Devi Sapt Trans

8/20/2019 Devi Sapt Trans

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Chapter 1

Markandaya said:

Long ago, a king named Suratha reigned over the whole wide land. He looked after his sube!ts like a loving father.His enemies were the kings who destroyed the "ola people. #hese kings were not as powerful as Suratha, but they

oined for!es and redu!ed his kingdom to a single !ity. $ven his own ministers be!ame !orrupt and turned againsthim, robbing him of his army and all his wealth.

#he king left on the prete%t of hunting and sought refuge in the dense forest at the hermitage of a noble &ishi !alledMedhas. 'ut still the king !ould not rest. He wandered about the forest, hi s mind distraught by his problems. He

brooded on his betrayal by his former ministers. He imagined all the ways they !ould s(uander his wealth. He grievedfor the !ity and its people, wondering if they were properly !ared for. He even worried about the welfare of his war)elephant.#hen as he wandered about the lovely hermitage, driven by his obsessions, he hardly noti!ed the pea!eful wildanimals and the serene dis!iples of Medhas. 'ut one day his attention was drawn to a mer!hant sitting alone.

#he "ing asked:

*ho are you sir+ *hy are you here+ !an see you are full of sadness as if there is a weight on your mind.

-t this friendly invitation the mer!hant bowed respe!tfully and replied:

am a mer!hant. My name is Samadhi. !ome from a wealthy family but my sons and wife be!ame wi!ked throughgreed. #hey took my wealth from me, so here am, !ast out by my trusted kinsmen. sit in the forest and grieve. still

worry about the welfare of my wife and family, whether they may be suffering, and whether they are doing good orevil in their lives.

#he "ing said:

Sir, why do you worry about su!h !ovetous people+ #hey have !ast you out

#he Mer!hant replied:

/ "ing, this very thought o!!urred to me ust as you were saying it *hat !an do+ My mind has no pea!e. t still feelsthe same affe!tion for my family even though my sons have abandoned me for ri!hes. !annot understand why mymind is atta!hed to them, why still sigh for them !ontinuously. *hat !an do+ My mind ust yearns for thoseheartless relatives+

Markendaya said:

So then they both went to the &ishi to seek his advi!e. #hey respe!tfully bowed to him.

*hen they were seated the king said:

'eloved #ea!her ust want to know one thing: this problem obsesses my mind, but my intelle!t !annot resolve it: am still obsessed about my kingdom and all the business of rulership. know this is foolish, yet !annot help

behaving like an ignorant person. *hy is this, / best of Munis+ -nd here, too, is this man thrown out by his household as worthless, yet he still feels su!h affe!tion towards them. So we are both very unhappy0 our minds always drawn by self)!entered thoughts to these matters, even though we see itis foolishness. How !an we be so deluded and yet still aware of that+ How !an we both be so la!king in dis!riminationthat we indulge in this state of despair+

#he &ishi said:

#he understanding of all !reatures is relative to their field of per!eption. Some are blind by day and some by night. -llare limited. Mankind is !ertainly not more aware than the deer, the birds or others. -ll !reatures are !ompassionate

beings.

/ "ing, as you sit mourning, !ant you see the birds busy feeding their young although they themselves are hungry+2ust like you, they are bound to their offspring, e%pe!ting loyalty in return.#his delusion is the power of Mahamaya whi!h binds all !reatures throughout their lives. #his illusion makes them

believe their e%isten!e is permanent.#his power is the 3reat 3oddess, the 4evi who a!tually sustains all beings, both those that move and those whi!h donot. She even !auses the !ontemplative sleep of Lord 5isnu at the end of the 3olden -ge.She, the adorable goddess, is truly !alled Mahamaya: the 3reat llusion. 'y Her this whole universe is !reated. *henpleased, She blesses mankind and brings them to their final eman!ipation.She is the knowledge supreme0 She is the eternal !ause of ultimate liberation, as well as the !ause of the bondage ofthis worldly e%isten!e. *hy then should you be ama6ed that She !an hurl all !reatures into delusion+ She is thesupreme knowledge. She is the sovereign of all 3ods.

#he "ing said:

&espe!ted sir, who is that 4evi you !all Mahamaya+How did She !ome into being+ How was She born+ *hat is Her nature+

#hat /ne who is mightier than the gods, what form does She take+/ great sage, tell me everything. wish to hear everything about Her origins.



#he &ishi said:

#his whole universe is the embodiment of Her. 'y Her it was stret!hed forth, and She pervades it all. She is eternal.Listen, will tell you of the many times She manifests to fulfill the desire of the gods. -t these times She appears to!ome into in the world, although She is in fa!t eternal.

-t the end of the 3olden -ge, when the adorable, splendid Lord 5ishnu re!lines on His beloved Serpent)!ou!h,Shesha, She a!tually be!omes His divine sleep. #herefore She is !alled 7oga 8idra.

*hile Lord 5ishnu was sleeping, two terrible -suras, the infamous Madhu and "aitabha, hid in His ears and sprang

out to kill Lord 'rahma.Lord 'rahma, the 9ather of all, was seated in the lotus of sleeping 5ishnus navel0 ust wat!hing those two fero!ious

-suras.He prayed to 7oga 8idra, She who is foremost in the heart of 5ishnu, desiring Her to awaken Hari and open His eyes.&esplendent 'rahma praised Her as the Creator, Sustainer and 4estroyer, as the &uler of all, as the !ause of sleep,and as the une(ualled, adored !onsort of 5ishnu.

Lord 'rahma said:

/ you who are the primordial for!e, !reating everything 7ou manifest as the three gunas. 7ou are the dark night of periodi! dissolution, the great night of final dissolution and the terrible night of delusion. 7ou are the goddess of auspi!iousness. 7ou are the ruler. 7ou are oy and gladness. 7ou are intelligen!e and thehighest !ons!iousness.

7ou are bashfulness, prosperity, !ontentment, tran(uility and forgiveness. 7ou wield the sword, !lub, dis!us, !on!h, bow and arrows and the iron ma!e. 7ou are the e%!eedingly beautiful and terrifying !on(ueror, at on!e gentle and moonlike as well as the pre!ise

annihilator.#errible and beautiful, !ool and moist, trans!ending highest and lowest, 7ou are indeed the supreme shvari./ 4evi how !an praise 7ou+

*herever anything e%ists, an inseparable part of its soul is that whi!h empowers. #hat power is 7ourself./ 4evi how !an praise 7ou+'y 7ou indeed, even the sovereign of all things that move, He who !reates and prote!ts all the worlds, even He of thehighest nobility, 7ou have put to sleep.$ven the very forms whi!h Shiva, 5ishnu and myself assume, even these are 7our !reation. *ho then !an praise 7ou

who are the power of us all+ *e all entreat you to use your immense powers now, / 4evi, to bewit!h these two unassailable -suras: Madhu and"aitabha.

#hen, the &ishi went on:

n this way the 4ark 3oddess was praised and evoked by Lord 'rahma to awaken Lord 5ishnu so that He would slayMadhu and "aitabha.#hen, in the sight of Lord 'rahma of ins!rutable birth, the 4evi withdrew Herself from Lord 5ishnus eyes, nose andlimbs and emerged from His innermost heart and breast. She arose to stand deta!hed from 2anardana, the *orldrote!tor, as He lay on His o!ean serpent.#hen Lord 5ishnu woke up to see those two bold -suras standing there. He looked at those two evil, ealous -suras.#heir eyes were red with anger, as they boldly arose to atta!k and kill Lord 'rahma. #he adorable Lord Hari be!ame

warlike. He stood up, and with His far)rea!hing arms wrestled with them for a thousand years. -lthough they weree%tremely powerful, eventually Madhu and "aitabha be!ame franti!. 4eluded as they were by Mahamaya, they said tothe long)haired 3od: ;-sk a boon from us.<

#o whi!h the Lord replied:

#here is only one !hoi!e to be made. 7ou may both be slain here by Me today.

#he &ishi !ontinued:

#hey looked around and saw the whole world !overed in water and in their delusion they asked the lotus=eyed 3od toslay them on a pla!e not !overed by water.

;So be it< said the Lord, the wielder of the !on!h, dis!us and ma!e.

#hen He held both of them on His hip and !ut off their heads with His dis!us.#his is what happened when, She who is the self)!reated !ause of everything, arose as She was praised and invoked by Lord 'rahma.

Listen, will tell you more of Her a!hievements.

