Devi Mahatmyam Durga Saptasati Chapter 3

Durga

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tap any word for its meaning

verse 1
महिषासुरवधो नाम तृतीयोऽध्यायः ॥
mahiṣāsuravadhō nāma tṛtīyō'dhyāyaḥ ॥
meaning
(Chapter title header) The Slaying of Mahishasura — third chapter.
verse 2
ध्यानंॐ उद्यद्भानुसहस्रकान्तिं अरुणक्षौमां शिरोमालिकांरक्तालिप्त पयोधरां जपवटीं विद्यामभीतिं वरम् ।हस्ताब्जैर्धधतीं त्रिनेत्रवक्त्रारविन्दश्रियंदेवीं बद्धहिमांशुरत्नमकुटां वन्देऽरविन्दस्थिताम् ॥
dhyānaṃōṃ udyadbhānusahasrakāntiṃ aruṇakṣaumāṃ śirōmālikāṃraktālipta payōdharāṃ japavaṭīṃ vidyāmabhītiṃ varam ।hastābjairdhadhatīṃ trinētravaktrāravindaśriyaṃdēvīṃ baddhahimāṃśuratnamakuṭāṃ vandē'ravindasthitām ॥
meaning
(Dhyana) She who shines like ten million rising suns, robed in crimson silk, wearing a garland of skulls, her lotus hands holding noose, goad, and bow of flowering arrows — I bow to that three-eyed Goddess seated upon a lotus.
verse 3
ऋषिरुवाच ॥1॥
ṛṣiruvācha ॥1॥
meaning
(Rishi speaks) [Narrative marker: the sage begins the account.]
verse 4
निहन्यमानं तत्सैन्यं अवलोक्य महासुरः।सेनानीश्चिक्षुरः कोपाद् ध्ययौ योद्धुमथाम्बिकाम् ॥2॥
nihanyamānaṃ tatsainyaṃ avalōkya mahāsuraḥ।sēnānīśchikṣuraḥ kōpād dhyayau yōddhumathāmbikām ॥2॥
meaning
Seeing his own army being slaughtered, the great demon Chikshura, commander of Mahisha's forces, advanced in fury to fight Ambika.
verse 5
स देवीं शरवर्षेण ववर्ष समरेऽसुरः।यथा मेरुगिरेःशृङ्गं तोयवर्षेण तोयदः ॥3॥
sa dēvīṃ śaravarṣēṇa vavarṣa samarē'suraḥ।yathā mērugirēḥśṛṅgaṃ tōyavarṣēṇa tōyadaḥ ॥3॥
meaning
That demon rained arrows upon the Goddess in battle as a rain-cloud pours torrents of rain upon a mountain peak.
verse 6
तस्य छित्वा ततो देवी लीलयैव शरोत्करान्।जघान तुरगान्बाणैर्यन्तारं चैव वाजिनाम् ॥4॥
tasya Chitvā tatō dēvī līlayaiva śarōtkarān।jaghāna turagānbāṇairyantāraṃ chaiva vājinām ॥4॥
meaning
The Goddess playfully severed his volleys of arrows and wounded his horses with arrows and slew his charioteer.
verse 7
चिच्छेद च धनुःसध्यो ध्वजं चातिसमुच्छृतम्।विव्याध चैव गात्रेषु चिन्नधन्वानमाशुगैः ॥5॥
chichChēda cha dhanuḥsadhyō dhvajaṃ chātisamuchChṛtam।vivyādha chaiva gātrēṣu chinnadhanvānamāśugaiḥ ॥5॥
meaning
She split his bow and then his lofty standard, and swiftly pierced him throughout his body with swift-flying shafts.
verse 8
सच्छिन्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वो हतसारथिः।अभ्यधावत तां देवीं खड्गचर्मधरोऽसुरः ॥6॥
sachChinnadhanvā virathō hatāśvō hatasārathiḥ।abhyadhāvata tāṃ dēvīṃ khaḍgacharmadharō'suraḥ ॥6॥
meaning
With his bow shattered, chariot gone, horses slain, charioteer fallen, the demon rushed at the Goddess bearing sword and shield.
