Shloka 67

Adhyaya 85 — The Gods’ Hymn to the Goddess and the Emergence of Kaushiki; Shumbha Sends His Envoy

Sanskrit

मां वा ममानुजं वापि निशुम्भमुरुविक्रमम् ।

भज त्वं चञ्चलापाङ्गि रत्नभूतासि वै यतः ॥

Transliteration

māṃ vā mamānujaṃ vāpi niśumbhamuruvikramam /

bhaja tvaṃ cañcalāpāṅgi ratnabhūtāsi vai yataḥ

Translation

Выбери либо меня, либо моего младшего брата Нишумбху (Niśumbha), великого в доблести. О ты с беспокойными косыми взглядами, почитай/соединись с одним из нас, ибо ты воистину подобна драгоценности.

Word by Word

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनुजम्: younger brother
• अनुजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• अपि: also
• अपि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (‘also/even’)

• निशुम्भम्: Niśumbha
• निशुम्भम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक; proper noun)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उरुविक्रमम्: of great prowess
• उरुविक्रमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उरुविक्रम (प्रातिपदिक; उरु+विक्रम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies निशुम्भम्

• भज: choose/accept/serve
• भज: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चञ्चलापाङ्गि: O fickle-glanced one
• चञ्चलापाङ्गि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चञ्चलापाङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक; चञ्चल+अपाङ्गिन्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘one whose side-glances are fickle’

• रत्नभूता: (you) are a jewel
• रत्नभूता: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (प्रधान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत्नभूत (प्रातिपदिक; रत्न+भूत)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate adjective

• असि: are
• असि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक ‘because/since’

Speakers

• Demon side (Śumbha speaking as ‘I’)

Primary Deities

• Durgā
• Śumbha
• Niśumbha

Shakti Aspects

• Durgā / Bhagavatī

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Asuric desire and domination
• Testing of pride
• Prelude to dharmic condition (vow)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Power that cannot recognize the sacred treats relationship as conquest. The Devi narrative exposes this as self-defeating: the very Shakti they covet becomes the force that ends their tyranny.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

A conflict-narrative unit (vaṃśānucarita) used pedagogically to show the nature of asuric dharma (adharma) through speech acts and intention.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Cañcala-apāṅgī’ is a rhetorical attempt to eroticize and trivialize Shakti. Esoterically, it mirrors the mind’s attempt to pull transcendent power into sense-objects; Devi refuses and redirects the encounter into a test of inner strength.