Chapter >

#he &ishi said:

/n!e apon a time when Mahishasura was lord of the -suras, and ndra was lord of the 4evas, they fought a war for ahundred years until the asuras won. #hen Mahishasura took ndras pla!e as Lord of the Heavens.#he defeated 4evas, led by 'rahma, approa!hed Shiva and 5ishnu. #he thirty 3ods, in!luding Surya, ndra, -gni,

-nila, 5ayu, Chandramas, 5aruna and 7ama all des!ribed in detail how the evil Mahishasura had thrown them out ofHeaven. He had taken their rightful pla!es, for!ing them to wander the $arth like mortals. #he immortals asked theLords Shiva and 5ishnu to prote!t them from the wi!ked !ondu!t of their enemies.



-s they heard the 4evas story, 5ishnu and Shiva be!ame furious. Heavy frowns bent their brows. #hen, that anger!ame out as a great light from 'rahma, from Shiva, and from all the other Lords and 4evas. 9rom 5ishnu and fromndra too, from ea!h of them a powerful light emerged. #hen this great energy whi!h !ame from the assembled godsmerged and be!ame one e%tremely bright light. Like the peak of a bla6ing mountain, that light spread a!ross the sky,illuminating the ten dire!tions.

*hen that light from the 4evas !ombined, it be!ame a woman whose splendour filled the three worlds.#he light from un!on(uerable Lord Shiva be!ame Her fa!e0 from the light of 7ama !ame Her hair0 from 5ishnus lightHer arms0 by Somas light Her breasts0 Her waist by ndras light, by 5arunas light Her legs0 and by the $arth Her

butto!ks and hips. 9rom 'rahmas light Her feet and by the Sun Her toes were made. #he 5ashus light be!ame Herfingers and "uberas light Her nose. raapatis light be!ame Her teeth and Her three eyes !ame from the light of8arayana. Her womb !ame from -gnis light and the two Sandhyas gave Her eyebrows. Her ears !ame from the lightof 5ayu. So, from the lights of many 4evas, the auspi!ious 4evi be!ame visible.#hen, as they ga6ed at Her, those 3ods whod been so oppressed were suddenly filled with oy.9rom His trident inaka, Lord Shiva then drew forth Her trident and presented it. Lord "rishna gave Her a dis!us

whi!h He brought forth from His own dis!us. 5aruna presented a !on!h and -gni a spear. ndra gave a thunderboltdrawn from his own thunderbolt. #he Marutas presented Her bow and arrows, while from ndras elephants bell!ame Her bell. 9rom His staff Lord 7ama drew Her staff. #he Lord of the /!eans gave Her a noose. Her ne!kla!e and

water pot !ame from Lord 'rahma. Suryas rays illumined the pores of Her skin. "ala the Lord of time bestowed apure shield and a shining sword. #he Milk /!ean brought Her a ne!kla!e of pure pearl, two everlasting robes, aglorious eweled !rown, and earrings, bra!elets for Her fore)arms and upper)arms, pure anklets and a gloriousne!kla!e. 2eweled rings !over all Her fingers and a !res!ent moon adorns her hair. 5ishvakarma gave Herimpenetrable armour, a pure a%e and many missiles. 9rom the /!ean !ame garlands of unfading lotus flowers toadorn Her head and breast and a lotus for Her hand. #he Mountain Himavan gave Her a lion to ride and adorned Her

with ewels. "ubera, the Lord of wealth gave Her a !hali!e full of ambrosia. Shesha the Lord of serpents, who balan!es

the three worlds, gave Her the eweled serpent)ne!kla!e. -nd other gods also adorned Her and armed Her.#hen the 4evi laughed again and again: so loud, so unrestrained, su!h long, high terrifying peals of laughter that!aused the earth and sky and all the waters to tremble. $very part of the world and its o!eans shook with agitation atthat roaring sound. #he gods were filled with gladness and shouted:

;5i!tory to Her, the Lion)rider.<

-ll the sages also praised Her, bowing in devotion.

-larmed at su!h total !ommotion in all the three worlds, the wi!ked asuras all rushed out brandishing their weapons.;Hah *hat is this+< e%!laimed the enraged Mahishasura.#hen, as the asuras all !harged towards that terrible !hallenge of the 4evi,Mahishasura saw Her standing there.

Her splendour pervades the three worlds.Her footsteps !ause the $arth to bend.Her !rown engraves its mark on the heavens.#he twang of Her bowstring agitates the e%treme !orners of hell.Her thousand arms fill the four (uarters. She is all=pervading.#hus She !ommen!es Her battle with the enemies of the gods.Swords and daggers !lash and whirl.So many missiles are dis!harged the whole sky bla6es.

9our great divisions of Mahishasuras armies fought there led by the generals Chikshura and Chamera with theirmyriads of !hariots. ?dagra brought his si%ty thousand !hariots. Mahahanu had ten million !hariots. -siloma

brought fifteen million to battle. 'askala had si% million. ?gra=darshana and arivarita !ame with thousands ofelephants and horses and ten million !hariots to fight. 'idala also fought surrounded by five hundred !rores of!hariots. -nd many many more asuras !ame with tusked elephants and fiery steeds to fight with the 4evi in the battlethere.#hen, Mahishasura surrounded by thousands of !rores of horses, !hariots and elephants, using avelins and !leavers,staves and ma!es and spears, !ommen!ed the battle.#hey hurled nooses and !lubs at Her. Some atta!ked Her with swords. 'ut She easily snared their arrows and missiles

with Her noose, and playfully amused Herself, e%tending Her many arms. *ith Her sword and dis!us She !love their

weapons as effortlessly as She showered them with arrows. -nd all the while the 3ods and Sages wat!hed and sang Her praises as the weapons of the 4evi pier!ed the bodies of -suras sending them !ra6y with pain. She rode Her angry lion as he shook his mane and stalked among the armies of -suras. #hey were felled like trees in a forest fire.#hen the delighted -mbika loosed sighs of satisfa!tion in the battle. $a!h breath instantly !aused hundreds andthousands of 3anas to arise and oin Her in the battle. #hey !arried a%es and halberks and tridents to wreakdestru!tion on the enemy. Her 3anas were filled with energy by the power of the 4evi. #hey also blew !on!hes andsome played mrdangams and tabors. t now be!ame a mighty martial festival.#hen the 4evi, with showers of spears, with Her trident and !lub, as well as Her sword, killed asuras by the hundreds.Hundreds more She threw down, stunned by the sound of Her bell. Some were bound by Her noose and were draggedto the ground. Some She split into two with Her sword. Some lay on the ground !rushed by Her ma!e. Her !lubhammered others so severely they vomited blood. Some were felled to the ground, as they were pier!ed in the breast

by Her trident.Her arrows fell like torrents on the enemies of the devas. 'eing !losely massed they were (ui!kly slaughtered, (ui!kly!ut to pie!es. #he arms of some were severed, ne!ks were broken. Some were torn in half. Heads rolled on the ground.Some great asuras fell as their legs were !ut off. /thers were !ut !lean down the middle by Her sword. /thers fell and

rose again, headless trunks, still fighting, swords in hand, dan!ing to the rhythm of the drums and trumpets.

-nd some -suras shouted:



;Stop Stop< at the 4evi.

Soon the earth was thi!kly !overed with an impassable tangle: a mass of elephants, horses, -suras and broken!hariots. &ivers of blood flowed among them. -mbika destroyed the whole army as (ui!kly as fire destroys wood andstraw. Her lion roared as he stalked among them shaking his mane and seeking the few still breathing. -nd the 4evas

wat!hed the triumph of the 4evi. showering Her with flowers in their gratitude.

Chapter @

Seeing the Mother -mbika slay that whole army the -sura 3eneral Chikshura advan!ed enraged. He rained arrowson Her like !louds of rain on Mount Meru. She !ut his masses of arrows easily with Her own arrows, killed his horsesand !harioteer, split his bow and his tall banner and pier!ed his limbs even as they held his shattered bow. Hesnat!hed up his sword and shield and rushed at Her, striking the lion on the head and slashing at Her left arm./ "ing #hat sword disintegrated when it tou!hed Her arm. So he grasped his pike, red)eyed with rage, he flung it atHer.'hadrakali, the great 4evi, saw the pike !oming at Her like a bla6ing !omet. She hurled Her pike and shattered his tofragments and the demon with it.