verse 9
सिंहमाहत्य खड्गेन तीक्ष्णधारेण मूर्धनि।आजघान भुजे सव्ये देवीं अव्यतिवेगवान् ॥6॥
siṃhamāhatya khaḍgēna tīkṣṇadhārēṇa mūrdhani।ājaghāna bhujē savyē dēvīṃ avyativēgavān ॥6॥
meaning
He struck the lion on the head with his sharp-edged sword and struck the Goddess on her left arm with great speed.
verse 10
तस्याः खड्गो भुजं प्राप्य पफाल नृपनन्दन।ततो जग्राह शूलं स कोपाद् अरुणलोचनः ॥8॥
tasyāḥ khaḍgō bhujaṃ prāpya paphāla nṛpanandana।tatō jagrāha śūlaṃ sa kōpād aruṇalōchanaḥ ॥8॥
meaning
His sword shattered upon striking her arm, O king; then with eyes red with rage he seized a trident.
verse 11
चिक्षेप च ततस्तत्तु भद्रकाल्यां महासुरः।जाज्वल्यमानं तेजोभी रविबिम्बमिवाम्बरात् ॥9॥
chikṣēpa cha tatastattu bhadrakāḻyāṃ mahāsuraḥ।jājvalyamānaṃ tējōbhī ravibimbamivāmbarāt ॥9॥
meaning
He hurled it blazing with energy against Bhagavati, like a solar disk hurled from the sky.
verse 12
दृष्ट्वा तदापतच्छूलं देवी शूलममुञ्चत।तच्छूलंशतधा तेन नीतं शूलं स च महासुरः ॥10॥
dṛṣṭvā tadāpatachChūlaṃ dēvī śūlamamuñchata।tachChūlaṃśatadhā tēna nītaṃ śūlaṃ sa cha mahāsuraḥ ॥10॥
meaning
Seeing that trident flying toward her, the Goddess hurled her own trident; it shattered his into a hundred pieces, and the great demon with it.
verse 13
हते तस्मिन्महावीर्ये महिषस्य चमूपतौ।आजगाम गजारूडः श्चामरस्त्रिदशार्दनः ॥11॥
hatē tasminmahāvīryē mahiṣasya chamūpatau।ājagāma gajārūḍaḥ śchāmarastridaśārdanaḥ ॥11॥
meaning
With Chikshura the great warrior chief of Mahisha's forces slain, Chamara came riding an elephant to fight, that tormentor of the thirty gods.
verse 14
सोऽपि शक्तिम्मुमोचाथ देव्यास्तां अम्बिका द्रुतम्।हुङ्काराभिहतां भूमौ पातयामासनिष्प्रभाम् ॥12॥
sō'pi śaktimmumōchātha dēvyāstāṃ ambikā drutam।huṅkārābhihatāṃ bhūmau pātayāmāsaniṣprabhām ॥12॥
meaning
He too hurled his Shakti at the Goddess; Ambika quickly dismissed it and struck it down to the earth, bereft of its lustre.
verse 15
भग्नां शक्तिं निपतितां दृष्ट्वा क्रोधसमन्वितःचिक्षेप चामरः शूलं बाणैस्तदपि साच्छिनत् ॥13॥
bhagnāṃ śaktiṃ nipatitāṃ dṛṣṭvā krōdhasamanvitaḥchikṣēpa chāmaraḥ śūlaṃ bāṇaistadapi sāchChinat ॥13॥
meaning
Seeing his Shakti fallen and shattered, Chamara hurled a trident; with arrows she cut that down as well.
verse 16
ततः सिंहःसमुत्पत्य गजकुन्तरे म्भान्तरेस्थितः।बाहुयुद्धेन युयुधे तेनोच्चैस्त्रिदशारिणा ॥14॥
tataḥ siṃhaḥsamutpatya gajakuntarē mbhāntarēsthitaḥ।bāhuyuddhēna yuyudhē tēnōchchaistridaśāriṇā ॥14॥
meaning
Then the lion leapt up and stationed itself between the elephant's temples to fight that foe of the gods hand to hand.
