Shloka 66
Adhyaya 85 — The Gods’ Hymn to the Goddess and the Emergence of Kaushiki; Shumbha Sends His Envoy
स्त्रीरत्नभूतां त्वां देवि लोके मन्यामहे वयम् ।
सा त्वमस्मानुपागच्छ यतो रत्नभुजो वयम् ॥
strīratnabhūtāṃ tvāṃ devi loke manyāmahe vayam /
sā tvamasmānupāgaccha yato ratnabhujo vayam
ഹേ ദേവീ, ലോകത്തിൽ ഞങ്ങൾ നിന്നെ ‘സ്ത്രീരത്നം’ എന്നു കരുതുന്നു; അതുകൊണ്ട് ഞങ്ങളിലേക്കു വരിക, കാരണം ഞങ്ങൾ രത്നങ്ങളുടെ ഭോക്താക്കൾ/ഉടമകൾ ആകുന്നു।
FAQs
The verse displays adharma as objectification—reducing the Goddess to an item of consumption. Devi’s forthcoming response reasserts autonomy and establishes the ethical principle that union/power must be earned through rightful means, not seized.
Narrative ethics within vaṃśānucarita: it teaches dharma through the characterization of asuric speech and Devi’s corrective vow.
Calling Devi a ‘ratna’ is a category mistake: Shakti is the ground of value, not a valuable object. The asura’s error is avidyā—treating the source as a possession.