Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 89, Shloka 7
Adhyaya 89 — The Wrath of Shumbha and Nishumbha and the Fall of Nishumbha
ततो युद्धमतीवासीद्देव्याः शुम्भनिशुम्भयोः ।
शरवर्षमतीवोग्रं मेघयोरिव वर्षतोः ॥
tato yuddham atīvāsīd devyāḥ śumbhaniśumbhayoḥ | śaravarṣam atīvograṃ meghayor iva varṣatoḥ ||
Then the battle between the Goddess and Śumbha and Niśumbha became exceedingly intense, with a terrible rain of arrows—like two storm-clouds pouring down.
FAQs
The struggle for dharma can be fierce and sustained; the verse validates endurance—victory is not always instantaneous, even when righteousness is certain.
A dharma-restoring episode situated in Manvantara narration (explicitly Sāvarṇika in this Devī Māhātmyam context).
The ‘two storm-clouds’ image suggests colliding forces of consciousness: concentrated ego-power versus awakened śakti; the arrow-rain mirrors the barrage of thoughts in intense inner transformation.