Shloka 50

Adhyaya 88 — The Manifestation of the Matrikas and the Slaying of Raktabija

Sanskrit

तस्याहतस्य बहुधा शक्तिशूलादिभिर्भुवि ।

पपात यो वै रक्तौघस्तेनासञ्चतशोऽसुराः ॥

Transliteration

tasyāhatasya bahudhā śaktiśūlādibhir buvi | papāta yo vai raktaughas tenāsañchataśo 'surāḥ ||

Translation

Lorsqu’il fut frappé de multiples façons par des lances, des tridents et autres armes, des torrents de son sang tombèrent sur la terre; de là naquirent des asuras en nombre innombrable.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आहतस्य: of the wounded/struck (one)
• आहतस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-हन् (धातु) → आहत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; 'of the struck one'

• बहुधा: in many ways / repeatedly
• बहुधा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: in many ways/many times)

• शक्ति-शूल-आदिभिः: with spears, tridents, and the like
• शक्ति-शूल-आदिभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + शूल (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (weapons: spear, trident, etc.); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• भुवि: on the ground
• भुवि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भूमि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पपात: fell
• पपात: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यः: which / who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• रक्त-ओघः: a flood/stream of blood
• रक्त-ओघः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + ओघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रक्तस्य ओघः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तेन: by that / from that
• तेन: Karana (करण/Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• असञ्चतशः: in countless masses / in heaps (as if uncollected)
• असञ्चतशः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-चि (धातु) → सञ्चत (कृदन्त) + शस् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial formation with -शस्): 'in heaps/masses'; नकार-पूर्वक (negation)

• असुराः: demons
• असुराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speakers

• Ṛṣi (narrator) within Devi Mahatmyam

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Caṇḍikā (Devī)
• Raktabīja

Shakti Aspects

• Weapons wielded by Devī’s forces; Chandikā’s host implied

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Mythic explanation of exponential evil
• Regeneration motif (bīja)
• Limits of ordinary violence

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Some problems worsen when met with ordinary aggression: striking Raktabīja produces more adversaries. Ethically, it warns that reactive violence can multiply conflict; wisdom lies in addressing the source-condition.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Not a pancalakṣaṇa item; it is a theological battle narrative (devī-upākhyāna) embedded in the Purāṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

Raktabīja’s blood is the ‘latent seed’ of recurring negativity: when the root impression (bīja/saṃskāra) is merely ‘injured,’ it reproduces. The remedy must prevent the seed from contacting the ‘field’ (bhūmi) where it germinates.