Shloka 77

Adhyaya 85 — The Gods’ Hymn to the Goddess and the Emergence of Kaushiki; Shumbha Sends His Envoy

Sanskrit

सा त्वं गच्छ मयैवोक्ता पार्श्वं शुम्भनिशुम्भयोः ।

केशाकर्षणनिर्धूतगौरवा मा गमिष्यसि ॥

Transliteration

sā tvaṃ gaccha mayaivoktā pārśvaṃ śumbhaniśumbhayoḥ | keśākarṣaṇanirdhūtagauravā mā gamiṣyasi ||

Translation

“So go—thus have I told you—to the side of Śumbha and Niśumbha. Do not end up going there with your dignity shaken off, dragged by the hair.”

Word by Word

• sā: she; that (woman)
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (युष्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• gaccha: go
• gaccha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd case/instrumental), एकवचन

• eva: indeed; only
• eva: Anvaya (अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic: only/indeed)

• uktā: (you are) told; instructed
• uktā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ukta (प्रातिपदिक; √vac, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• pārśvam: to the side
• pārśvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; गत्यर्थक्रियायां द्वितीया (goal)

• śumbhaniśumbhayoḥ: of Śumbha and Niśumbha
• śumbhaniśumbhayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śumbha (प्रातिपदिक) + niśumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास

• keśākarṣaṇanirdhūtagauravā: (you) whose dignity will be shaken off by hair-pulling
• keśākarṣaṇanirdhūtagauravā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: keśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ākarṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + nirdhūta (प्रातिपदिक; √dhū with nir-, क्त) + gaurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समास (यस्याḥ गौरवं केश-आकर्षणेन निर्धूतम् सा)

• mā: do not
• mā: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• gamiṣyasi: you will go
• gamiṣyasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Dūta addressing Devī

Primary Deities

• Devī
• Śumbha
• Niśumbha

Shakti Aspects

• Devī as the one whose ‘gaurava’ cannot truly be diminished (ironic contrast to threat)

Key Themes

• Coercion vs consent
• Asuric violence
• Honor and inviolability of the Divine

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The asuric mindset escalates from persuasion to coercion. The text condemns forced possession and foretells its reversal: violence aimed at the sacred rebounds upon the violent.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Narrative (ākhyāna) within manvantara; it functions as a moral exemplum about adharma’s methods and their downfall.

What is the esoteric significance?

Hair-dragging symbolizes the attempt to control the ‘crown’ (śiras) of consciousness by force. Śakti cannot be compelled; attempts to dominate the inner power lead to psychic fragmentation for the aggressor.