Shloka 9

Devanagari script

उमे शाकम्भरि श्वेते कृष्णे कैटभनाशिनि । हिरण्याक्षि विरूपाक्षि सुधूम्राक्षि नमो5स्तु ते,उमा, शाकम्भरी, श्वेता, कृष्णा, कैटभनाशिनी, हिरण्याक्षी, विरूपाक्षी और सुधूम्राक्षी आदि नाम धारण करनेवाली देवि! तुम्हें अनेकों बार नमस्कार है

Transliteration

ume śākambhari śvete kṛṣṇe kaiṭabhanāśini | hiraṇyākṣi virūpākṣi sudhūmrākṣi namo'stu te ||

Translation

Arjuna berkata: “Wahai Umā—wahai Śākambharī; wahai yang berwarna cerah; wahai yang berwarna gelap; wahai pemusnah Kaiṭabha; wahai yang bermata keemasan; wahai yang berwujud ganjil (melihat segala); wahai yang bermata berasap—kepada-Mu aku menundukkan sembah berkali-kali.”

Word by Word

उमेO Umā

शाकम्भरिO Śākambharī

श्वेतेO white(-hued one)

कृष्णेO dark(-hued one)

कैटभनाशिनिO destroyer of Kaiṭabha

हिरण्याक्षिO golden-eyed one

विरूपाक्षिO strange/variegated-eyed one

सुधूम्राक्षिO one with beautiful smoky-grey eyes

नमःsalutation

अस्तुlet there be

तेto you

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Umā (the Goddess)

Śākambharī

Kaiṭabha

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that in moments of crisis, devotion and remembrance of the Divine—here addressed through many names—can stabilize the mind, invoke inner strength, and orient one’s actions toward dharma rather than fear or confusion.

What is happening in the narrative?

On the eve of battle in the Bhīṣma Parva, Arjuna offers a litany of salutations to the Goddess (Umā/Durgā) by invoking her epithets—nourisher, pure and formidable, demon-slayer—seeking protection and empowerment before the conflict.