Shloka 29

Adhyaya 83 — The Slaying of Mahishasura’s Armies and the Final Death of Mahishasura

Sanskrit

सा क्षिप्त्वा तस्य वै पाशं तं बबन्ध महासुरम् ।

तत्याज माहिषं रूपं सोऽपि बद्धो महामृधे ॥

Transliteration

sā kṣiptvā tasya vai pāśaṃ taṃ babandha mahāsuram /

tatyāja māhiṣaṃ rūpaṃ so 'pi baddho mahāmṛdhe

Translation

ସେ ତାହାର ଉପରେ ନିଜ ପାଶ ନିକ୍ଷେପ କରି ସେଇ ମହାସୁରକୁ ବାନ୍ଧିଦେଲେ। ମହାଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ବଦ୍ଧ ହେଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସେ ନିଜ ମହିଷ-ରୂପକୁ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରି (ଅନ୍ୟ ରୂପ) ଧାରଣ କଲା।

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्षिप्त्वा: having cast
• क्षिप्त्वा: पूर्वकाल क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव: 'having thrown/cast'

• तस्य: of him; his
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Emphasis particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चय/खलु-अर्थ (indeed)

• पाशम्: noose; snare
• पाशम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• बबन्ध: she bound; tied
• बबन्ध: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• महासुरम्: the great demon
• महासुरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object) (अप्पोजिशन to तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तत्याज: he abandoned; gave up
• तत्याज: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• माहिषम्: buffalo-like; of a buffalo
• माहिषम्: कर्म (Karma/Object) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माहिष (प्रातिपदिक; महिष-सम्बन्धी)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) रूपम् इति

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• बद्धः: bound; tied up
• बद्धः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध (कृदन्त; √बन्ध् 'to bind')
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) सः इति

• महा-मृधे: in the great battle
• महा-मृधे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + मृध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरणे सप्तमी (locative of place/state): 'in the great battle'

Speakers

• Narrative voice within Devi Mahatmyam

Primary Deities

• Caṇḍikā (Devī)
• Mahīṣāsura

Shakti Aspects

• Caṇḍikā/Ambikā (Goddess as warrior)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Binding of adharma
• Metamorphosis of Mahishasura
• Divine weapons (pāśa)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Adharma is evasive: when constrained in one mode, it shifts form. The verse teaches vigilance—spiritual struggle often involves subtler reappearances of the same fault.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita: a battle-episode illustrating Devī’s sovereignty over māyic transformations.

What is the esoteric significance?

The pāśa (noose) signifies binding the vṛttis (mental modifications). The demon’s changing form suggests the protean nature of ego and desire under pressure.