*hen that mighty general is slain, another 3eneral, Chamara, !harged up on his elephant. He hurled his spear at -mbika who gave a disparaging hoot and stru!k it down lustreless. Seeing his broken spear fall Chamara angrily flunga pike at Her. She split it with arrows.#hen the lion leapt onto the forehead of the elephant and atta!ked that demon Chamara. #hey both fought fier!ely asthey fell from the elephant. #hen the lion sprung up to the sky and !ame down severing Chamaras head with a blowof his paw. ?dgara was killed in the battle by the 4evi using stones and trees and other missiles. -nd "arala She

killed with Her teeth, fists and palms. -nd the angry 3oddess ground ?ddhata to powder with blows of Her !lub. 5askala She killed with a dart, and #amra and -ndhaka with arrows.#he supreme three)eyed 3oddess slayed ?grasya and ?gravirya and Mahahanu all with Her trident. *ith Her swordshe stru!k 5idalas head !lean down from his body. 4urdhara and 4urmukha She sent to 7amas abode with Herarrows.8ow, as his army was being utterly destroyed, the -sura Mahisha assumed his buffalo form and atta!ked the troops of the 4evi, terrifying them. Some he atta!ked with blows of his mu66le. /thers he stamped with his hooves. Some werelashed by his tail and some slashed by his horns. Some he laid low on the fa!e of the earth by the impetuous rush ofhis onslaught. Some were blasted by his breath or his bellowing or his wheeling !areer. Having laid low Her army,Mahishasura rushed to atta!k the 4evis lion. #his enraged -mbika.Mahishasura, was fearless. He pounded the surfa!e of the $arth with his hooves. n his rage he tossed the mountainsaloft with his horns and bellows. Crushed by his impetuous wheeling, the $arth was !rumbled to pie!es. #he sea,lashed by his tail, overflowed in every dire!tion. Clouds, pier!ed by his swaying horns were rent to fragments0 !ast up

by the blast of his breath, hundreds of mountains rained down from the sky.Seeing the great -sura swollen with rage as he rushed on, Chandika let loose Her fury in order to slay him. She flungHer noose and bound him fast. #hen as he is bound in that battle, he suddenly stops being a buffalo and be!omes alion.

*hile -mbika beheaded the lion he emerged as a man wielding a sword. She swiftly pier!ed the man and his swordand his shield with Her arrows. #hen he !hanged into a huge elephant, grabbed her lion with his trunk and roared.'ut, as he pulled, She severed that trunk with Her sword. #hen he be!ame a buffalo again, shaking everything in thethree worlds.#he Mother Chandika now be!ame really angry and Her eyes grew red as She (uaffed a divine drink again and again,and She laughed.He was puffed up with his fren6y and strength and hurled mountains against Chandika with his horns as he roared.

*ith showers of arrows She shivered those mountains to atoms, Her fa!e flushed, she drank and spoke swiftly:

;&oar. &oar on for a brief moment, / you fool, while finish this wine. Soon the 3ods will be roaring right here when you are slain by Me<

#he &ishi said:

-s she spoke She leapt up and landed on that -sura, pinning him down by Her foot on his ne!k, She speared him.Caught by Her foot, Mahishasuras real form began to emerge from his buffalo mouth. Chandika then stru!k off his

head with Her great sword. #hen all his demoni! army, wailing with fear, were destroyed while the 3ods arose in oyous e%altation.#he 3ods and &ishis praised the 4evi while the 3andharva Chiefs sang and -psaras dan!ed for oy.

Chapter A

#he &ishi said:

*hen that fero!ious, evil army had been destroyed by the 3oddess, ndra and the host of 4evas bowed reverently,their bodies glowed, their hair stood ere!t in their e%!itement as they praised Her:

;*e bow to the 3oddess -mbika whose body e%presses the !olle!tive power of the hosts of gods, to Her who evolvedthe whole world by Her power, She who is all=pervading, may She bless us with auspi!iousness. She is Chandika

whose peerless maesty and strength !annot even be des!ribed by the adorable Lords 'rahma, Shiva and 5ishnu. May She prote!t the entire !osmos and turn Her mind to the destru!tion of grief and fear./ 4evi, we bow to 7ou who abide in the houses of virtuous people in the form of Shri: the 3oddess of prosperity. n

the houses of the wi!ked you are the 3oddess -lakshmi, !ausing destitution. 7ou are intelligen!e in the hearts of the wise, faith in the hearts of the true, and modesty in noble souls. / 3oddess, prote!t the universe/ 4evi, 7our form trans!ends the mind. How !an we des!ribe 7ou+ How !an we speak of 7our great might in



destroying demons+ How !an we tell of 7our skill in the battles when 7ou overwhelmed the enemies of the 3ods+ 7ou are the !ause of all the worlds. #he three gunas have their origin in 7ou but 7ou have none of their defe!ts. $venShiva, 5ishnu and others !annot !omprehend 7ou. -ll beings !ome to 7ou for refuge. #his whole world is formedfrom an infinitesimal portion of 7ourself. 5erily 7ou are the sublime primordial 8ature, whi!h !an never !hange./ 4evi, 7our !omplete divinity is e%pressed as BSvaha, giving satisfa!tion to all the gods in the sa!rifi!ial fires. 7ou arealso the BSvadha who satisfies the an!estral beings. #herefore people !hant 7ou as Svaha and Svadha in !eremonies.

7ou are the one who gives final liberation by performing great and in!on!eivable penan!es. 7ou are the power whi!henables seers desiring moksha to restrain their senses and be !leansed of impurities.

7ou are the soul of sound. 7ou are the vessel whi!h !ontains the pure &ik and 7aur and Saman hymns, whose!hanting is adorned by the /M. 7ou are 'hagavati, the adorable one, embodying the 5edas.

7ou are the sustenan!e of all living things. 7ou are the supreme destroyer of the suffering of all the worlds. 7ou are wisdom by whi!h the essen!e of the s!riptures may be understood. 7ou are 4urga, the boat that takesmankind a!ross the o!ean of worldly illusion.

7ou have no desires. 7ou are Shri who abides in the heart of 5ishnu, the enemy of the demon "aitabha. 7ou are 3auri the giver of light and truth who has fi%ed Her dwelling in Shiva who wears the moon on his forehead.

7our lovely fa!e was gently smiling, pure, like the rays of the full moon, beautiful, like the splendour of finest gold.t is utterly astonishing that, after seeing 7our beauty, Mahishasura stru!k at 7our fa!e in anger

-nd how strange, / 4evi, that when he saw 7our fa!e grow angry with terrible frowns and rosy as the rising moon,Mahishasura did not instantly drop dead. 9or who !an survive the sight of the enraged 4estroyer+/ 4evi 'e pleased with us 7ou are the supreme Mother of all life.

*hen angered 7ou instantly destroy the -sura families for the welfare of the world. *e saw this when the vast army

of Mahishasura was brought to its end. 7ou always prosper those who are pleasing to 7ou, they are esteemed by others, they be!ome prosperous and famousand their good deeds never !ease, their households are e%tensive, !ontented and loving.'y your gra!e, / 4evi, the blessed ones daily perform righteous a!tions with devotion and by this they attain heaven./ 3oddess 7ou are definitely the only giver of the fruits of a!tion in the three worlds./ 4urga *hen 7ou are !alled to mind in diffi!ult times 7ou remove terror from all !reatures. *hen remembered bythe self)aware 7ou bestow deeper enlightenment. *ho beside 7ou dares to dispel poverty, grief and fear+ *ho else isalways kind)hearted to everyone+

7ou destroy the unrighteous to bring happiness to the world, / 4evi. -nd although their wi!kedness !ould keep the -suras in hell for ages, yet, 7ou think of their welfare by killing them in battle that they may rea!h heaven. 7ou kill the enemies of the gods with weapons rather than burning them to ashes with 7our ga6e. 'y your weaponstou!h, even the wi!kedest may be purified and as!end, su!h kindness 7ou show them./nly by wat!hing 7our fa!e, whi!h resembles the !ooling light of the moon, only this prote!ted the eyes of the -surasfrom the pier!ing flash of 7our sword or spear point./ 3oddess, 7our disposition subdues the !ondu!t of the wi!ked. -nd this beautiful nature of 7ours is in!omparableand beyond thought.

7our supreme power destroys those who !hallenged the valour of the 3ods. 7et 7ou have shown su!h !ompassioneven to those enemies.

7our prowess is beyond !ompare. *here else !an be found su!h beauty whi!h strikes terror in the enemies+n all the three worlds, only in 7ou are found a !ompassionate heart and invin!ible battle skill, / 4evi, bestower of

boons. 7ou have saved the three worlds by destroying the enemies. "illing them in battle 7ou have led them to heaven. 7ouhave van(uished our fear of the fren6ied demons. *e bow in reveren!e to 7ou./ 3reat 4evi prote!t us with 7our spear./ -mbika prote!t us with 7our sword, by the sound of 7our bell, by the twang of 7our bowstring/ Chandika guard us in all four dire!tions with 7our spear, / shvarirote!t us and this $arth with those kindly gentle forms as well as with those e%tremely terrifying forms with whi!h

7ou move about in the three worlds./ -mbika 3uard us on every side with 7our sword, spear, ma!e and whatever weapons 7our tender hands hold.<

#he &ishi said:

#his praise was offered to the supporter of the worlds as they worshipped Her with offerings of !elestial flowers from

8andana and with perfumes and pre!ious ointment and all of them offered heavenly in!ense with deep devotion.