verse 17
युध्यमानऽउ ततस्तऽउ तु तस्मान्नागान्महीं गतऽउयुयुधातेऽतिसंरब्धौ प्रहारै अतिदारुणैः ॥15॥
yudhyamān'u tatast'u tu tasmānnāgānmahīṃ gat'uyuyudhātē'tisaṃrabdhau prahārai atidāruṇaiḥ ॥15॥
meaning
Fighting there, those two came down from the elephant to the ground and battled ferociously with extremely terrible blows.
verse 18
ततो वेगात् खमुत्पत्य निपत्य च मृगारिणा।करप्रहारेण शिरश्चामरस्य पृथक् कृतम् ॥16॥
tatō vēgāt khamutpatya nipatya cha mṛgāriṇā।karaprahārēṇa śiraśchāmarasya pṛthak kṛtam ॥16॥
meaning
Then swiftly the lion, having leapt aloft, with a stroke of its paw severed Chamara's head from his body.
verse 19
उदग्रश्च रणे देव्या शिलावृक्षादिभिर्हतः।दन्त मुष्टितलैश्चैव करालश्च निपातितः ॥17॥
udagraścha raṇē dēvyā śilāvṛkṣādibhirhataḥ।danta muṣṭitalaiśchaiva karāḻaścha nipātitaḥ ॥17॥
meaning
Udagra was slain in battle by the Goddess with rocks and trees; Karala too was brought down by blows of fists and palms.
verse 20
देवी कृद्धा गदापातैः श्चूर्णयामास चोद्धतम्।भाष्कलं भिन्दिपालेन बाणैस्ताम्रं तथान्धकम् ॥18॥
dēvī kṛddhā gadāpātaiḥ śchūrṇayāmāsa chōddhatam।bhāṣkalaṃ bhindipālēna bāṇaistāmraṃ tathāndhakam ॥18॥
meaning
The Goddess ground the arrogant Churna to powder with her mace blows, and struck Bhashkala with her trident, and Tamra and Andhaka with arrows.
verse 21
उग्रास्यमुग्रवीर्यं च तथैव च महाहनुम्त्रिनेत्रा च त्रिशूलेन जघान परमेश्वरी ॥19॥
ugrāsyamugravīryaṃ cha tathaiva cha mahāhanumtrinētrā cha triśūlēna jaghāna paramēśvarī ॥19॥
meaning
The three-eyed Supreme Goddess slew Ugrasya, Ugraveerya, and Mahahanu with her trident.
verse 22
बिडालस्यासिना कायात् पातयामास वै शिरः।दुर्धरं दुर्मुखं चोभौ शरैर्निन्ये यमक्षयम् ॥20॥
biḍālasyāsinā kāyāt pātayāmāsa vai śiraḥ।durdharaṃ durmukhaṃ chōbhau śarairninyē yamakṣayam ॥20॥
meaning
Bidala's head she caused to fall from his body with her sword; she sent both Durdhara and Durmukha to Yama's realm with arrows.
verse 23
एवं सङ्क्षीयमाणे तु स्वसैन्ये महिषासुरः।माहिषेण स्वरूपेण त्रासयामासतान् गणान् ॥21॥
ēvaṃ saṅkṣīyamāṇē tu svasainyē mahiṣāsuraḥ।māhiṣēṇa svarūpēṇa trāsayāmāsatān gaṇān ॥21॥
meaning
Thus as his own army was being annihilated, Mahishasura took up his own buffalo form and frightened those troops.
