुरः: the great demon
• महा-असुरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (पूर्वपद) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (the great demon)

Speakers

• Narrator within the Devi Mahatmyam frame (traditional recitation to the listener/king and merchant in the larger Devi Mahatmyam setting)

Primary Deities

• Devī (Chandikā-associated manifestation)
• Kālī (contextually imminent)

Shakti Aspects

• Bhomākṣī (as named in the verse; within the Chandikā/Kālī battle-cycle)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Divine intervention in cosmic conflict
• Destruction of adharma
• Fearsome (raudra) aspect of the Goddess

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Adharma, even when organized as a ‘vast army,’ collapses swiftly when confronted by the awakened divine power (śakti). The verse stresses the inevitability of downfall once arrogance turns to direct aggression against the divine order.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Primarily within Vaṃśānucarita/Carita-type narrative material (heroic deeds in sacred history), not a sarga/pratisarga/manvantara focus in this passage.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Instant’ destruction signifies the non-linear power of consciousness (śakti) over accumulated force. The demon’s ‘abhimāna’ (hostile self-assertion) moves toward the Goddess, symbolizing ego’s final confrontation with the transformative void-like fierce form.