Smiling sweetly, the 4evi spoke to the prostrate 3ods:

7our hymns of praise are so beautiful. *hatever you may ask will be pleased to do.

#he 3ods said:

/ 3reat 3oddess Sin!e 7ou have slain our enemy Mahishasura, nothing remains to be done. 7et we pray that whenever we think of 7ou, 7ou will remove our diffi!ulties at that time./ Mother of purest !ountenan!e, any mortal who praises 7ou with these hymns, may 7ou bless him with prosperity,/ -mbika, as you have blessed us.

#he &ishi said:

/ "ing, after the 3ods appealed to Her for the sake of the *orld and themselves, 'hadrakali replied:

;So it will be.< -nd vanished.



So now, / "ing, have told you about the 4evi who desires the prosperity of the three worlds, how She manifestedfrom the bodies of the 3ods long, long ago. Listen again. will tell you how She !ame as 3auri to slay the wi!keddemons0 Shumbha and 8ishumbha, for the prote!tion of the three worlds. will tell you e%a!tly what happened.

Chapter

#he &ishi said:

/n!e apon a time two -suras, Shumbha and 8ishumbha assumed leadership of the three worlds. #hey took theofferings intended for ndra and arrogated to themselves the roles of Surya, Chandramas, "ubera, 7ama, 5ayu,

5aruna and -gni.#he 4evas, e%pelled from their rightful pla!e and authority, all thought of the invin!ible 3oddess and Her promise:

;*henever in distress you !all Me to mind will end those !alamities at that very instant.<

So the 3ods went to that Lord of Mountains, Himavat, and began to re!ite hymns of praise to Shri 5ishnumaya who isthe illusive power of Shri 5ishnu.

#he 4evas said:

Salutations to the 4evi, the Mahadevi. Salutations to the eternal auspis!ious one, to that one who is the rimordialCause, She who is the sustaining power, we utterly surrender to Her.

*e bow and surrender to &audra who is fero!ious and who, as 3auri, is the support of the universe. *e surrender to that one who is tender as the moonlight, who bestows happiness, we reveren!e Her !ontinually. *e bow to "alyani who enables us to perfe!t ourselves. *e bow to Lakshmi who prospers us. *e bow to Sharvarni who is the arbiter of kings.&everen!e to 4urga, we surrender to Her who is ina!!essible and who enables us to !ross the o!ean of illusion,

*e bow to Her who is the foundation of the world, who is the awareness and dis!rimination, to Her whose!omple%ion is blue)bla!k like smoke.

*e surrender and bow again and again to that goddess who is most gentle and most terrible, to Her who destroys theenemies of truth to preserve the world order.#o the 3oddess who is pro!laimed as the illusive power of Lord 5ishnu, whi!h e%ists in all beings, we bow again andagain.

*e bow to the 4evi who abides in all beings in the form of !ons!iousness, we bow and surrender to Her. *e bow and surrender to Her who is intelligen!e#o Her who is sleep#o Her who is hunger#o Her who is refle!tion, shadow, in all beings

*e bow to Her who is the strength, the energy, the power in all beings. *e bow to Her who is desire, who is thirst. *e bow to Her who is forgiveness and patien!e. *e bow to Her who is the parti!ular genus, or !lass, or spe!ies of all beings *e bow to the 4evi who is modesty in all beings. *e bow to Her who is pea!e, who is tran(uility in all beings.#o Her who is faith, we bow.#o that 4evi who dwells in all beings as lustre and loveliness, we bow.

*e bow to the 4evi who dwells in all beings as good fortune. *e bow to the 4evi who dwells in all beings as a!tivity.#o Her who dwells in all beings as memory, we bow.#o Her who dwells in all beings as kindness, as mer!y, as !ompassion, we bow.

*e bow to Her who is satisfa!tion, the !ontentment in all beings. *e bow to the 4evi who resides in all beings as Mother. *e bow to that 4evi who abides in all beings as delusion and error.#o the all)pervading 4evi who prote!ts the sense organs in all !reatures and rules all !reatures !ontinually, we

surrender, bowing again and again. -ll reveren!e to Her. She alone pervades the entire world as !ons!iousness. *e prostrate ourselves again and again. -s in olden times when invoked by the 3ods to fulfill their desires, that one who is adored every day by the Lord ofthe 3ods, may She, that shvari who is the sour!e of auspi!iousness, a!!omplish our deliveran!e.

*e the 4evas who are tormented now by -suras, we bow to that one who instantly destroys !alamities, to Her wesurrender ourselves in devotion.

#he &ishi said:

/ "ing, while the gods were praising and worshipping Her, arvati !ame to bathe in the waters of the 3anga.

#he 3oddess with beautifully ar!hed eyebrows asked:

*hose praise is being hymned here+

#hen an auspis!ious goddess sprang forth from the treasure)house of Her body and replied:

;9or Me this hymn is uttered by the assembly of gods who have been defeated in war and e%iled by Shumbha and



8ishumbha.<

-s -mbika manifested from the pores of arvatis body She is glorified as "ausiki in the three worlds.#hen arvati also be!ame bla!k and !ame to be known as "alika and took Her abode in the Himalaya.#hen Chanda and Munda, two servants of Shumbha and 8ishumbha happened to see that -mbika D"ausikiE lookinge%tremely beautiful. #hey reported to Shumbha:

;/ great king there is an e%!eedingly beautiful woman whose (ueenly beauty is illuminating the Himalaya. 8o)one

has ever seen su!h sublime loveliness anywhere. 9ind out who that goddess is and take possession of Her, / Lord of -suras. She is a gem among women, with e%(uisitely beautiful limbs whi!h illuminate the four dire!tions with theirlustre. #here she stands, / "ing of 4emons. 7ou deserve to see Her.Lord *hatever pre!ious stones, ewels, elephants, horses and so on are in the three worlds, all now de!orate yourhouse, / "ing 7ou have obtained the pre!ious elephant -iravat, also the fabulous tree ariata, as well as the

wonderful horse ?!!haishrava, whi!h was ndras. Here in the !ourtyard stands the gem)studded !hariot drawn byswans, brought here from 'rahma the rogenitor. Here is the treasure Mahapadma from "ubera and the unfadinglotus garland "inalkini, the gift from the o!ean. 5arunas umbrella, whi!h showers gold, now stands in your house

with the superb !hariot that on!e belonged to raapati.Lord 7ou have snat!hed ?tkrantida, the missile of 7ama by whi!h he gives e%it to all !reatures.

7our brother now possesses the noose of the /!ean "ing. 8ishumbha also has all the gems from the /!ean while youhave the two fire)proof garments from -gni./ 4emon king, as all these gems have been given you why not also sei6e this ewel among women+<

#he &ishi said:

-fter listening to all this from Chanda and Munda, Shumbha sent out the mighty demon Sugriva as his messenger tothe 4evi. He said:

;3o and !onvey my invitation to Her in a gentle way so that She will be affe!tionate toward me.<

3oing over to the lovely mountain seat of the 3oddess, the messenger spoke in a sweet, soothing tone, saying:

/ 4evi, am the messenger of Shumbha, Lord of the 4emons and Sovereign of the three worlds. He has van(uishedall his foes among -suras and even the 3ods were unable to resist him. He sent me here to 7our presen!e. Listen to

what he says, his message is this:;-ll the three worlds are mine. $ven the 3ods obey me. eat all the offerings whi!h on!e were theirs. -ll the finest

ewels of the three worlds are now mine. $ven ndras elephant, -iravata, now have. *ith salutations the 3ods haveeven offered me the glorious horses !alled ?!!haihsravas whi!h arose at the !hurning of the milk o!ean./ magnifi!ent lady -ll the other obe!ts whi!h belonged to the 3ods or 3andhavas or 8agas, all are now in mypossession. *e regard 7ou, / 4evi, as the ewel among womankind. #herefore, !ome to us, we who are the!onnoisseurs of gems. Come to me or to my powerful younger brother 8ishumbha, / Lady of the (ui!k side)glan!es,

7ou are indeed a sparkling ewel. 'y marrying me 7ou will gain in!omparable wealth. #hink of the advantage and be!ome my wife.<

#he &ishi said:

*hen this was said, the adorable 3oddess 4urga who sustains and prote!ts the universe, smiled thoughtfully andsaid:

;*hat you say is true, no doubt. Shumbha is indeed sovereign of the three worlds together with 8ishumbha. 'ut howmay nullify My former vow+ lease listen to this vow on!e made in ignoran!e: on!e de!lared would only marryone who !ould be My e(ual in strength, one who !ould defeat Me in battle and remove My pride, only he !ould be myhusband.So let Shumbha !ome here, or 8ishumbha the great -sura, let him van(uish me without delay and gently take myhand in marriage.<

#he messenger said:

/ 4evi #his is arrogan!e 4o not talk this way to me 8ame a single god from the three worlds who is !apable ofstanding against Shumbha and 8ishumbhan fa!t all the 3ods were unable to fa!e even the other -suras in battle. So how !ould 7ou, a single woman do this on

your own+ f ndra and all the other 3odheads united !ould not defeat Shumbha, how will 7ou, a woman, dare to fa!ehim+t would be better that 7ou heed my message and go to Shumbha and 8ishumbha yourself. /therwise you will sufferthe humiliation of being dragged there by the hair.

