Shloka 8

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

Sanskrit

चिच्छेदास्ताञ्चरांस्ताभ्यां चण्डिका स्वशरोत्करैः ।

ताडयामास चाङ्गेषु शस्त्रौघैरसुरेश्वरौ ॥

Transliteration

cicchedāstāñ charāṃs tābhyāṃ caṇḍikā sva-śarotkaraiḥ |

tāḍayāmāsa cāṅgeṣu śastraughair asureśvarau ||

Translation

Чандика рассекла те снаряды градом собственных стрел, а затем обрушила на конечности двух владык асуров потоки оружия.

Word by Word

• चिच्छेद: she cut
• चिच्छेद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• आस्: (aux.) indeed/was (used with perfect)
• आस्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); सहायकक्रिया (auxiliary)

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (accusative), बहुवचन (plural)

• चरान्: spies/messengers
• चरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (acc.), बहुवचन (pl.)

• ताभ्याम्: by/with those two
• ताभ्याम्: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem.), तृतीया विभक्ति (instrumental), द्विवचन (dual)

• चण्डिका: Caṇḍikā (the Goddess)
• चण्डिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• स्व: own
• स्व: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धवाचक-विशेषण (possessive adjective), अव्ययवत्-प्रयोग (indeclinable-like in compounds)

• शर: arrow
• शर: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), प्रातिपदिक (compound member)

• उत्करैः: with heaps/volleys
• उत्करैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), तृतीया (instr.), बहुवचन (pl.)

• ताडयामास: she struck/beat
• ताडयामास: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तड्/ताड् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect) periphrastic, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अङ्गेषु: on (their) limbs
• अङ्गेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (locative), बहुवचन (pl.)

• शस्त्र: weapon
• शस्त्र: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut.), प्रातिपदिक (compound member)

• ओघैः: with torrents/streams
• ओघैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), तृतीया (instr.), बहुवचन (pl.)

• असुर: demon
• असुर: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), प्रातिपदिक (compound member)

• ईश्वरौ: the two lords of the demons
• ईश्वरौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), प्रथमा (nom.), द्विवचन (dual); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: असुराणाम् ईश्वरौ

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Devi Mahatmyam (frame: Markandeya’s account to the listener(s) of the Purana tradition)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Chandika/Durga

Shakti Aspects

• Chandika (Durga’s fierce battle-form)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Divine protection
• Destruction of adharma
• Mythic battle imagery

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Adharma’s aggression is met not by hesitation but by decisive clarity: the Devi neutralizes hostile force (cutting their weapons) and then restrains its source (striking the Asura-lords). The ethical arc is protection of cosmic order through proportionate, skilled action.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily not a Pancalakshana segment (Sarga/Pratisarga/Vamsha/Manvantara/Vamshanucarita), but it aligns most closely with Vamshanucarita/Itihasa-like narrative function: exemplary divine history illustrating dharma’s restoration.

What is the esoteric significance?

The cutting of incoming weapons symbolizes the yogic mastery that severs vṛttis (incoming disturbances). The subsequent striking of the Asura-lords indicates uprooting the deeper egoic sources behind turmoil, not merely managing symptoms.