Shloka 16

Adhyaya 86 — Dhumralocana’s Mission and His Ashing by the Goddess; Shumbha Sends Chanda and Munda

Sanskrit

श्रुत्वा तमसुरं देव्याः निहतं धूम्रलोचनम् ।

बलं च क्षयितं कृत्स्नं देवीकेसरिणा ततः ॥

Transliteration

śrutvā tamasuraṃ devyā nihataṃ dhūmralocanam / balaṃ ca kṣayitaṃ kṛtsnaṃ devīkesariṇā tataḥ

Translation

Al oír que el asura Dhūmralocana había sido muerto por la Diosa, y que todo el ejército había sido destruido por el león de la Diosa, entonces—

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having heard’

• तम्: that
• तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; demonstrative qualifying asuram

• असुरम्: demon
• असुरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• देव्याः: of the Goddess
• देव्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘of the Goddess’

• निहतम्: slain
• निहतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) + नि (उपसर्ग) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘slain’

• धूम्र-लोचनम्: Dhūmralocana
• धूम्र-लोचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूम्र (प्रातिपदिक) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘smoke(-colored) eyed’ (proper name)

• बलम्: army/force
• बलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• क्षयितम्: destroyed
• क्षयितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘destroyed’

• कृत्स्नम्: entire
• कृत्स्नम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्स्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective to balaṃ

• देवी-केसरिणा: by the Goddess’s lion
• देवी-केसरिणा: Kartṛ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक) + केसरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘lion of the Goddess’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kālavācaka (कालवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘then/thereupon’

Speakers

• Narrator within Devī Māhātmya

Primary Deities

• Devī (Ambikā/Chāṇḍikā)

Shakti Aspects

• Devī as the slayer of Dhūmralocana (Ambikā/Chāṇḍikā contextually)

Key Themes

• Śāktism
• Asuric reaction
• Karma of aggression
• Inevitable defeat of adharma

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The asura’s downfall is not merely physical defeat but a moral turning-point: hearing of dharmic power forces the adharma-side to reveal its deeper intent—either surrender or escalation.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Manvantara-framed sacred history (events narrated within a manvantara setting), functioning as didactic itihāsa within the Purāṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Hearing’ (śruti) here marks inner recognition: when ego (asura) confronts the fact of higher power, it often responds by intensifying control-mechanisms—setting the stage for deeper purification.