#he 4evi said:

t is true. Shumbha is strong. 8ishumbha is very heroi!. 'ut what !an do+ n My ignoran!e made my vow earlier. 7ou go ba!k to the -sura Lord and tell him politely what have said then he may do whatever he pleases.

Chapter F

#he &ishi said:

#he messenger heard the 4evis words with growing anger. He returned to the 4emon "ing and reported them in



detail

#hen Shumbha in turn was angered. He summoned 4humralo!hana, one of his generals:

;/ 4humralo!hana 3o with your troops and fet!h Her here immediately dragging Her by the hair. -nyone who triesto res!ue Her is to be killed at on!e even if he is a 3od or a 7aksha or only a 3andharva<

#he &ishi said:

-t this !ommand 4humralo!hana immediately responded with his si%ty thousand troops. Seeing the 4evi seated onthe snowy mountain. He shouted:

;Come at on!e to Shumbha and 8ishumbhas presen!e f 7ou wont !ome sweetly will take 7ou by the hair andfor!e 7ou to !ome.<

#he 3oddess replied:

'ut you are so strong, surrounded by your mighty army and prote!ted by the Lord of 4emons, why threaten Me+ *hat harm do you fear+ *hat !an possibly do+

#he &ishi said:

#hus !hallenged, the -sura 4humralo!hana rushed at Her. #hen -mbika redu!ed him to ashes ust by saying ;Hum<.#his outraged the demon troops. #hey released showers of arrows, avelins and a%es on -mbika.#he lion, vehi!le of the 3oddess rose in anger, shook his mane, and roaring violently, fell upon the wi!ked asuraarmy. Some he slaughtered with blows from the fore)paw, some with his aws and others by his hind legs. Hedisemboweled some with his !laws and beheaded others with a !uff of his forepaws.He severed heads and arms from some, and shook his mane as he drank the blood of others.n an instant that whole army was destroyed by that high)spirited lion who bears the 4evi. He was e%!eedingly angry.

*hen Shumbha the -sura lord heard that 4humralo!hana was slain by the 4evi and all his army slaughtered by herlion, he was furious. His lower lip (uivered as he ordered two mighty -suras, Chanda and Munda:

;Ho Chanda Ho Munda #ake multitudes of troops and go and !apture Her. 'ring Her at on!e by the hair or bindHer. 9ailing that let the troops strike Her with their weapons. "ill the lion and when She is wounded sei6e that

-mbika, bind Her and bring Her straight here<

Chapter G

#he &ishi said:

#hen, as !ommanded, the -suras Chanda and Munda mar!hed forth with their army, all four battalions with weaponsraised and ready. Soon they saw the 4evi serenely !omposed, mounted on Her lion, at the peak of the goldenmountain. She smiled as she saw them approa!hing. -t the sight of Her some rushed to !apture Her while othersflourished their swords or bent their bows.

-t this -mbika be!ame furious and in Her anger Her fa!e grew dark as ink. 9rom the fier!e frown of Her forehead,suddenly, the 3oddess "ali emerged holding a sword and a noose. She was truly terrifying. She had a strange staff

with a skull on top. Her garland was of skulls. Her !lothing was of tiger skins and she was appallingly ema!iated, witha huge mouth and great tongue lolling out. Her eyes were deep sunk and reddened. She filled the sky with her roars.9alling impetuously on the -sura army She devoured those hosts of foes. *ith one hand She snat!hed up elephants,drivers, rear)men and warriors, bells and all, and flung them into Her mouth. n the same way She threw soldiers,horses, !hariots and drivers into Her mouth and ground them horribly with Her teeth. /ne was sei6ed by the hair.

-nother by the ne!k. /ne was killed by the weight of Her foot and another !rushed against Her body. #hey hurled weapons at Her, these She !aught in Her mouth also and furiously !run!hed them with Her teeth. n this way Shedestroyed that whole host of evil)natured asuras. #hey were beaten and !rushed. Many were killed by Her sword.Some she beat with Her "hatvanga = Her skull)topped staff. /thers met their death ground by the edge of Her teeth.

Seeing the whole demon army destroyed in a tri!e by that appalling, terrible "ali, Chanda rushed at Her while Mundagave !over with showers of arrows and dis!uses all over that 3oddess with the terrible eyes. #hen those dis!usesentered Her mouth like so many suns !onsumed by !loud. -t this the 3oddess "ali roared frightfully, Her fero!iousteeth gleamed in Her dreadful mouth, so diffi!ult to look at. She laughed in terrible rage. #hen mounting Her greatlion She rushed at Chanda, sei6ed him by his hair, and, uttering the frightful sound ;Hum<, severed his head with Hersword.Seeing Chanda brought down, Munda also rushed at Her. She felled him with Her s!imitar in fury. #hen theremainder of the army took flight in pani!, s!attering in all dire!tions at the sight of mighty Chanda and Mundadestroyed. Carrying the heads of the slain Chanda and Munda, "ali approa!hed Chandika and, laughing, She said

with passion:

;Here bring 7ou two great beasts in the battle sa!rifi!e. 7ou yourself shall now kill Shumbha and 8ishumbha.<

#he &ishi said:

#hen lovely Chandika looked at the two mighty demons heads and oked:

;Sin!e 7ou have now brought Chanda and Munda 7ou will be famous in all the world as BChamunda<



Chapter

#he &ishi said:

-fter the 4aitya Chanda was slain and Munda was felled and so many battalions destroyed, then the 4emon "ing, themighty Shumbha, his mind over!ome with anger, !ommanded the marshalling of his entire army of 4emons.;Let the eighty)si% !ompanies of troops mar!h forth with weapons at the ready and the eighty)four "ambus mar!h

with their elephant for!es.

Let the fifty bravest -sura !lans go forth.Let the hundred families of 4haumras go forth at my !ommand.Let the "alakas, the 4aurhritas, the Mauryas and the "alakeyas mar!h out at my order, e(uipped for battle.<

-fter issuing orders, the fero!ious 4emon "ing Shumbha mar!hed out with his thousands of for!es.#hen Chandika saw that terrible army advan!e. She twanged Her bowstring.#he sound vibrated all the spa!e between $arth and Heaven.#hen, / "ing, the lion gave a mighty roar and -mbika magnified those roars by !langing Her bell."ali opened wide Her terrible mouth and filled the (uarters with the sound ;Hum.<She overwhelmed the noises of the bowstring, the lion and the bell.#he angry demon army heard that tremendous sound from all dire!tions.#hey en!ir!led those 3oddesses, Chandika and "ali and the lion.

/ "ing #hen, the Shaktis of all the 3ods, of ndra, 'rahma, sha, 5ishnu and "artikeya, all !ame out in their trueforms to oin the 3oddess Chandika in destroying the enemies of the 3ods.#hey !ame with the same weapons and vehi!les as the 3ods from whom they had emerged.

'rahmas Shakti, !alled 'rahmani, !ame in Her !hariot drawn by swans. She !arries a rosary and a water)pot.Maheshvari !ame riding an o%, holding Her trident. She wears bra!elets of great serpents and a !res!ent moon adornsHer forehead.

-mbika) "aumari rides on a pea!o!k. She !arries a spear to slay demons. 5aishnavi rides on 3aruda. She !arries Her !on!h, dis!us, ma!e, bow and sword.Sri Haris Shakti advan!ed in the form of a boar. She is 5arahi.Likewise, 8arasimhi !ame, in lion)form, like 8arasimha, s!attering !onstellations of stars with a toss of her mane.#hen the thousand)eyed ndrani !ame, seated on the king of elephants, wielding Her thunderbolt weapon.

