Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 83, Shloka 17

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

Sanskrit

देवी क्रुद्धा गदापातैश्चूर्णयामास चोद्धतम् ।

वाष्कलं भिन्दिपालेन बाणैस्ताम्रं तथान्धकम् ॥

Transliteration

devī kruddhā gadāpātaiś cūrṇayāmāsa coddhatam | vāṣkalaṃ bhindipālena bāṇais tāmraṃ tathāndhakam ||

Translation

ਦੇਵੀ ਕ੍ਰੋਧਿਤ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਗਦਾ ਦੇ ਵਾਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਉਸ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੀ ਨੂੰ ਕੁਚਲਣ ਲੱਗੀ। ਵਾਸ਼ਕਲ ਨੂੰ ਭਿੰਦਿਪਾਲ ਨਾਲ ਚੀਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਤਾਮ੍ਰ ਤੇ ਅੰਧਕ ਨੂੰ ਤੀਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਮਾਰ ਡਾਲਿਆ।

Word by Word

• devī: the Goddess
• devī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kruddhā: angered
• kruddhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √krudh (धातु)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन), agreeing with devī

• gadā-pātaiḥ: with mace-blows
• gadā-pātaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + pāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘fall/strike of a mace’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• cūrṇayāmāsa: pulverized, crushed
• cūrṇayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cūrṇ (धातु)
• Form: Periphrastic perfect (लिट्/परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• uddhatam: the arrogant one
• uddhatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uddhata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vāṣkalam: Vāṣkala (a demon)
• vāṣkalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāṣkala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhindipālena: with a bhindipāla (javelin/spear)
• bhindipālena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhindipāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• bāṇaiḥ: with arrows
• bāṇaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tāmram: Tāmra (a demon)
• tāmram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāmra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• andhakam: Andhaka (a demon)
• andhakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: andhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Devi Mahatmyam frame

Primary Deities

• Mahādevī (Ambikā/Durgā)

Shakti Aspects

• Mahādevī as the supreme warrior (Cāṇḍikā/Ambikā in function)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Divine justice
• Martial iconography of the Goddess

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Unchecked arrogance (uddhata) meets its fitting consequence. The Goddess’s wrath is not mere anger but the restoring force that re-establishes moral balance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Karmic-ethical exemplification within narrative; not a structural pancalakṣaṇa list-item.

What is the esoteric significance?

Multiple weapons indicate śakti’s many modalities: crushing (mace) = breaking rigid ego; piercing (javelin/arrow) = penetrating ignorance and false identity.