Shloka 21

Adhyaya 87 — The Slaying of Dhumralochana and the Emergence of Kali; the Fall of Chanda and Munda (Chamunda Named)

Sanskrit

अथ मुण्डोऽभ्यधावत्तां दृष्ट्वा चण्डं निपातितम् ।

तमप्यपातयद्भूमौ सा खड्गाभिहता रुषा ॥

Transliteration

atha muṇḍo 'bhyadhāvat tāṃ dṛṣṭvā caṇḍaṃ nipātitam | tam apy apātayad bhūmau sā khaḍgābhihatā ruṣā ||

Translation

अथ मुण्डः चण्डं हतं दृष्ट्वा तामभ्यधावत्। सा च क्रोधसमाविष्टा खड्गेन तं जघान भूमौ पातयामास॥

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (particle: then/thereupon)

• मुण्डः: Muṇḍa
• मुण्डः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• अभ्यधावत्: ran towards
• अभ्यधावत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धाव् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः अभि-

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• चण्डम्: Caṇḍa
• चण्डम्: कर्म (Karma; object of दृष्ट्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• निपातितम्: felled/struck down
• निपातितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of चण्डम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निपातित (कृदन्त; √पत् धातु, णिच् causative)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• अपातयत्: caused to fall/struck down
• अपातयत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative): ‘caused to fall’

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• खड्गाभिहता: struck with a sword
• खड्गाभिहता: विशेषण (Qualifier of सा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खड्ग + अभिहत (कृदन्त; √हन् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (खड्गेन अभिहता); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP)

• रुषा: with anger
• रुषा: करण/हेतु (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुष्/रुषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular)

Speakers

• Narrator within Devi Mahatmyam

Primary Deities

• Kālī
• Devī

Shakti Aspects

• Kālī (context; slayer of Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa)

Key Themes

• End of asuric champions
• Retribution against violence
• Swift divine justice

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Adharma often escalates after witnessing consequences (Muṇḍa rushes in), but the divine response is proportionate and decisive: wrath here functions as protective force, not personal vendetta.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Carita: the defeat of demonic leaders in a dharma-restoring episode.

What is the esoteric significance?

After the ‘Caṇḍa’ principle (violent fury) falls, the ‘Muṇḍa’ principle (headlessness—mindless momentum) still charges forward. The sword of discernment cuts down even residual compulsion.