Shloka 5

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

Sanskrit

भ्रुकुटीकुटिलात्तस्याः ललाटफलकाश् द्रुतम् ।

काली करालवदना विनिष्क्रान्तासिपाशिनी ॥

Transliteration

bhru-kuṭī-kuṭilāt tasyā lalāṭa-phalakād drutam /

kālī karāla-vadanā viniṣkrāntāsi-pāśinī

Translation

Dari dahinya yang berkerut kerana kerutan marah, seketika itu juga terpancar Kālī—berwajah garang—muncul sambil memegang pedang dan jerat (pāśa).

Word by Word

• भ्रुकुटी-कुटिलात्: from (her) crooked frown
• भ्रुकुटी-कुटिलात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रुकुटी (प्रातिपदिक) + कुटिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान/ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (भ्रुकुट्या कुटिलात् = ‘from the crooked frown’)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/genitive), एकवचन

• ललाट-फलकाश्: forehead-plates (brow-ridges)
• ललाट-फलकाश्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललाट (प्रातिपदिक) + फलका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (ललाटस्य फलकाḥ)

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• काली: Kālī
• काली: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/nominative), एकवचन

• कराल-वदना: with a terrifying face
• कराल-वदना: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कराल (प्रातिपदिक) + वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (करालं वदनं यस्याः)

• विनिष्क्रान्त-असि-पाशिनी: bearing a drawn sword and noose
• विनिष्क्रान्त-असि-पाशिनी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनिष्क्रान्त (कृदन्त; नि√क्रम्/क्रम् धातु) + असि (प्रातिपदिक) + पाशिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (विनिष्क्रान्तौ असि-पाशौ यस्याः/धारयति)

Speakers

• Narrative within the Devi Mahatmyam (frame traditionally: the sage narrates the Goddess’s deeds; commonly Medhas to Suratha & Samadhi in this section)

Primary Deities

• Kālī
• Durgā/Chandikā

Shakti Aspects

• Kālī (also identified with Chamundā in the Shumbha–Nishumbha episode)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Divine intervention
• Wrath as protective power
• Battle symbolism

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Protective fury is portrayed as a divine function: when dharma is threatened, the Goddess externalizes a fierce, decisive power that removes obstacles to cosmic order.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily within Vamśānucarita/Carita-type narrative (deeds of divine powers) rather than sarga/pratisarga/manvantara; it is a theological-epic episode embedded in the Purāṇic corpus.

What is the esoteric significance?

Kālī arising from the forehead signifies manifestation from the seat of command/insight (ājñā-bhāva): concentrated will becomes an autonomous force that cuts (sword) and binds/restrains (noose) disorder.