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Shloka 16

Adhyaya 89The Wrath of Shumbha and Nishumbha and the Fall of Nishumbha

स रथस्थस्तथात्युच्चैर्गृहीतपरमायुधैः ।

भुजैरष्टाभिरतुलैर्व्याप्याशेषं बभौ नभः ॥

sa ratha-sthas tathātyuccair gṛhīta-paramāyudhaiḥ |

bhujair aṣṭābhir atulair vyāpyāśeṣaṃ babhau nabhaḥ ||

Duduk di atas keretanya, mengangkat tinggi senjata-senjata tertinggi, dan dengan lapan lengan yang tiada bandingan, dia memenuhi seluruh hamparan dan bersinar di angkasa.

saḥhe
saḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
ratha-sthaḥmounted on a chariot
ratha-sthaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootratha + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘standing on a chariot’
tathāthus
tathā:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/ manner)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘thus/so’
ati-uccaiḥvery high / exceedingly aloft
ati-uccaiḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/degree)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootati + uccaiḥ (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘very high/aloud’; ati as intensifier
gṛhīta-parama-āyudhaiḥwith (his) finest weapons held (ready)
gṛhīta-parama-āyudhaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootgṛhīta (√grah, क्त) + parama + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; tatpuruṣa: ‘with supreme weapons that were grasped/held’; gṛhīta = PPP used adjectivally
bhujaiḥwith arms
bhujaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootbhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural
aṣṭābhiḥwith eight
aṣṭābhiḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootaṣṭan (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
Form(Number adjective) Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; agreeing with bhujaiḥ
atulaiḥincomparable
atulaiḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootatula (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; agreeing with bhujaiḥ
vyāpyahaving pervaded
vyāpya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootvi-ā-√āp (धातु)
FormKṛdanta; Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), vi-ā-√āp ‘to pervade/spread’
aśeṣamthe whole (entirely)
aśeṣam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootaśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used adverbially ‘entirely/without remainder’
babhaushone/appeared
babhau:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√bhā (धातु)
FormVerb; Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; √bhā ‘to shine/appear’
nabhaḥthe sky
nabhaḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootnabhas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
Narrative voice within the Devi Mahatmyam

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Shumbha (Asura antagonist)Ambika (Durga/Chandika)
Ambika/Chandika (as opponent of Shumbha)
ShaktismAsuric display of powerMythic hyperboleBattle

FAQs

Asuric power often manifests as spectacle—expansive display meant to intimidate. The Purana contrasts such outward magnitude with the Devi’s inner sovereignty, implying that true authority is not measured by show but by alignment with dharma.

Narrative exemplum; it supports moral-theological teaching rather than serving as a cosmological or genealogical register.

‘Pervading the sky’ can symbolize the mind overwhelmed by a grandiose ego-identity. The many arms and weapons reflect proliferating strategies of control; the Devi’s role is to re-center reality in the non-inflated ground of truth.