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Shloka 19

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

उत्थाय च महासींहं देवी चण्डमधावत ।

गृहीत्वा चास्य केशेषु शिरस्तेनासिनाच्छिनत् ॥

utthāya ca mahāsiṃhaṃ devī caṇḍam adhāvata | gṛhītvā cāsya keśeṣu śiras tenāsinācchinat ||

پھر دیوی ایک عظیم شیرنی کی طرح اٹھ کر چنڈ پر جھپٹ پڑی۔ اس کے بال پکڑ کر اس نے اپنی تلوار سے اس کا سر کاٹ ڈالا۔

उत्थायhaving risen
उत्थाय:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootउत् + स्था (धातु) → उत्थाय (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): having risen
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)
महा-सींहम्the great lion
महा-सींहम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा (पूर्वपद) + सींह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (the great lion)
देवीthe Goddess
देवी:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (the Goddess)
चण्डम्Caṇḍa
चण्डम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootचण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (Caṇḍa)
अधावतrushed at
अधावत:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअव + धाव् (धातु)
Formलङ् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd sg imperfect: ran towards/attacked
गृहीत्वाhaving seized
गृहीत्वा:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootग्रह् (धातु) → गृहीत्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय: having seized
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)
अस्यof him
अस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular (of him)
केशेषुby the hair
केशेषु:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootकेश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Locative plural (in/on the hair)
शिरसाwith (his) head
शिरसा:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootशिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (with the head)
तेनwith that
तेन:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (with that)
असिनाwith a sword
असिना:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअसि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (with a sword)
अच्छिनत्cut off
अच्छिनत्:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootछिद् (धातु)
Formलङ् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd sg imperfect: cut off
Narrator within Devi Mahatmyam
KālīDevī (Chandikā)
Kālī (immediate context) / Devī as slayer of Caṇḍa
Decisive destruction of adharmaDivine valorProtection of devas and cosmic balance

FAQs

The ‘head’ stands for the seat of arrogant intention; cutting it off signifies ending the root-command of violence. Dharma is restored not by negotiation with entrenched cruelty but by removing its leadership.

Carita: exemplary divine action that maintains the moral-cosmic order (ṛta/dharma).

Seizing ‘by the hair’ suggests grasping the subtle thread of prāṇa/identity; the sword is viveka (discernment). The beheading is the dissolution of egoic sovereignty before the absolute.