Vamana Purana — Slaying of Raktabija, Shloka 67
The Slaying of Raktabīja and Niśumbha–Śumbha; the Manifestation of the Mātṛkās and the Devas’ Hymn
देव्युवाच/ भूयो भविष्याम्यसृगुक्षितानना हराननस्वेदजलोद्भवा सुराः अन्धासुरस्याप्रतिपोषणे रता नाम्ना प्रसिद्धा भुवनेषु चर्चिका
devyuvāca/ bhūyo bhaviṣyāmyasṛgukṣitānanā harānanasvedajalodbhavā surāḥ andhāsurasyāpratipoṣaṇe ratā nāmnā prasiddhā bhuvaneṣu carcikā
దేవి పలికింది— “నేను మరల అవతరిస్తాను—రక్తచిందులతో తడిసిన ముఖముతో. ఓ దేవులారా! హరుని (శివుని) ముఖస్వేదజలమునుండి నేను ఉద్భవిస్తాను. అంధాసురుని అపోషణములో, అనగా అతని బలవృద్ధిని అడ్డుకోవడములో నిమగ్నమై, ‘చర్చికా’ అనే నామముతో లోకాలలో ప్రసిద్ధి పొందుతాను।”
{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "raudra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
FAQs
It encodes intimate Śaiva-Śākta theology: Śakti is not external to Śiva but emerges from him as his power made manifest. The ‘sweat-water’ motif also conveys immediacy—Devī appears as a direct, embodied response to cosmic crisis.
Literally ‘devoted to non-nourishing’: it means Devī acts to prevent Andhaka’s increase—checking his strength, proliferation, or regenerative advantage—rather than allowing him to be ‘fed’ by boons, blood, or battlefield conditions.
Here it is a deity-epithet: Devī declares she will be known as Carcikā. The verse functions as a name-etymology/manifestation notice, not as sacred geography.