Shloka 73
Adhyaya 85 — The Gods’ Hymn to the Goddess and the Emergence of Kaushiki; Shumbha Sends His Envoy
तदागच्छतु शुम्भोऽत्र निशुम्भो वा महासुरः ।
मां जित्वा किं चिरेणात्र पाणिं गृह्णातु मे लघु ॥
tadāgacchatu śumbho 'tra niśumbho vā mahāsuraḥ | māṃ jitvā kiṃ cireṇātra pāṇi gṛhṇātu me laghu ||
「今すぐシュンバがここへ来るがよい――あるいは大アスラ、ニシュンバでもよい。わたしを征服したのち、なぜためらうのか。速やかにわたしの手を取れ（婚姻として）。」
FAQs
The verse frames the asura’s demand for possession as valid only under a condition he cannot meet: true conquest of the Divine. It underscores autonomy and dharma—power without righteousness cannot legitimately claim relationship or sovereignty.
Primarily within Manvantara discourse as embedded narrative (manvantara-anuśaṅga/ākhyāna). It is not sarga/pratisarga; it functions as exemplary itihāsa within the manvantara setting.
‘Taking the hand’ symbolizes attempted appropriation of Śakti by egoic force. The condition ‘conquer me’ indicates that Śakti cannot be seized; she is realized only when false dominion (asuric pride) is dissolved.