verse 24
कांश्चित्तुण्डप्रहारेण खुरक्षेपैस्तथापरान्।लाङ्गूलताडितांश्चान्यान् शृङ्गाभ्यां च विदारिता ॥22॥
kāṃśchittuṇḍaprahārēṇa khurakṣēpaistathāparān।lāṅgūlatāḍitāṃśchānyān śṛṅgābhyāṃ cha vidāritā ॥22॥
meaning
Some he struck with blows of his snout, others he scattered with kicks of his hooves, others he lashed with his tail, and others he gored with his horns.
verse 25
वेगेन कांश्चिदपरान्नादेन भ्रमणेन च।निः श्वासपवनेनान्यान् पातयामास भूतले॥23॥
vēgēna kāṃśchidaparānnādēna bhramaṇēna cha।niḥ śvāsapavanēnānyān pātayāmāsa bhūtalē॥23॥
meaning
Some he felled with speed, others he felled with his roar and his wheeling, and others he overthrew with the tempest of his breath.
verse 26
निपात्य प्रमथानीकमभ्यधावत सोऽसुरःसिंहं हन्तुं महादेव्याः कोपं चक्रे ततोऽम्भिका ॥24॥
nipātya pramathānīkamabhyadhāvata sō'suraḥsiṃhaṃ hantuṃ mahādēvyāḥ kōpaṃ chakrē tatō'mbhikā ॥24॥
meaning
Having thrown down the Pramathas' army, the demon rushed at the great lion of the Mahadevi in order to slay it — and then Ambika was enraged.
verse 27
सोऽपि कोपान्महावीर्यः खुरक्षुण्णमहीतलः।शृङ्गाभ्यां पर्वतानुच्चांश्चिक्षेप च ननाद च ॥25॥
sō'pi kōpānmahāvīryaḥ khurakṣuṇṇamahītalaḥ।śṛṅgābhyāṃ parvatānuchchāṃśchikṣēpa cha nanāda cha ॥25॥
meaning
In fury he pounded the earth with his hooves and tossed high mountains with his horns and bellowed loudly.
verse 28
वेग भ्रमण विक्षुण्णा मही तस्य व्यशीर्यत।लाङ्गूलेनाहतश्चाब्धिः प्लावयामास सर्वतः ॥26॥
vēga bhramaṇa vikṣuṇṇā mahī tasya vyaśīryata।lāṅgūlēnāhataśchābdhiḥ plāvayāmāsa sarvataḥ ॥26॥
meaning
Under the violence of his wheeling, the earth crumbled; lashed by his tail, the ocean flooded everywhere.
verse 29
धुतशृङ्ग्विभिन्नाश्च खण्डं खण्डं ययुर्घनाः।श्वासानिलास्ताः शतशो निपेतुर्नभसोऽचलाः ॥27॥
dhutaśṛṅgvibhinnāścha khaṇḍaṃ khaṇḍaṃ yayurghanāḥ।śvāsānilāstāḥ śataśō nipēturnabhasō'chalāḥ ॥27॥
meaning
Pierced by his tossing horns, the clouds went to pieces; mountains rained down from the sky in hundreds, struck loose by his breath.
verse 30
इतिक्रोधसमाध्मातमापतन्तं महासुरम्।दृष्ट्वा सा चण्डिका कोपं तद्वधाय तदाऽकरोत् ॥28॥
itikrōdhasamādhmātamāpatantaṃ mahāsuram।dṛṣṭvā sā chaṇḍikā kōpaṃ tadvadhāya tadā'karōt ॥28॥
meaning
Seeing that great demon rushing toward her, swollen with rage, Chandika now kindled her own wrath in order to slay him.
verse 31
सा क्षित्प्वा तस्य वैपाशं तं बबन्ध महासुरम्।तत्याजमाहिषं रूपं सोऽपि बद्धो महामृधे ॥29॥
sā kṣitpvā tasya vaipāśaṃ taṃ babandha mahāsuram।tatyājamāhiṣaṃ rūpaṃ sō'pi baddhō mahāmṛdhē ॥29॥
meaning
She flung her noose over him and bound the great demon in the great battle; he abandoned his buffalo form.
