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

अंकुश व हुक धारण करणाऱ्या महायोद्ध्या स्वारांसह हत्ती, रणघंटांच्या निनादासह, तिने एका हाताने पकडून आपल्या मुखात टाकले।

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.