Shloka 1

Adhyaya 85 — The Gods’ Hymn to the Goddess and the Emergence of Kaushiki; Shumbha Sends His Envoy

Sanskrit

ऋषिरुवाच

पुरा शुम्भनिशुम्भाभ्यामसुराभ्यां शचीपतेः ।

त्रैलोक्यं यज्ञभागाश्च हृता मदबलाश्रयात् ॥

Transliteration

ṛṣir uvāca | purā śumbhaniśumbhābhyām asurābhyāṃ śacīpateḥ | trailokyaṃ yajñabhāgāś ca hṛtā madabalāśrayāt ||

Translation

Vị Ṛṣi nói: “Thuở trước, hai asura Śumbha và Niśumbha—nương vào sức mạnh của lòng kiêu mạn—đã tước đoạt của Indra (phu quân của Śacī) ba cõi và các phần lễ vật trong tế tự.”

Word by Word

• ṛṣiḥ: the sage
• ṛṣiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• purā: formerly
• purā: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of time

• śumbhaniśumbhābhyām: by Śumbha and Niśumbha
• śumbhaniśumbhābhyām: Karana (करण/agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śumbha + niśumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva compound; Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• asurābhyām: by the two demons
• asurābhyām: Karana (करण/agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया), Dual

• śacīpateḥ: of Śacī’s lord (Indra)
• śacīpateḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śacī-pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound: śacī + pati; Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular

• trailokyam: the three worlds
• trailokyam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri-loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu (द्विगु) compound: tri + loka; Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• yajñabhāgāḥ: the shares of sacrifice
• yajñabhāgāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña-bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound: yajña + bhāga; Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• hṛtāḥ: were taken away
• hṛtāḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hṛ (हृ धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural; agrees with yajñabhāgāḥ (and sense extends to trailokyam)

• madabalāśrayāt: due to reliance on (their) intoxication and strength
• madabalāśrayāt: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mada-bala-āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (multi-member): mada + bala + āśraya; Masculine, Ablative (पञ्चमी), Singular

Speakers

• Ṛṣi narrator (within Devī Māhātmyam frame) addressing the King

Primary Deities

• Indra (Śacīpati)
• Śumbha
• Niśumbha

Shakti Aspects

• Implicit—sets up need for Devī’s intervention against Śumbha–Niśumbha

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Cosmic usurpation
• Yajña order disrupted
• Pride (mada) as root of tyranny

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

When power is driven by mada (arrogant intoxication), it disrupts both governance (trailokya) and sacred reciprocity (yajña). The restoration of yajña symbolizes restoration of ethical order.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Manvantara-oriented narrative illustrating periodic decline and restoration of dharma; also touches implicitly on vaṃśānucarita insofar as Indra’s office is a recurring cosmic role.

What is the esoteric significance?

Seizing ‘yajñabhāga’ indicates blockage of the exchange between human/divine realms; esoterically, it is the obstruction of inner ‘offering’ (attention, breath, virtue) that Devī’s awakening must restore.