Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 19

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

उत्थाय च महासींहं देवी चण्डमधावत ।

गृहीत्वा चास्य केशेषु शिरस्तेनासिनाच्छिनत् ॥

utthāya ca mahāsiṃhaṃ devī caṇḍam adhāvata | gṛhītvā cāsya keśeṣu śiras tenāsinācchinat ||

Sich erhebend wie ein großer Löwe, stürmte die Göttin auf Caṇḍa zu. Sie packte ihn am Haar und schlug ihm mit ihrem Schwert den Kopf ab.

उत्थायhaving risen
उत्थाय:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootउत् + स्था (धातु) → उत्थाय (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): having risen
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)
महा-सींहम्the great lion
महा-सींहम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा (पूर्वपद) + सींह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (the great lion)
देवीthe Goddess
देवी:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (the Goddess)
चण्डम्Caṇḍa
चण्डम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootचण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (Caṇḍa)
अधावतrushed at
अधावत:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअव + धाव् (धातु)
Formलङ् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd sg imperfect: ran towards/attacked
गृहीत्वाhaving seized
गृहीत्वा:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootग्रह् (धातु) → गृहीत्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय: having seized
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)
अस्यof him
अस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular (of him)
केशेषुby the hair
केशेषु:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootकेश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Locative plural (in/on the hair)
शिरसाwith (his) head
शिरसा:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootशिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (with the head)
तेनwith that
तेन:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (with that)
असिनाwith a sword
असिना:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअसि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (with a sword)
अच्छिनत्cut off
अच्छिनत्:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootछिद् (धातु)
Formलङ् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd sg imperfect: cut off
Narrator within Devi Mahatmyam
KālīDevī (Chandikā)
Kālī (immediate context) / Devī as slayer of Caṇḍa
Decisive destruction of adharmaDivine valorProtection of devas and cosmic balance

FAQs

The ‘head’ stands for the seat of arrogant intention; cutting it off signifies ending the root-command of violence. Dharma is restored not by negotiation with entrenched cruelty but by removing its leadership.

Carita: exemplary divine action that maintains the moral-cosmic order (ṛta/dharma).

Seizing ‘by the hair’ suggests grasping the subtle thread of prāṇa/identity; the sword is viveka (discernment). The beheading is the dissolution of egoic sovereignty before the absolute.