-fter this, Lord Shiva, surrounded by all these Shaktis, asked Chandika to slay the demons to please Him:;/ Chandika, delight Me by slaying these demons at on!e.<mmediately, the energy of Chandika emerged from Her body in the form of a fero!ious Shakti, very powerful andmaking a noise like a hundred a!kals.#his invin!ible 3oddess, -parita, says to Shiva of the dark matted lo!ks:;3o, My Lord, as My ambassador to Shumbha and 8ishumbha. #ell those two e%!essively proud demons, and all theothers assembled for war, that they must restore ndra as sovereign of the three worlds so that the gods may again eatthe fruit of sa!rifi!ial offerings. Say to them:Bf you wish to !ontinue living you must go ba!k to hell. 'ut, if you are still arrogant about your strength, and you still

want to fight, then !ome on. Let My a!kals feast their fill on your flesh.<

-s She appointed Lord Shiva Himself as messenger, She be!ame known as Shivaduti after that.#he demons were so furious when Lord Shiva, the Lord of destru!tion told them Her message that they at on!emar!hed to where "atyayani stood.$nraged, they showered volleys of arrows, avelins and other weapons on the 3oddess.She raised Her huge bow and easily !ut through their missiles of arrows, spears, darts and a%es.#hen "ali roaming in the forefront of the battle, tore them with Her pike and !rushed them with Her skull)toppedstaff as She stalked about.'rahmani sprinkled water from Her "amandalu and drained the enemies vigour.Maheshvari slew those daityas with Her trident, 5aishnavi with Her dis!us, "aumari slew with Her avelin.

-indri hurled Her thunderbolt down on them, tearing daityas and danavas to pie!es. #hey fell to earth in hundreds,pouring streams of blood.#he boar)headed 3oddess 5arahi shattered the enemy with blows of Her snout. She wounded many, tearing their

breast with Her tusks. /ther asuras were felled by Her dis!us.8arasimhi the lion)headed 3oddess roamed through the battle, filling the sky with Her roars. She tore the asuras

with Her !laws and devoured them.Many asuras, da6ed by the fier!e, loud laughter of Shivaduti, fell down and were eaten by Her. #he !ombined powersof the angry Mothers was so terrible to behold that the demon army fled in disorder.#hen, the great and furious &aktabia saw the rout of his troops and strode into battle. *henever a drop of his bloodfell, another demon e%a!tly like him appeared on the earth.

*ith his ma!e he fought against the Shakti of ndra while -indri fought him with Her thunderbolt. Hit by thethunderbolt, his blood gushed out. mmediately fresh !ombatants ust like him sprang up beside him. -s many dropsof blood that fell, so many persons of his strength and !ourage !ame into being.#hese fero!ious warriors hurled dreadful weapons at the Mothers. -gain and again the thunderbolt stru!k his headand the blood that flowed brought forth thousands of &aktabias.

5aishnavi stru!k with Her dis!us and -indri beats him with Her ma!e.$a!h !ut of 5aishnavis dis!us produ!ed thousands of great demons. #he world be!ame full of them."aumari stru!k with Her spear, 5arahi with Her sword, Maheshvari with Her trident. -nd that great demon&aktabia, full of anger, stru!k ea!h of the Mothers with his !lub.'ut the streams of blood pouring from him where he was hit by the spears, swords and !lubs only brought !ountlesshundreds more like him into being.

#he whole world be!ame !overed in demons. #he 3ods were all terrified.

Chandika laughed to see this and said:



;Iui!k, "ali, open 7our mouth wide and !at!h the blood and the demons !oming from this great asura. &oam the battlefield and devour these fresh demons. *hen his blood drains he will meet his doom. -s 7ou (ui!kly eat these,the anger will be gone and no more demons will be born.<#hen Chandika stru!k him with Her pike. "ali !aught his blood in Her mouth. He stru!k Chandika with his !lub but it!aused Her no pain. 'lood flowed from his many wounds and "ali !aught it all in Her mouth. She also devoured theasuras who sprang from that blood.#he goddess hit him with all Her weapons0 dart, thunderbolt, arrows, sword and spears, and Chamunda drank all the

blood. -nd so it was, / "ing, that finally he fell on the earth, stri!ken by a multitude of weapons and bloodless.#hen the 3ods were filled with oy, and the Mothers, filled with blood, dan!ed e!stati!ally.

Chapter J

#he king said:

#he story you have ust related about the 4evi slaying &aktabia was wonderful. 8ow want to hear about Shumbhaand 8ishumbha = how did they rea!t to the death of &aktabia+

#he &ishi said:

-fter &aktabia was slain and the other demons had been killed, Shumbha and 8ishumbha were filled with rage.Having seen his great soldiers killed, the asura 8ishumbha rushed forward with his battalion. Surrounding andfollowing him !ame the army of asuras angrily biting their lips as they advan!ed to slay the 3oddess.

-nd Shumbha, full of rage after fighting the Mothers, also advan!ed surrounded by his troops.#he desperate !ombat between the 3oddess and Shumbha and 8ishumbha was like two thunder!louds raining violent showers of arrows on her.Chandika !ut through those arrows with Her own shower of arrows and wounded both demon kings limbs with Her

weapons.8ishumbha grasped a sharp s!imitar and glittering shield. He stru!k the head of the lion, that noble beast who!arried the 3oddess.

*hen Her mount was stru!k, the 4evi (ui!kly split his sword with a sharp arrow and destroyed his lovely shield, whi!h was de!orated with eight moons. *ith his shield broken and sword split, 8ishumbha hurled his spear whi!h She split with Her dis!us as it approa!hed.#hen 8ishumbha, bla6ing with anger, grabbed his dart. #his also She smashed with Her fist. He flung his !lub. Sheshivered it to ashes with Her trident.#hen, as the demon advan!ed, battle)a%e in hand, She felled him with a multitude of arrows. 9elled him to theground.Seeing his mighty brother 8ishumbha felled by the 3oddess, Shumbha was outraged. He strode forward to kill theMother -mbika. -s he stood on his !hariot he seemed to fill the entire sky0 his eight arms upraised with splendid

weapons.#he 4evi wat!hed his approa!h and blew Her !on!h. She twanged Her bowstring making an unbearable sound. Shefilled all dire!tions with the ringing of Her bell whi!h un)nerved the demon hosts.#hen the lion gave a roar whi!h penetrated the ten regions of the sky, and destroyed the pride of the demonselephants.#hen "ali sprang into the sky and !ame down, slapping the earth with both hands. #his boom drowned all of thoseprevious sounds.Shivaduti gave an ominous loud laugh.#he demons trembled and Shumbha flew into a terrible rage.

-mbika said:

;Stand still, $vil /ne.<

#he devas all shouted:

;5i!tory to you<

Shumbha !ame on, hurling his flaming spear, terrible, like a mountain of fire. She e%tinguished this with Her meteor./ "ing #he terrible roar of the lion filled the interspa!e between the three worlds. 'ut the dreadful thunder!laps ofthe 4evi smothered even that#he 4evi and the demon ea!h split the hundreds of fiery arrows of the other.#hen Chandika grew angry and hit him with Her trident. He fell to the ground in a faint.#hen 8ishumbha re!overed his senses and grasped a bow. He stru!k the 4evi and "ali and the lion with his arrows.#hat 4anua Lord, the son of 4iti, e%tended his ten thousand arms and !overed Chandika with a myriad of dis!uses.#hen the great 3oddess 4urga, destroyer of all diffi!ulties, be!ame angry and split those dis!uses and arrows withHer own arrows.8ishumbha then took up his ma!e and, surrounded by his army, rushed at Chandika to kill Her.$ven as he !ame She !love his !lub with a sharp sword. He grabbed a pike.

-s 8ishumbha !ame at Her with his dart She pier!ed him in the heart with Her swift pike.9rom his pier!ed heart another valiant warrior emerged saying, ;Stop<Laughing vigorously the 4evi !ut off his head as he was speaking. He fell down dead.

#he lion then devoured the asuras whose ne!ks he had !rushed. "ali and Shivaduti devoured others.Many great asuras were killed by "aumari with Her spear. /thers were frightened away by 'rahmani sprinkling

vibrated water.



Some were felled by Maheshvari with Her trident. /thers were smashed by the snout of 5arahi. Some were !ut topie!es by Her dis!us. -indri killed some with the thunderbolt from Her palms. Some did away with themselves, somefled the battlefield. /thers were eaten by "ali, Shivaduti and the lion.

