Shloka 26

Adhyaya 83 — The Slaying of Mahishasura’s Armies and the Final Death of Mahishasura

Sanskrit

वेगभ्रमणविक्षुण्णा मही तस्य व्यशीर्यत ।

लाङ्गूलेनाहतश्चाब्धिः प्लावयामास सर्वतः ॥

Transliteration

vegabhramaṇavikṣuṇṇā mahī tasya vyaśīryata /

lāṅgūlenāhataścābdhiḥ plāvayāmāsa sarvataḥ

Translation

அவனின் விரைவான சுழற்சி இயக்கங்களால் பூமி பிளந்தது. அவன் வாலின் அடியால் தாக்கப்பட்ட கடல் பொங்கி எங்கும் பரவி அனைத்திடத்தையும் வெள்ளமாக்கியது.

Word by Word

• वेग-भ्रमण-विक्षुण्णा: crushed by swift circling
• वेग-भ्रमण-विक्षुण्णा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक) + भ्रमण (कृदन्त; √भ्रम् 'to roam/turn') + विक्षुण्ण (कृदन्त; √क्षुद्/क्षुण्ण 'to crush')
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) मही इति; तत्पुरुषः—वेगेन भ्रमणेन विक्षुण्णा (crushed by rapid whirling)

• मही: the earth
• मही: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him; his
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• व्यशीर्यत: was shattered; broke apart
• व्यशीर्यत: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शॄ (धातु) (शीर्ण/शीर्यते 'to break, crumble')
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (intransitive/passive sense): 'was torn asunder'

• लाङ्गूलेन: with (his) tail
• लाङ्गूलेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाङ्गूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• आहतः: struck
• आहतः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आहत (कृदन्त; √हन् 'to strike' + आ-)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) अब्धिः इति

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अब्धिः: the ocean
• अब्धिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्लावयामास: flooded; caused to inundate
• प्लावयामास: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्लु (धातु) (causative √प्लावय्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच् (causative): 'caused to flood'

• सर्वतः: on all sides; everywhere
• सर्वतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): सर्वदिक्-अर्थ (in all directions)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within Devi Mahatmyam

Primary Deities

• Caṇḍikā (Devī)
• Mahīṣāsura

Shakti Aspects

• Caṇḍikā/Ambikā (contextual opponent)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Cosmic disorder
• Elemental disturbance (earth/ocean)
• Asuric rage

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Adharma is portrayed as socially and cosmically contagious: one being’s violent agitation becomes collective suffering (earth breaks, waters overflow). The text frames Devī’s intervention as restoration of balance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita (deed-narrative) used as dharma-upadeśa through mythic exemplum; it is not a manvantara/genealogical passage here.

What is the esoteric significance?

Earth (stability) and ocean (emotion/collective unconscious) are disturbed by ‘whirling momentum’—a symbol of rajas-tamas turbulence. Devī’s role is the sattvic axis that stills and contains.