Shloka 37

Adhyaya 89 — The Wrath of Shumbha and Nishumbha and the Fall of Nishumbha

Sanskrit

माहेश्वरीत्रिशूलेन भिन्नाः पेतुस्तथापरे ।

वाराहीतुण्डघातेन केचिच्चूर्णोकृताः भुवि ॥

Transliteration

māheśvarītriśūlena bhinnāḥ petus tathāpare | vārāhītuṇḍaghātena kecic cūrṇīkṛtā bhuvi ||

Translation

Andere fielen, vom Dreizack der Māheśvarī gespalten; und manche wurden durch die Schläge der Schnauze der Vārāhī am Boden zu Staub zermahlen.

Word by Word

• माहेश्वरी-त्रिशूलेन: with Māheśvarī’s trident
• माहेश्वरी-त्रिशूलेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहेश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रिशूल (प्रातिपदिक: त्रि + शूल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: माहेश्वर्याः त्रिशूलम्)

• भिन्नाः: pierced
• भिन्नाः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिन्न (कृदन्त; √भिद् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पेतुः: fell
• पेतुः: क्रिया (Verb/action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वाराही-तुण्ड-घातेन: by the blow of Vārāhī’s snout
• वाराही-तुण्ड-घातेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराही (प्रातिपदिक) + तुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + घात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: वाराह्याः तुण्डघातः)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम

• चूर्णीकृताः: were pulverized
• चूर्णीकृताः: क्रिया (Predicate; passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चूर्णीकृत (कृदन्त; चूर्णी + √कृ धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; denominative formation ‘to powder’

• भुवि: on the ground
• भुवि: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrative within the Devi Mahatmyam

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Māheśvarī
• Vārāhī

Shakti Aspects

• Mātṛkās: Māheśvarī; Vārāhī

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Matrika theology
• Destruction of demonic forces
• Symbolic weaponry

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Different expressions of divine power address different kinds of resistance—some are ‘pierced’ (cut at the root), others ‘pulverized’ (broken into non-coherence). Adharma cannot withstand either clarity or transformative force.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita: continued battle-description emphasizing the many śaktis (powers) emanating for the restoration of order.

What is the esoteric significance?

Triśūla signifies mastery over the three guṇas (or three times). Vārāhī’s ‘snout’ evokes instinctual, earth-rooted power—divinity reclaiming the primal energies that demons attempt to monopolize.