Chapter 1K

#he &ishi said:

-s Shumbha saw his brother 8ishumbha, dear to him as life itself, now dead and his army slaughtered, he spokeangrily:;/ 4urga 7ou have be!ome arrogant, proud of 7our su!!ess 4ont boast here. #here is no reason to look so haughty.

7ou depend on these others for 7our strength<

#he 4evi said:

;/ vile !reature am all alone in the world of movement. *ho else is there beside Me+ #hese goddesses aremanifestations of My powers. See #hey dwell within Me alone<#hen 'rahmani and all the others were absorbed into Her body. -mbika was all alone.

#he 4evi said:

-ll these forms proe!ted here are My attributes. have now withdrawn them. stand alone on the battlefield.So !ome on Lets fight

#he &ishi said:

#hen began a dreadful battle between the 4evi and Shumbha while the 4evas and asuras wat!hed.#hey fought without (uarter, hurling deadly missiles and showering arrows in a fight whi!h frightened all the worlds.#he demon lord broke the divine weapons whi!h the 4evi hurled in hundreds.#he mighty weapons he employed She, arameshwari, easily smashed with a for!eful sound of ;Hum<#hen the 4emon !overed the 4evi with hundreds of arrows. n Her wrath She split his bow with Her arrows.His bow broken, he used a pike. #hat too She !ut with Her dis!us as he still held it.#hen he, the supreme lord of the demons, took up his sword and his brilliant shield adorned with a hundred moons.He !harged.Chandika split his sword as he !ame. Her arrows also pier!ed his bright shield.His steeds were slain, his !harioteer gone. #he daitya grasped his fearsome ma!e, ready to kill -mbika.Her arrows split the ma!e. Shumbha raised his fist and rushed at Her.He stru!k at Her heart.She hit his !hest with Her open palm.He fell, wounded, to the earth.mmediately he rose again and sei6ed Her as he flew into the sky.Chandika fought him there0 unsupported.#he Siddhas and Munis wat!hed the fight with sho!k and dismay.Su!h fier!e !lose !ombat had never been seen before.

-fter a long time -mbika lifted him up. She whirled him around, then She threw him down to earth.#hen, that evil asura Shumbha raised his fist and rushed at Her for the kill.#his time the 4evi met him with a dart whi!h pier!ed his !hest.He fell lifeless to the ground, shaking the entire earth and its o!eans, mountains and islands.

-t the death of the wi!ked demon the whole world reoi!ed. #he sky !leared. ea!e was restored.#he !louds and meteors, whi!h had foretold danger, now were gone.#he rivers flowed in their !ourses again when Shumbha was destroyed.#he hearts of the 3ods were filled with oy. #he gandharvas resumed their songs. /thers played instruments. 8ymphsdan!ed, gentle bree6es blew, the sun glowed, sa!red fires bla6ed pea!efully and all the disturbing sounds weresilen!ed everywhere.

Chapter 11

#he &ishi said:

*hen the great demon was killed by the 4evi all the gods, led by -gni, sang the praise of "atyayani, their shiningfa!es filled the universe with radiant light:

;/ 4evi, 7ou who remove the sufferings of your devotees, be pleased with us./ Mother of all the world, be gra!ious./ Iueen of the universe, prote!t the universe./ 4evi, you rule everything that moves and everything that is immovable.

7ou alone are the foundation of everything. 7ou stand in the form of the $arth. -ll this universe gets satisfa!tion from 7ou in the form of water. 7ou have limitless !ourage. 7ou are the 5ishnu Shakti. 7ou are the ultimate power of Maya, the seed)sour!e of the universe.'y 7our power all this universe has been thrown into illusion, / 4evi,f you be!ome pleased you be!ome the !ause of liberation of all Creation.

-ll s!ien!es are part of 7ou. #he feminine power of all women is from 7ou.'y you alone, / 3reat Mother, by 7ou alone this world is filled.



How !an we sing 7our praise when 7ou are beyond praise+ -ll the sublime words are defi!ient./ 4evi, 7ou are the power whi!h resides in all beings to give them Self)realisation, to give the bliss of moksha. Howthen !an we find words to des!ribe 7our glory+

7ou dwell as intelligen!e in every heart, to bestow heaven and the ultimate freedom./ 8arayani, we bow to 7ou

*e bow to 7ou / 8arayani, who, in the form of minutes and other divisions of time, brings about !hange in all thingsand, ultimately, the destru!tion of the universe.

/ three)eyed 4evi, giver of auspi!iousness and prosperity, / 8arayani, 7ou are our only refuge, we surrender to 7ou.

*e bow to 7ou / 8arayani. 7ou are the power of !reation, sustentation and destru!tion, eternally. 7ou are the !auseof the three 3unas and also beyond them.

7ou are the supreme path of salvation.

7ou give refuge to the dee!ted and distressed. 7ou also absorb all that distresses your devotees. / 8arayani, we bowto 7ou.

7ou who ride in the heavenly !hariot drawn by swans when 7ou take the form of 'rahmani. 7ou sprinkle watersteeped in "usha grass. / 8arayani, we bow to 7ou.

*e bow to 7ou / 8arayani, 7ou who have the form of Maheshvari when, holding 7our trident, 7ou ride the great

bull. 7ou are adorned with the moon and a serpent.

/ 7ou who are sinless, you take the form of "aumari, wielding great power in 7our spear, a!!ompanied by !o!ks andpea!o!ks, / 8arayani, we bow to 7ou.

/ you who, in the form of 5aishnavi, hold the great !on!h, dis!us, ma!e and bow, be pleased with us / 8arayani.

*e bow to 7ou / 8arayani, when in the form of 5arahi, 7ou grasp the huge dis!us and support the $arth on 7ourtusks.

n the fier!e form of 8arasimha 7ou prote!t the three worlds, killing the demons./ 8arayani, we bow to 7ou.

-s -indri, 7ou hold the thunderbolt. Crowned with a diadem, da66ling with 7our thousand eyes 7ou took 5ritas life./ 8arayani we bow, we bow to 7ou who slew the mighty hosts of daityas when 7ou be!ame Shivaduti of terribleappearan!e and roaring voi!e.

n 7our form as Chamunda with the garland of skulls, with 7our wide mouth and fearsome teeth, 7ou killed thedemon Munda. / 8arayani, we bow to 7ou.

/ 8arayani, reveren!e to 7ou, you are nourishment, modesty, prosperity, wisdom, faith. 7ou are the sweet libation and the sa!rifi!ial ladle. 7ou are the great night, the great illusion, we bow to 7ou.

*e bow to you / 8arayani, 7ou are Sarasvati the sour!e of understanding, beautiful, dark)bodied, and intuitive. 'epleased with us.

/ Iueen of all, 7ou reside in every being. 7ou are the power that enlivens every being.n the form of 4urga 7ou !ross the sea of terrible !alamities to res!ue us. *e bow to 7ou.

May this benevolent fa!e of 7ours, adorned with three eyes, prote!t us from all terror./ "atyayani we bow to 7ou.

#he sli!ing edge of 7our flame)forged trident kills all demons. t guards us from fear./ 'hadrakali we bow to 7ou.

/ 4evi #hat bell of 7ours fills the world with its ringing. t destroys the vigour of the demon hosts. May it save usfrom error, like a mothers voi!e.

/ Candika #hat sword you wield in 7our bright hands, smeared as it was with the fat and blood of the demons, has brought our salvation. *e bow to 7ou.

*hen pleased 7ou destroy all disease. *hen angry 7ou frustrate impure desires.#hose who seek 7ou are always prote!ted. ndeed, others seek refuge in them.

/ -mbika, 7ou manifested 7our many forms as 7ou worked this great slaughter. *hat other goddess is !apable ofthis+

7ou are the light whi!h reveals the wisdom of the 5edas, of the s!ien!es and of the an!ient sayings.'ut in the dark pit of the selfish mind 7ou !ause the universe to reel terribly.



*herever rakshasas dwell, and virulent, poisonous nagas, where devils dwell and venomous snakes e%ist0 whereenemies and hosts of robbers are, there 7ou stand, even in vol!anoes under water, there 7ou stand to prote!t the

world.

/ Iueen of the universe 7ou prote!t and hold the universe. 7ou are the very Self of the universe. 7ou are the 3oddess adored by the Lord of the universe.#hose who submit to 7ou in devotion also be!ome themselves the refuge of the universe.

/ 3oddess 'e gra!ious and prote!t us always as 7ou have done ust now by this slaughter of asuras. 4estroy the sinsof all the worlds, prote!t us from the !alamities whi!h spring from the maturing of evil !onditions.

