Shloka 9

Adhyaya 87 — The Slaying of Dhumralochana and the Emergence of Kali; the Fall of Chanda and Munda (Chamunda Named)

Sanskrit

पार्ष्णिग्राहाङ्कुशग्राहियोधघण्टासमन्वितान् ।

समादायैकहस्तेन मुखे चिक्षेप वारणान् ॥

Transliteration

pārṣṇi-grāhāṅkuśa-grāhi-yodha-ghaṇṭā-samanvitān /

samādāyaika-hastena mukhe cikṣepa vāraṇān

Translation

D’une seule main, elle saisit les éléphants—avec leurs cornacs tenant aiguillons et crochets (aṅkuśa), au son des clochettes des guerriers—et les jeta dans sa bouche.

Word by Word

• पार्ष्णि-ग्राह: heel-grasper (a kind of weapon/implement)
• पार्ष्णि-ग्राह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्ष्णि (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (समासाङ्ग; in compound), एकवचन-आधार; तत्पुरुष (पार्ष्ण्या ग्राहः = ‘heel-grasper’)

• अङ्कुश-ग्राहि: hook-holder / goad-bearer
• अङ्कुश-ग्राहि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (समासाङ्ग), एकवचन-आधार; तत्पुरुष (अङ्कुशं गृह्णाति/धारयति)

• योध-घण्टा: war-bell
• योध-घण्टा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध (प्रातिपदिक) + घण्टा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (समासाङ्ग), एकवचन-आधार; तत्पुरुष (योधानां घण्टा)

• समन्वितान्: equipped with
• समन्वितान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-अनु√इ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त; past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन; ‘endowed/armed with’

• समादाय: having seized/taken up
• समादाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ√दा (धातु)
• Form: अव्यय (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय; gerund/absolutive)

• एक-हस्तेन: with one hand
• एक-हस्तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (एकः हस्तः)

• मुखे: into (her) mouth
• मुखे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• चिक्षेप: she hurled/threw
• चिक्षेप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वारणान्: elephants
• वारणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन

Speakers

• Narrative within Devi Mahatmyam

Primary Deities

• Kālī

Shakti Aspects

• Kālī

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Mythic hyperbole
• Triumph over martial power
• Terror as divine strategy

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Worldly might (elephants, weapons, regalia) is shown as powerless before the divine: external control-tools (goad, hook) cannot control the ultimate Power.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita episode illustrating divine protection of the devas; not a genealogical or manvantara enumeration.

What is the esoteric significance?

Elephants often symbolize massive ego-force and imperial power; their being swallowed indicates the dissolution of pride and domination into the Goddess’s boundless reality.