Adhyaya 88 — The Manifestation of the Matrikas and the Slaying of Raktabija
कालका दौर्हृदा मौर्याः कालकेयास्तथासुराः । युद्धाय सज्जा निर्यन्तु आज्ञया त्वरिता मम ॥
kālakā daurhṛdā mauryāḥ kālakeyās tathāsurāḥ / yuddhāya sajjā niryāntu ājñayā tvaritā mama
At my command, let the Kālakās, Daurhṛdas, Mauryas, and likewise the Kālakeyas and other asuras—ready for battle—march out swiftly.
The text depicts adharma as coalition-building among many factions; dharma, by contrast, is unified by principle rather than by convenience.
Anucarita: an epic-style roll call that serves the didactic arc leading to Devī’s victory.
Multiple named groups can symbolize the many ‘sub-personalities’ of the unpurified mind—each rushing to defend the central ego-king (Śumbha).