Shloka 19
Adhyaya 84 — The Gods’ Hymn after the Slaying of Mahishasura and the Goddess’ Boon
दृष्ट्वैव किं न भवती प्रकरोति भस्म सर्वासुरानरिषु यत्प्रहिणोषि शस्त्रम् । लोकान् प्रयान्तु रिपवो ऽपि हि शस्त्रपूता इत्थं मतिर्भवति तेष्वपि ते ऽतिसाध्वी ॥
dṛṣṭvaiva kiṃ na bhavatī prakaroti bhasma sarvāsurānariṣu yatprahiṇoṣi śastram / lokān prayāntu ripavo 'pi hi śastrapūtā itthaṃ matirbhavati teṣvapi te 'tisādhvī
Pourquoi ne réduis-Tu pas tous les Asuras en cendres d’un seul regard ? Mais Tu lances Tes armes contre les ennemis afin que même ces ennemis, purifiés par Tes traits, puissent atteindre les mondes supérieurs. Telle est Ton intention souverainement bienveillante envers eux.
FAQs
This verse highlights the paradox of Divine Violence. The Goddess destroys not out of malice, but out of supreme compassion (Kripa). By killing the demons with Her divine weapons, She purifies their accumulated sins—something they could not achieve through their own wicked actions—and grants them access to higher worlds (Swarga).
This verse is embedded within the Manvantara characteristic of the Purana. The Devi Mahatmyam is narrated to explain the background of Savarni Manu (the 8th Manu), illustrating how the Goddess establishes cosmic order to facilitate the reign of a Manu.
The 'glance' represents the Fire of Knowledge (Jnanagni) which can instantly incinerate ignorance (Asuras), but the 'weapons' represent the specific Sadhanas or divine interventions required to transmute the ego. The Goddess chooses to purify the ego through contact with Her power, allowing the soul to evolve, rather than simply annihilating it into the void.