Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 87, Shloka 7

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

Sanskrit

अतिविस्तारवदना जिह्वाललनभीषणा ।

निमग्नारक्तनयना नादापूरितदिङ्मुखा ॥

Transliteration

ati-vistāra-vadanā jihvā-lalana-bhīṣaṇā /

nimagnā-rakta-nayanā nādāpūrita-diṅ-mukhā

Translation

उसका मुख अत्यन्त विशाल था; लटकती जिह्वा से वह भैरवी लगती थी; उसकी आँखें धँसी हुई और रक्त-लाल थीं; उसके गर्जन से समस्त दिशाओं के मुख भर गए।

Word by Word

• अति-विस्तार-वदना: with a very wide mouth/face
• अति-विस्तार-वदना: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + विस्तार (प्रातिपदिक) + वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अतिविस्तारं वदनं यस्याः)

• जिह्वा-ललन-भीषणा: terrifying with tongue-play (lolling tongue)
• जिह्वा-ललन-भीषणा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक) + ललन (प्रातिपदिक) + भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (जिह्वाललनेन भीषणा)

• निमग्न-रक्त-नयना: with eyes sunk in redness (bloodshot)
• निमग्न-रक्त-नयना: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निमग्न (कृदन्त; नि√मज्ज् धातु) + रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + नयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (रक्ते निमग्ने नयने यस्याः)

• नाद-आपूरित-दिङ्-मुखा: whose directions’ faces (quarters) are filled with her roar
• नाद-आपूरित-दिङ्-मुखा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाद (प्रातिपदिक) + आपूरित (कृदन्त; आ√पूर् धातु) + दिङ् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (नादेन आपूरितानि दिङ्मुखानि यस्याः)

Speakers

• Narrative within Devi Mahatmyam

Primary Deities

• Kālī

Shakti Aspects

• Kālī / Chamundā

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Awe and terror as sacred affect
• Cosmic sound (nāda)
• Battle-theophany

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The ‘fearsome’ divine is not cruelty but the uncompromising removal of adharma; the roar that fills the directions indicates that no corner of existence is outside moral consequence.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita-focused passage describing the deity’s manifestation and action, not cosmological creation or dynastic genealogy.

What is the esoteric significance?

The all-pervading nāda suggests primal vibration: the Goddess’s presence is experienced as overwhelming reality itself, dissolving limited perception (sunken red eyes) into a single, consuming awareness.