Shloka 19

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

Sanskrit

उत्थाय च महासींहं देवी चण्डमधावत ।

गृहीत्वा चास्य केशेषु शिरस्तेनासिनाच्छिनत् ॥

Transliteration

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

Translation

Rising up like a great lion, the Goddess rushed upon Caṇḍa. Seizing him by the hair, she cut off his head with her sword.

Word by Word

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत् + स्था (धातु) → उत्थाय (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): having risen

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

• महा-सींहम्: the great lion
• महा-सींहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (पूर्वपद) + सींह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (the great lion)

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (the Goddess)

• चण्डम्: Caṇḍa
• चण्डम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (Caṇḍa)

• अधावत: rushed at
• अधावत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + धाव् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd sg imperfect: ran towards/attacked

• गृहीत्वा: having seized
• गृहीत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) → गृहीत्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय: having seized

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

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular (of him)

• केशेषु: by the hair
• केशेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Locative plural (in/on the hair)

• शिरसा: with (his) head
• शिरसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (with the head)

• तेन: with that
• तेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (with that)

• असिना: with a sword
• असिना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (with a sword)

• अच्छिनत्: cut off
• अच्छिनत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd sg imperfect: cut off

Speakers

• Narrator within Devi Mahatmyam

Primary Deities

• Kālī
• Devī (Chandikā)

Shakti Aspects

• Kālī (immediate context) / Devī as slayer of Caṇḍa

Key Themes

• Decisive destruction of adharma
• Divine valor
• Protection of devas and cosmic balance

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

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.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

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

What is the esoteric significance?

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.