Shloka 4

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

Sanskrit

हृताधिकारास्त्रिदशास्ताभ्यां सर्वे निराकृताः ।

महासुराभ्यां तां देवीं संस्मरन्त्यपराजिताम् ॥

Transliteration

hṛtādhikārās tridaśās tābhyāṃ sarve nirākṛtāḥ / mahāsurābhyāṃ tāṃ devīṃ saṃsmaranty aparājitām

Translation

三十天众既被夺去职分，又尽为那两位大阿修罗所放逐，便忆念那不可征服的女神——阿帕罗阇多（Aparājitā）。

Word by Word

• hṛta-adhikārāḥ: whose offices were taken away
• hṛta-adhikārāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛta + adhikāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: बहुव्रीहि ‘हृताः अधिकाराः येषाम्’, पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st/Nom), बहुवचन (pl)

• tridaśāḥ: the thirty (gods) / gods
• tridaśāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tridaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (pl)

• tābhyām: by those two
• tābhyām: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन (dual)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st/Nom), बहुवचन (pl)

• nirākṛtāḥ: rejected/expelled
• nirākṛtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-ā-√kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st/Nom), बहुवचन (pl)

• mahā-asurābhyām: by the two great demons
• mahā-asurābhyām: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय ‘महान्तौ असुरौ’, पुंलिङ्ग (masc), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन (dual)

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (sg)

• devīm: the Goddess
• devīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (sg)

• saṃsmaranti: they remember/call to mind
• saṃsmaranti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√smṛ (स्मृ धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (pl), परस्मैपद

• aparājitām: the unconquered (one)
• aparājitām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + parājita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (sg)

Speakers

• Narrative portion within Devi Mahatmyam (transition to Devas’ supplication)

Primary Deities

• Devi
• Devas (collectively)

Shakti Aspects

• ['Aparajita']

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge)
• Divine remembrance (smaraṇa)
• Aparājitā epithet

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Smaraṇa (remembrance) of the Divine is presented as the immediate corrective when worldly supports collapse; devotion is not escapism but the turning toward the ultimate source of protection and right order.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

An episodic dharma-theological narrative (not genealogical/cosmogonic). It supports the Purāṇic function of ‘rakṣā’—how the divine protects when invoked.

What is the esoteric significance?

Aparājitā signifies the invincible ground of consciousness/Śakti. When lower ‘administrators’ (devas/faculties) fail, the return is to the unconditioned, unconquerable power.