Shloka 32

Śumbha–Niśumbha’s Mobilization After Devī’s Victories

Battle Muster and Omens

Devanagari script

ततो निशुंभोऽभिजघान चण्डिकां शरैस्सहस्रैश्च तथैव कालिकाम् । बिभेद बाणानसुरप्रचोदितान्सहस्रखण्डं स्वशरोत्करैः शिवा

Transliteration

tato niśuṃbho'bhijaghāna caṇḍikāṃ śaraissahasraiśca tathaiva kālikām | bibheda bāṇānasurapracoditānsahasrakhaṇḍaṃ svaśarotkaraiḥ śivā

Translation

Then Niśumbha struck Caṇḍikā with thousands of arrows, and likewise Kālikā. But Śivā, the Divine Goddess, by volleys of her own arrows, shattered those demon-driven missiles into a thousand fragments.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereupon
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of sequence: 'thereupon/then'

• niśuṃbhaḥ: Niśumbha (the demon)
• niśuṃbhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśuṃbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• abhijaghāna: struck/smote
• abhijaghāna: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (हन् धातु) + abhi- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, Aorist/past), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• caṇḍikām: Caṇḍikā
• caṇḍikām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṇḍikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• śaraiḥ: with arrows
• śaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sahasraiḥ: by thousands (of)
• sahasraiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• tathā: thus/likewise
• tathā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात) of emphasis

• kālikām: Kālikā
• kālikām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• bibheda: split/shattered
• bibheda: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhid (भिद् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• bāṇān: arrows
• bāṇān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• asura-pracoditān: impelled by the demon(s)
• asura-pracoditān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक) + pracodita (प्रचोदित, कृदन्त)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying bāṇān; pracodita = past passive participle (कर्मणि क्त) from √cud (चुद्/चोद् धातु) with pra-

• sahasra-khaṇḍam: into a thousand pieces
• sahasra-khaṇḍam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक) + khaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu (द्विगु) compound (numeral + noun); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); used adverbially as result-state (फलविशेषण) with bibheda

• sva-śara-utkaraiḥ: with her own heaps/volleys of arrows
• sva-śara-utkaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + śara (प्रातिपदिक) + utkāra/utkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); karaṇa of action

• śivā: Śivā (the Goddess)
• śivā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śivā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Uma Samhita narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Caṇḍikā

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Niśumbha
• Caṇḍikā
• Kālikā
• Śivā (Devī/Śakti)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

The verse highlights the sovereignty of Śivā/Śakti: hostile forces may strike repeatedly, yet the Divine Power protects dharma by neutralizing negativity at its source—symbolized by breaking the demon-driven arrows into fragments.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

In Shaiva understanding, Saguna worship honors Śiva together with Śakti. This scene illustrates that the Lord’s protective grace operates through His inseparable power (Śivā/Devī), reinforcing devotion to Śiva as Pati and Devī as His dynamic Shakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is protective japa and bhakti: steady repetition of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with inner surrender, visualizing divine protection that breaks harmful impulses before they take effect.