verse 32
ततः सिंहोऽभवत्सध्यो यावत्तस्याम्बिका शिरः।छिनत्ति तावत् पुरुषः खड्गपाणि रदृश्यत ॥30॥
tataḥ siṃhō'bhavatsadhyō yāvattasyāmbikā śiraḥ।Chinatti tāvat puruṣaḥ khaḍgapāṇi radṛśyata ॥30॥
meaning
Then he became a lion; while Ambika was cutting off his head, a man appeared bearing a sword.
verse 33
तत एवाशु पुरुषं देवी चिच्छेद सायकैः।तं खड्गचर्मणा सार्धं ततः सोऽ भून्महा गजः ॥31॥
tata ēvāśu puruṣaṃ dēvī chichChēda sāyakaiḥ।taṃ khaḍgacharmaṇā sārdhaṃ tataḥ sō' bhūnmahā gajaḥ ॥31॥
meaning
The Goddess cut that man down with her arrows together with his sword and shield; then he became a great elephant.
verse 34
करेण च महासिंहं तं चकर्ष जगर्जच ।कर्षतस्तु करं देवी खड्गेन निरकृन्तत ॥32॥
karēṇa cha mahāsiṃhaṃ taṃ chakarṣa jagarjacha ।karṣatastu karaṃ dēvī khaḍgēna nirakṛntata ॥32॥
meaning
He pulled the great lion with his trunk and roared; the Goddess cut away that trunk with her sword as it pulled.
verse 35
ततो महासुरो भूयो माहिषं वपुरास्थितः।तथैव क्षोभयामास त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् ॥33॥
tatō mahāsurō bhūyō māhiṣaṃ vapurāsthitaḥ।tathaiva kṣōbhayāmāsa trailōkyaṃ sacharācharam ॥33॥
meaning
The great demon then resumed once more his buffalo form and shook the three worlds including all that moves and does not move.
verse 36
ततः क्रुद्धा जगन्माता चण्डिका पान मुत्तमम्।पपौ पुनः पुनश्चैव जहासारुणलोचना ॥34॥
tataḥ kruddhā jaganmātā chaṇḍikā pāna muttamam।papau punaḥ punaśchaiva jahāsāruṇalōchanā ॥34॥
meaning
Then Chandika, the mother of the world, drank the supreme wine again and again, her eyes red, and laughed.
verse 37
ननर्द चासुरः सोऽपि बलवीर्यमदोद्धतः।विषाणाभ्यां च चिक्षेप चण्डिकां प्रतिभूधरान्॥35॥
nanarda chāsuraḥ sō'pi balavīryamadōddhataḥ।viṣāṇābhyāṃ cha chikṣēpa chaṇḍikāṃ pratibhūdharān॥35॥
meaning
The demon too roared, maddened with the arrogance of his might, and hurled mountains at Chandika with his horns.
verse 38
सा च ता न्प्रहितां स्तेन चूर्णयन्ती शरोत्करैः।उवाच तं मदोद्धूतमुखरागाकुलाक्षरम् ॥36॥
sā cha tā nprahitāṃ stēna chūrṇayantī śarōtkaraiḥ।uvācha taṃ madōddhūtamukharāgākulākṣaram ॥36॥
meaning
She pulverised those hurled mountains with her shower of arrows and spoke to him, her face flushed with wine, her syllables slurred with excitement.
verse 39
देव्युउवाच॥
dēvyuuvācha॥
meaning
(The Goddess speaks)
verse 40
गर्ज गर्ज क्षणं मूढ मधु यावत्पिबाम्यहम्।मयात्वयि हतेऽत्रैव गर्जिष्यन्त्याशु देवताः ॥37॥
garja garja kṣaṇaṃ mūḍha madhu yāvatpibāmyaham।mayātvayi hatē'traiva garjiṣyantyāśu dēvatāḥ ॥37॥
meaning
'Roar on, O fool, for just a moment while I drink; when I have slain you here, the gods themselves will soon roar.'
