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

Ayant appris que l’asura Dhūmralocana avait été tué par la Déesse, et que toute l’armée avait été anéantie par le lion de la Déesse, alors—

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.