Shloka 16

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

Sanskrit

शरवर्षैर्महाभीमैर्भोमाक्षीं तां महासुरः ।

छादयामास चक्रैश्च मुण्डः क्षिप्तैः सहस्रशः ॥

Transliteration

śaravarṣair mahābhīmair bhomākṣīṃ tāṃ mahāsuraḥ | chādayāmāsa cakraiś ca muṇḍaḥ kṣiptaiḥ sahasraśaḥ ||

Translation

With showers of arrows, terribly fearsome, the great Asura covered that Bhomākṣī; and Muṇḍa also covered her with discs (cakras) hurled by the thousands.

Word by Word

• शर-वर्षैः: with showers of arrows
• शर-वर्षैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (with showers of arrows)

• महा-भीमैः: very dreadful
• महा-भीमैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (पूर्वपद) + भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural agreeing with शरवर्षैः (very terrible)

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

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

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

• छादयामास: covered
• छादयामास: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छाद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद, परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd sg perfect: covered

• चक्रैः: with discs (chakras)
• चक्रैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (with discs)

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

• मुण्डः: Muṇḍa
• मुण्डः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (Muṇḍa)

• क्षिप्तैः: thrown
• क्षिप्तैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु) → क्षिप्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural agreeing with चक्रैः (thrown)

• सहस्रशः: by the thousand
• सहस्रशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक अव्यय (adverb): by thousands, in thousands

Speakers

• Narrator within Devi Mahatmyam

Primary Deities

• Devī (Chandikā-associated manifestation)

Shakti Aspects

• Bhomākṣī (as named); Kālī context

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Asuric aggression
• Inefficacy of mere weaponry against divine power

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Overwhelming force and quantity (sahasraśaḥ) do not guarantee victory when deployed from adharma. The text contrasts external violence with inner divine sovereignty.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Carita (sacred heroic episode) rather than cosmological sarga/pratisarga; it supports dharma through exemplary divine action.

What is the esoteric significance?

Arrow-rain and spinning discs symbolize the mind’s proliferating thoughts and cycles. The Goddess being ‘covered’ points to the apparent obscuration of consciousness—soon dispelled by the fierce awakening (Kālī).