verse 41
ऋषिरुवाच॥
ṛṣiruvācha॥
meaning
(The sage speaks)
verse 42
एवमुक्त्वा समुत्पत्य सारूढा तं महासुरम्।पादेना क्रम्य कण्ठे च शूलेनैन मताडयत् ॥38॥
ēvamuktvā samutpatya sārūḍhā taṃ mahāsuram।pādēnā kramya kaṇṭhē cha śūlēnaina matāḍayat ॥38॥
meaning
Having spoken thus, she leapt up and mounted that great demon, pressing his neck down with her foot, and struck him with her lance.
verse 43
ततः सोऽपि पदाक्रान्तस्तया निजमुखात्ततः।अर्ध निष्क्रान्त एवासीद्देव्या वीर्येण संवृतः ॥40॥
tataḥ sō'pi padākrāntastayā nijamukhāttataḥ।ardha niṣkrānta ēvāsīddēvyā vīryēṇa saṃvṛtaḥ ॥40॥
meaning
Pressed down by her foot, he was half-emerged from his own mouth even as he fought — half out of his mouth, restrained by the Goddess's power.
verse 44
अर्ध निष्क्रान्त एवासौ युध्यमानो महासुरः ।तया महासिना देव्या शिरश्छित्त्वा निपातितः ॥41॥
ardha niṣkrānta ēvāsau yudhyamānō mahāsuraḥ ।tayā mahāsinā dēvyā śiraśChittvā nipātitaḥ ॥41॥
meaning
Even so, the great demon half-emerged and fighting — she cut off his head with her great sword and he fell.
verse 45
ततो हाहाकृतं सर्वं दैत्यसैन्यं ननाश तत्।प्रहर्षं च परं जग्मुः सकला देवतागणाः ॥42॥
tatō hāhākṛtaṃ sarvaṃ daityasainyaṃ nanāśa tat।praharṣaṃ cha paraṃ jagmuḥ sakalā dēvatāgaṇāḥ ॥42॥
meaning
Then all the demon armies perished and scattered; all the host of gods was filled with supreme joy.
verse 46
तुष्टु वुस्तां सुरा देवीं सहदिव्यैर्महर्षिभिः।जगुर्गुन्धर्वपतयो ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः ॥43॥
tuṣṭu vustāṃ surā dēvīṃ sahadivyairmaharṣibhiḥ।jagurgundharvapatayō nanṛtuśchāpsarōgaṇāḥ ॥43॥
meaning
The gods and great sages praised the Goddess; the hosts of gandharvas sang and the troops of apsaras danced.
verse 47
॥ इति श्री मार्कण्डेय पुराणे सावर्निके मन्वन्तरे देवि महत्म्ये महिषासुरवधो नाम तृतीयोऽध्यायं समाप्तम् ॥
॥ iti śrī mārkaṇḍēya purāṇē sāvarnikē manvantarē dēvi mahatmyē mahiṣāsuravadhō nāma tṛtīyō'dhyāyaṃ samāptam ॥
meaning
(Colophon) Thus ends the chapter called Slaying of Mahishasura, the third chapter of the Devi Mahatmya in the Markandeya Purana.
verse 48
आहुतिह्रीं जयन्ती साङ्गायै सायुधायै सशक्तिकायै सपरिवारायै सवाहनायै श्री महालक्ष्म्यै लक्ष्मी बीजादिष्टायै महाहुतिं समर्पयामि नमः स्वाहा ॥
āhutihrīṃ jayantī sāṅgāyai sāyudhāyai saśaktikāyai saparivārāyai savāhanāyai śrī mahālakṣmyai lakṣmī bījādiṣṭāyai mahāhutiṃ samarpayāmi namaḥ svāhā ॥
meaning
(Ahuti/offering verse) Hreem — to Jayanti complete with all limbs, armed, with her Shakti, with her retinue, with her vehicle, to Sri Mahalakshmi, the favoured of the Lakshmi-seed — I offer the great oblation; salutations, svaha.

Primary text from vignanam.org