Shloka 32
Adhyaya 83 — The Slaying of Mahishasura’s Armies and the Final Death of Mahishasura
Sanskrit
करेण च महासींहं तं चकर्ष जगर्ज च ।
कर्षतस्तु करं देवी खड्गेन निरकृन्तत ॥
Transliteration
kareṇa ca mahāsiṃhaṃ taṃ cakarṣa jagarja ca /
karṣatastu karaṃ devī khaḍgena nirakṛntata
Translation
他用象鼻拖拽那头巨狮并发出咆哮；但在拖拽之际，女神以利剑斩断了他的象鼻。
Word by Word
kareṇawith (his) hand/trunk
kareṇa:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootkara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental); एकवचन
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; conjunction
mahāsiṃhamthe great lion
mahāsiṃham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmahā + siṃha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास (महान् सिंहः); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन
tamhim/that one
tam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन
cakarṣadragged/pulled
cakarṣa:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootkṛṣ (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन
jagarjaroared
jagarja:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootgarj (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; conjunction
karṣataḥof the one dragging
karṣataḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeVerb
Rootkṛṣ (धातु)
Formशतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive); एकवचन; ‘of (him) who was dragging’
tubut/indeed
tu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; adversative particle (निपात)
karamhand/trunk
karam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन
devīthe Goddess
devī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdevī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन
khaḍgenawith a sword
khaḍgena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootkhaḍga (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन
nirakṛntatcut off
nirakṛntat:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootkṛt (धातु)
Formलुङ् (Aorist); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन; उपसर्ग: निर्-
Speakers
Narrative voice within Devi Mahatmyam
Primary Deities
Devī (Ambikā/Caṇḍikā)MahīṣāsuraDevī’s lion (vāhana/companion)
Shakti AspectsDevī as warrior; Ambikā/Caṇḍikā continuity
Key ThemesShaktismProtection of Devī’s vāhanaDecapitation/severing motifTactical battle imagery
FAQs
Devī protects the instruments of dharma (here, her lion) and removes the very ‘grasping power’ of the adversary (the trunk). Evil is weakened by cutting its capacity to seize and control.
Carita: episodic combat narrative within the Devi Mahatmyam portion of the Purāṇa.
The trunk as ‘grasping’ symbolizes attachment and appropriation; severing it indicates vairāgya (dispassion) enforced by divine discernment.