Shloka 43

Adhyaya 82 — The Rise of Mahishasura and the Manifestation of the Goddess from the Gods’ Tejas

Sanskrit

गजवाजिसहस्रौघैरनेकैरुग्रदर्शनः ।

वृतो रथानां कोट्या च युद्धे तस्मिन्नयुध्यत ॥

Transliteration

gaja-vāji-sahasra-oghair anekair ugradarśanaḥ |

vṛto rathānāṃ koṭyā ca yuddhe tasminn ayudhyata ||

Translation

அந்தப் போரில் உக்ரதர்ஷனன் ஆயிரக் கணக்கான யானை-குதிரைக் கூட்டங்களின் பெருவெள்ளங்களால் சூழப்பட்டும், ஒரு கோடி ரதங்களால் சூழப்பட்டும் போரிட்டான்।

Word by Word

• गज-वाजि-सहस्र-ओघैः: with floods/masses of thousands of elephants and horses
• गज-वाजि-सहस्र-ओघैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + वाजिन् + सहस्र + ओघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/समाससमूहः (गजवाजिसहस्राणाम् ओघाः)

• अनेकैः: by many
• अनेकैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• उग्र-दर्शनः: fierce-looking
• उग्र-दर्शनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (उग्रं दर्शनं यस्य सः = fierce-looking)

• वृतः: surrounded
• वृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत (कृदन्त; √वृ/वृञ्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘surrounded’

• रथानाम्: of chariots
• रथानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कोट्या: with a crore (ten million)
• कोट्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• युद्धे: in the battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तस्मिन्: in that (battle)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अयुध्यत: fought
• अयुध्यत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speakers

• Narrative voice within Devi Mahatmyam

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Ugradarśana
• Devī (implied)

Shakti Aspects

• Devī (implicit opponent)

Key Themes

• Mythic exaggeration for theological emphasis
• Terror and spectacle of war
• Asura militarism

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text deliberately magnifies the hostile host to magnify the protective compassion and fearlessness that Devī embodies for devotees.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita. Such battle catalogs are didactic-poetic devices, not cosmological doctrine proper.

What is the esoteric significance?

Elephants and horses can symbolize heavy momentum and restless drive; chariots symbolize directed agency. The asura surrounded by these suggests the self encased by compulsions—precisely what Śakti liberates.