Shloka 4

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

Sanskrit

हन्यमानं महासैन्यं विलोक्ष्यामर्षमुद्वहन् ।

अभ्यधावन्निशुम्भोऽथ मुख्ययाऽसुरसेनया ॥

Transliteration

hanyamānaṃ mahāsainyaṃ vilokyāmarṣam udvahan | abhyadhāvanniśumbho 'tha mukhyayāsurasenayā ||

Translation

Seeing his great army being slaughtered, Niśumbha, bearing burning fury, rushed forward with the chief division of the asura host.

Word by Word

• हन्यमानम्: being slain
• हन्यमानम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (वर्तमान-कर्मणि कृदन्त/शानच्-प्रायः; passive present participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of महासैन्यम्

• महासैन्यम्: the great army
• महासैन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महासैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: महत् + सैन्य (great army)

• विलोक्ष्य: having seen
• विलोक्ष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि-लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• अमर्षम्: wrath / indignation
• अमर्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उद्वहन्: bearing / carrying (wrath)
• उद्वहन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-वह् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (वर्तमान कृदन्त/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of निशुम्भः

• अभ्यधावत्: ran towards / charged
• अभ्यधावत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धाव् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• निशुम्भः: Niśumbha
• निशुम्भः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर-बोधक अव्यय (particle: then/now)

• मुख्यया: with the chief (force)
• मुख्यया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण of असुरसेनया

• असुरसेनया: with the demon-army
• असुरसेनया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुरसेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: असुर + सेना (army of demons)

Speakers

• Ṛṣi narrating

Primary Deities

• Niśumbha
• Devī (implied)

Shakti Aspects

• Devī as battlefield sovereign (implied)

Key Themes

• Battle escalation
• Leadership in war
• Wrath-driven action

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse depicts how attachment to power and possession turns into rage when threatened; it cautions that leadership without dharma becomes destructive bravado.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Dharma-protective episode embedded in manvantara narration; not sarga/pratisarga, but within the manvantara-anchored sacred history stream.

What is the esoteric significance?

Niśumbha’s ‘charge’ symbolizes reactive mind (krodha) rushing to reassert control when the ego’s structures (its ‘army’) are dismantled.