Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 83, Shloka 19

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

Sanskrit

बिडालस्यासिना कायात् पातयामास वै शिरः ।

दुर्धरं दुर्मुखं चोभौ शरैर्निन्ये यमक्षयम् ।

कालं च कालदण्डेन कालरात्रिरपातयत् ॥

Transliteration

biḍālasyāsinā kāyāt pātayāmāsa vai śiraḥ | durdharaṃ durmukhaṃ cobhau śarair ninye yamakṣayam | kālaṃ ca kāladaṇḍena kālarātrir apātayat ||

Translation

她以剑将毗陀罗（Biḍāla）之首自其身躯斩下；又以箭矢将杜尔陀罗（Durdhara）与杜尔目迦（Durmukha）送往阎摩之所。并且，迦罗（Kāla）亦被迦罗罗夜（Kālarātri）以“时间之杖”击倒。

Word by Word

• biḍālasya: of Biḍāla
• biḍālasya: Sambandha/Ṣaṣṭhī (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: biḍāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• asinā: with a sword
• asinā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kāyāt: from the body
• kāyāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• pātayāmāsa: caused to fall, cut off
• pātayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (धातु)
• Form: Causative (णिच्) + Periphrastic perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात), emphasis

• śiraḥ: the head
• śiraḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• durdharam: Durdhara (a demon)
• durdharam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durdhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• durmukham: Durmukha (a demon)
• durmukham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durmukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

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

• ubhau: both (of them)
• ubhau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• śaraiḥ: with arrows
• śaraiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ninye: sent/led (to)
• ninye: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√nī (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• yama-kṣayam: to Yama’s abode (death)
• yama-kṣayam: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘abode/realm of Yama’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kālam: Kāla (a demon/personified Time)
• kālam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

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

• kāla-daṇḍena: with Kāla’s staff
• kāla-daṇḍena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘staff of Kāla’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kālarātriḥ: Kālarātri (a goddess)
• kālarātriḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālarātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘night of time/death’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• apātayat: caused to fall, felled
• apātayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Causative (णिच्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Devi Mahatmyam frame

Primary Deities

• Mahādevī (Ambikā/Durgā)
• Kālarātri

Shakti Aspects

• Kālarātri (fierce night/time aspect); Mahādevī’s terrifying protective manifestation

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Death/Time symbolism
• Fierce compassion (ugra-śakti)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even ‘Time’ and ‘Death’ motifs are subordinated to the Supreme Goddess: dharma is not ultimately at the mercy of chaos. The verse reinforces the inevitability of consequences—those who embody destruction are themselves destroyed.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Not pancalakṣaṇa enumeration; it is a dharma-restoring battle narrative used pedagogically to convey the supremacy of śakti.

What is the esoteric significance?

Kālarātri overcoming ‘Kāla’ suggests that the Absolute (as śakti) transcends temporality. In inner terms, the fear of time/death is conquered by realization of the timeless ground.