*e surrender before 7ou, be gra!ious / 3oddess. 7ou alone !an remove the agony of the world. 7ou are the one to be worshipped by the three worlds.lease bestow boons to the worlds.<

#he 4evi Said:

/ 4evas, am ready: ask a boon. *hatever you wish for the world, will grant it.

#he 4evas said:

/ Iueen of all, as 7ou have now destroyed our enemies, we pray 7ou, please destroy all the troubles of the three

worlds.

#he 4evi said:

*hen the twenty)eighth -ge has arrived, during the period of 5aivasvata Manu)antara, the 4emons Shumbha and8ishimbha will be born as two different demons.#hen shall !ome out of the womb of 7ashoda, in the house of 8anda)gopa, dwelling in the 5indhya Mountain. willdestroy the demons. shall in!arnate again on $arth in a fero!ious form to slay the danavas who des!end from the 5ipra!hitti demon. -nd

when !hew those fier!e asuras, My teeth will be!ome red as pomegranate flowers. #herefore the 3ods in heaven andthe men on earth shall praise Me as &akta)dantika when they pray.

-nd again, when a hundred year drought will o!!ur will !ome: mind)borne on the prayers of the saints. shall not be born of a womb, but will behold the munis with a hundred eyes.#hen mankind shall praise Me as Shatakshi, the Hundred)eyed, and shall nourish the world with life)sustainingfoliage whi!h shall grow from My !osmi! body, until the rains set in. shall be known then as Shambhari and shallslay the great demon !alled 4urgama.#hen shall be known as the goddess 4urga, when again assume that terrible form on the mountain Himalaya, andshall eat the rakshasas for the sake of the devoted munis. #hey shall bow and humbly praise Me as 4urga)devi.

*hen the demon -runa shall !reate havo! in the three worlds will be known as 'hima)devi in My bee)like form as aswarm shall slay that asura.#hen everywhere people will praise Me as 'hramari whenever demons disturb them and will in!arnate and kill theirenemies.

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#he 3oddess said:

-nd whoever, with full attention, regularly praises Me with these hymns, will (uiet every trouble for him. -nd when this story is told of the slaying of Madhu and "aitabha, of the destru!tion of the asura Mahisha, and theslaughter of Shumbha and 8ishumbha, then both those who sing it and those who listen with devotion to this story of My sublime maesty on the eighth, ninth and fourteenth days of the lunar fortnight0 to them no trouble shall !omenor any !alamities from wrong doing, nor poverty, nor separation from loved ones.#hey shall not e%perien!e fear from enemies, from robbers or rulers, from fire or flood or any weapon.

#herefore this poem of My maesty must be re!ited and listened to with full attention and sin!ere devotion, for it isthe supreme sour!e of blessings.May this poem of My glories now (uell all epidemi!s and !alamities of mind, body and spirit.#he pla!e of My san!tuary, where this poem is !hanted !onstantly, will always be My dwelling pla!e. will neverforsake that pla!e./n all o!!asions of auspi!ious worship, when offerings are made to the $arth, and at the fire !eremony, all this storyof My a!tions must be told and heard. will a!!ept with kindliness the offerings made on these o!!asions both by the people who know the proto!ols and bythose who do not know but who are sin!ere devotees.4uring the annual -utumn !eremony when My worship is performed, anyone who listens with faith to this poem ofMy maesty, will be delivered by My gra!e from any troubles and be blessed with !hildren, ri!hes and sustenan!e.Listening to My glorifi!ation brings blessings of fearlessness and heroi! deeds. $nemies are van(uished andprosperity a!!rues. 9amilies are oyful./n every o!!asion whether at pea!eful !eremony or at times when the planets foretell misfortune or to dispelnightmares0 this poem may be !hanted, then those diffi!ulties are dispelled.t produ!es pea!e in !hildren who have be!ome disturbed and heals rifts between people when friendships are split.

t absolutely weakens all evildoers. 4evils, ghosts and demons are destroyed by its !hanting.#his !omplete praise of Me brings the devotee very !lose to Me.

-nd by offerings of animals, flowers, wel!oming drinks, in!enses and lamps, by feeding wise men, by fire !eremonies,



by daily sprinkling holy water and all other offerings = the blessings whi!h !ome from all these will !ome to Mydevotee who only listens on!e to this re!itation with love for Me. #hey will have perfe!t health and prote!tion.#his !elebration of My manifestations and des!ription of My battles frees men from foes and from fear itself.

-nd these hymns !omposed by &ishis and the praise !omposed by 'rahma himself bestow pure thoughts. -nyone !aught in a forest fire or in a lonely pla!e or in water or endangered by robbers or wild animals or imprisonedor tossed in a tempest at sea or surrounded in battle by terrible weapons, if they remember this story of My powertheir troubles will vanish.

#he &ishi said:

-s the beloved Chandika finished speaking She vanished from the sight of the adoring 3ods.#hen the 3ods, now free of fear, were able to resume their proper roles and enoy their share of the offerings.Sin!e the fier!e demons Shumbha and 8ishumbha were now destroyed all other demons fled ba!k to hell.#hus, / "ing, the adorable 4evi, although She is eternal, in!arnates again and again to safeguard the world.'y Her this whole universe is put under delusion and it is She who !reates it all, when entreated She bestows pureknowledge, when gratified, She grants prosperity./ "ing 'y Her, by Mahakali who is the great destroying 3oddess at the end of time, by Her the whole !osmos ispervaded.

-t the proper time She is indeed Maha Mari, the great destroyer. She is also the unborn who be!omes this Creation when it is time for renewed !reation. She is the eternal being who sustains !reated beings at the time of stability.She is La%mi at the time of prosperity, bestowing blessings in the homes of mankind.

*hen She is absent, she is -la%mi, the !ause of destitution in times of misfortune. *hen praised and worshipped with flowers and in!ense, She bestows !hildren and full !ons!iousness.

Chapter 1@

#he &ishi said:

/ "ing have told you this sublime poem of the 4evi Mahatmya. #he 3oddess maintains and supports the world byHer maesti! power.She is the illusive power of the adorable Lord 5ishnu and by Her alone is knowledge attained.'y Her power you and this Mer!hant and other dis!riminating men are deluded.#hey have been deluded in the past and will be!ome deluded./ "ing 3o to Her for refuge, She is the supreme ruler. She is the one who when worshipped bestows enoyment andheaven and final liberation.

Markandeya said to his dis!iple 'haguri:

/ 3reat Sage, the king Suratha, who had been so despondent be!ause of his great atta!hment to his lost kingdom, andthe mer!hant, both bowed reverently before the great &ishi who was famous for his austerity and they immediatelyprepared to follow his e%ample.#hey settled on the bank of a river and began to pra!ti!e penan!es, re!iting the 4evi Sukta in order to evoke -mba.#hey made a !lay image of the 4evi on the sands of the river and worshipped Her with flowers and in!ense, with fireand water.#hey ate sparingly and sometimes fasted. -lways keeping their attention on Her they offered sa!rifi!es sprinkled withtheir own blood.

-fter three years of this !ontinual worship, Chandika, the support of the world, was pleased with them and manifestin person to speak with them.

#he 4evi said:

*hatever you ask / "ing, and you also, the delight of your family, re!eive all that from Me. am well pleased and bestow every blessing on you both.

Markandeya said:

#he king !hose a kingdom whi!h would never perish, and in this life his own kingdom where his enemies would be van(uished.#hen the wise mer!hant, whose mind had be!ome deta!hed from the world !hose that knowledge whi!h removesatta!hment of Bmine and B.

#he 4evi said:

/ "ing, after slaying your foes you shall regain your kingdom in a few days and it shall last as long as you live. -nd when you die you shall be given another birth from the 4eva 5ivasvat, the Sun, and shall be a Manu on the earth,!alled BSavarni.

-nd, / best of Mer!hants, grant you the boon you have desired of Me. Supreme knowledge shall be yours: your Self)realisation.

Markandeya said:

Having thus granted them both the boon that ea!h desired, the 4evi vanished while they were singing Her praise.Suratha was then reborn as the son of Surya and Savarna. #hus he be!ame Savarni the eighth Manu.



/M tvameva sakshat, Shri Mahalakshmi, Mahasarasvati, Mahakali #rigunat Mika "undalini sakshat, Shri -di ShaktiMatai, Shri 8irmala 4evi, namoh namah.

/M tvameva sakshat, Shri "alki sakshat, Shri -di Shakti Matai Shri 8irmala 4evi namoh namah.

/M tvameva sakshat Shri "alki sakshat, Shri Sahasrara Svamini, Moksha radayini sakshat, Shri 8irmala 4evi,

namoh namah.

Devi Sapt Trans

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