Shloka 17

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

Sanskrit

तमायान्तं समालोक्य देवी शङ्खमवादयत् ।

ज्याशब्दं चापि धनुषश्चकारातीव दुःसहम् ॥

Transliteration

tam āyāntaṃ samālokya devī śaṅkham avādayat |

jyā-śabdaṃ cāpi dhanuṣaś cakārātīva duḥsaham ||

Translation

Al verlo avanzar, la Diosa hizo sonar su caracola; y también hizo vibrar la cuerda de su arco, un estruendo sumamente insoportable para los enemigos.

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• āyāntam: approaching
• āyāntam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√yā (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta; Present Active Participle (शतृ), Masculine, Accusative, Singular; ‘coming/approaching’

• samālokya: having seen
• samālokya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√lok (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta; Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), sam-ā-√lok ‘to look at/observe’

• devī: the Goddess
• devī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• śaṅkham: conch
• śaṅkham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• avādayat: blew/sounded
• avādayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√vad (धातु)
• Form: Verb; Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular; ava-√vad/√vad ‘to sound/play’ (causative-like usage ‘made sound’)

• jyā-śabdam: the twang (bowstring sound)
• jyā-śabdam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyā + śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘sound of the bowstring’

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

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (निपात) ‘also’

• dhanuṣaḥ: of the bow
• dhanuṣaḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• cakāra: made/produced
• cakāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Verb; Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular; √kṛ ‘to make/do’

• atīva: exceedingly
• atīva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/degree marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atīva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) intensifier

• duḥsaham: unbearable
• duḥsaham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥsaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used predicatively with jyāśabdam; ‘hard to endure’

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Devi Mahatmyam

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "vira", "secondaryRasa": "raudra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Ambika (Durga/Chandika)

Shakti Aspects

• Ambika/Chandika (martial
• sovereign aspect)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Sacred sound
• Martial readiness
• Psychological reversal of fear

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma does not merely react; it announces itself. The conch and bow-twang signify confidence and readiness—turning intimidation back upon the aggressor.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Devotional-heroic narrative supporting dharma and bhakti; not a direct treatment of Sarga/Manvantara genealogies.

What is the esoteric significance?

Śaṅkha-nāda and jyā-śabda indicate nāda (primordial sound) and focused intention. Spiritually, it is the proclamation of awakened consciousness that makes inner negativity ‘duḥsaha’—unable to remain in the field of awareness.