Shloka 1

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

Sanskrit

ऋषिरुवाच

पुरा शुम्भनिशुम्भाभ्यामसुराभ्यां शचीपतेः ।

त्रैलोक्यं यज्ञभागाश्च हृता मदबलाश्रयात् ॥

Transliteration

ṛṣir uvāca | purā śumbhaniśumbhābhyām asurābhyāṃ śacīpateḥ | trailokyaṃ yajñabhāgāś ca hṛtā madabalāśrayāt ||

Translation

ऋषिरुवाच । पुरा शुम्भनिशुम्भाभ्यामसुराभ्यां मदबलाश्रयैः । शचीपतिरिन्द्रो त्रैलोक्यं यज्ञभागांश्च वञ्चितः ॥

Speakers

• Ṛṣi narrator (within Devī Māhātmyam frame) addressing the King

Primary Deities

• Indra (Śacīpati)
• Śumbha
• Niśumbha

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Cosmic usurpation
• Yajña order disrupted
• Pride (mada) as root of tyranny