Shloka 24

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

Sanskrit

मया तवात्रोपहृतौ चण्डमुण्डौ महापशू ।

युद्धयज्ञे स्वयं शुम्भं निशुम्भं च हनिष्यसि ॥

Transliteration

mayā tavātropahṛtau caṇḍamuṇḍau mahāpaśū | yuddhayajñe svayaṃ śumbhaṃ niśumbhaṃ ca haniṣyasi ||

Translation

‘ข้านำจัณฑะและมุณฑะ—สัตว์ร้ายใหญ่ทั้งสอง—มาถวายต่อหน้าเจ้าแล้ว ในยัญพิธีแห่งสงคราม เจ้าเองจักสังหารศุมภะและนิศุมภะ’

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता/करण (Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• तव: for you/of you
• तव: सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (Beneficiary/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: here)

• उपहृतौ: have been brought/presented
• उपहृतौ: कर्म (Karma; in passive—those brought)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + हृत (कृदन्त; √हृ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन (Dual); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP)

• चण्डमुण्डौ: Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa
• चण्डमुण्डौ: कर्म (Karma; those brought)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्ड + मुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• महापशू: O great beasts (you two)
• महापशू: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), द्विवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान्तौ पशू)

• युद्धयज्ञे: in the battle-sacrifice
• युद्धयज्ञे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (युद्धरूपः यज्ञः)

• स्वयम्: yourself
• स्वयम्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Emphasis on agent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic adverb: oneself)

• शुम्भम्: Śumbha
• शुम्भम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निशुम्भम्: Niśumbha
• निशुम्भम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• हनिष्यसि: you will slay
• हनिष्यसि: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/लृट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Kālī speaking to Caṇḍikā (within the Devi Mahatmyam narration)

Primary Deities

• Kālī
• Caṇḍikā

Shakti Aspects

• Kālī; Caṇḍikā; impending encounter with Śumbha-Niśumbha

Key Themes

• Yuddha as yajña (battle as sacrifice)
• Inevitable defeat of Śumbha and Niśumbha
• Divine mission and assurance

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames righteous struggle as ‘yuddha-yajña’: action offered for restoration of order, not for personal gain. It also teaches assurance—when aligned with dharma, the outcome is ultimately secured.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Carita: prophetic/assuring speech within a sacred narrative, supporting the dharma-restoring arc rather than cosmological enumeration.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Battle-sacrifice’ indicates inner offering: the practitioner sacrifices tamasic/rajasic drives (symbolized by asuras) into the fire of awareness. Śumbha-Niśumbha represent deeper structures of possessiveness and pride to be overcome by the sovereign Goddess-consciousness.