Fifth Skandha · Chapter 13
Sourceव्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा तौ महाबाहू दैत्यौ बाष्कलदुर्मुखौ । जग्मतुर्मददिग्धाङ्गौ सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रकोविदौ ॥ १ ॥ तौ गत्वा समरे देवीमूचतुर्वचनं तदा । दानवौ च मदोन्मत्तौ मेघगम्भीरया गिरा ॥ २ ॥ देवि देवा जिता येन महिषेण महात्मना । वरय त्वं वरारोहे सर्वदैत्याधिपं नृपम् ॥ ३ ॥ स कृत्वा मानुषं रूपं सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम् । भूषितं भूषणैर्दिव्यैस्त्वामेष्यति रहः किल ॥ ४ ॥ त्रैलोक्यविभवं कामं त्वमेष्यसि शुचिस्मिते । महिषे परमं भावं कुरु कान्ते मनोगतम् ॥ ५ ॥ कृत्वा पतिं महावीरं संसारसुखमद्भुतम् । त्वं प्राप्स्यसि पिकालापे योषितां खलु वाञ्छितम् ॥ ६ ॥ देव्युवाच जाल्म त्वं किं विजानासि नारीयं काममोहिता । मन्दबुद्धिबलात्यर्थं भजेयं महिषं शठम् ॥ ७ ॥ कुलशीलगुणैस्तुल्यं तं भजन्ति कुलस्त्रियः । अधिकं रूपचातुर्यबुद्धिशीलक्षमादिभिः ॥ ८ ॥ का नु कामातुरा नारी भजेच्च पशुरूपिणम् । पशूनामधमं नूनं महिषं देवरूपिणी ॥ ९ ॥ गच्छतं महिषं तूर्णं भूपं बाष्कलदुर्मुखौ । वदतं मद्वचो दैत्यं गजतुल्यं विषाणिनम् ॥ १० ॥ पातालं गच्छ वाभ्येत्य संग्रामं कुरु वा मया । रणे जाते सहस्राक्षो निर्भयः स्यादिति धुवम् ॥ ११ ॥ हत्वाहं त्वां गमिष्यामि नान्यथा गमनं मम । इत्थं ज्ञात्वा सुदुर्बुद्धे यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ॥ १२ ॥ मामनिर्जित्य भूभागे न स्थानं ते कदाचन । भविष्यति चतुष्पाद दिवि वा गिरिकन्दरे ॥ १३ ॥ व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तौ तौ तया दैत्यौ कोपाकुलितलोचनौ । धनुर्बाणधरौ वीरौ युद्धकामौ बभूवतुः ॥ १४ ॥ कृत्वा सुविपुलं नादं देवी सा निर्भया स्थिता । उभौ च चक्रतुस्तीव्रा बाणवृष्टिं कुरूद्वह ॥ १५ ॥ भगवत्यपि बाणौघान्मुमोच दानवौ प्रति । कृत्वातिमधुरं नादं देवकार्यार्थसिद्धये ॥ १६ ॥ तयोस्तु बाष्कलस्तूर्णं सम्मुखोऽभूद् रणाङ्गणे । दुर्मुखः प्रेक्षकस्तत्र देवीमभिमुखः स्थितः ॥ १७ ॥ तयोर्युद्धमभूद् घोरं देवीबाष्कलयोस्तदा । बाणासिपरिघाघातैर्भयदं मन्दचेतसाम् ॥ १८ ॥ ततः क्रुद्धा जगन्माता दृष्ट्वा तं युद्धदुर्मदम् । जघान पञ्चभिर्बाणैः कर्णाकृष्टैः शिलाशितैः ॥ १९ ॥ दानवोऽपि शरान्देव्याश्चिच्छेद निशितैः शरैः । सप्तभिस्ताडयामास देवीं सिंहोपरिस्थिताम् ॥ २० ॥ सापि तं दशभिस्तीक्ष्णैः सुपीतैः सायकैः खलम् । जघान तच्छरांश्छित्त्वा जहास च मुहुर्मुहुः ॥ २१ ॥ अर्धचन्द्रेण बाणेन चिच्छेद च शरासनम् । बाष्कलोऽपि गदां गृह्य देवीं हन्तुमुपाययौ ॥ २२ ॥ आगच्छन्तं गदापाणिं दानवं मदगर्वितम् । चण्डिका स्वगदापातैः पातयामास भूतले ॥ २३ ॥ बाष्कलः पतितो भूमौ मुहूर्तादुत्थितः पुनः । चिक्षेप च गदां सोऽपि चण्डिकां चण्डविक्रमः ॥ २४ ॥ तमागच्छन्तमालोक्य देवी शूलेन वक्षसि । जघान बाष्कलं क्रुद्धा पपात च ममार सः ॥ २५ ॥ पतिते बाष्कले सैन्यं भग्नं तस्य दुरात्मनः । जयेति च मुदा देवाश्चुक्रुशुर्गगने स्थिताः ॥ २६ ॥ तस्मिंश्च निहते दैत्ये दुर्मुखोऽतिबलान्वितः । आजगाम रणे देवीं क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः ॥ २७ ॥ तिष्ठ तिष्ठाबले सोऽपि भाषमाणः पुनः पुनः । धनुर्बाणधरः श्रीमान्रथस्थः कवचावृतः ॥ २८ ॥ तमागच्छन्तमालोक्य देवी शङ्खमवादयत् । कोपयन्ती दानवं तं ज्याघोषञ्च चकार ह ॥ २९ ॥ सोऽपि बाणान्मुमोचाशु तीक्ष्णानाशीविषोपमान् । स्वबाणैस्तान्महामाया चिच्छेद च ननाद च ॥ ३० ॥ तयोः परस्परं युद्धं बभूव तुमुलं नृप । बाणशक्तिगदाघातैर्मुसलैस्तोमरैस्तथा ॥ ३१ ॥ रणभूमौ तदा जाता रुधिरौघवहा नदी । पतितानि तदा तीरे शिरांसि प्रबभुस्तदा ॥ ३२ ॥ यथा सन्तरणार्थाय यमकिङ्करनायकैः । तुम्बीफलानि नीतानि नवशिक्षापरैर्मुदा ॥ ३३ ॥ रणभूमिस्तदा घोरा बभूवातीव दुर्गमा । शरीरैः पतितैर्भूमौ खाद्यमानैर्वृकादिभिः ॥ ३४ ॥ गोमायुसारमेयाश्च काकाः कङ्का अयोमुखाः । गृध्रा श्येनाश्च खादन्ति शरीराणि दुरात्मनाम् ॥ ३५ ॥ ववौ वायुश्च दुर्गन्धो मृतानां देहसङ्गतः । अभूत्किलकिलाशब्दः खगानां पलभक्षिणाम् ॥ ३६ ॥ तदा चुकोप दुष्टात्मा दुर्मुखः कालमोहितः । देवीमुवाच गर्वेण कृत्वा चोर्ध्वकरं शुभम् ॥ ३७ ॥ गच्छ चण्डि हनिष्यामि त्वामद्यैव सुबालिशे । दैत्यं वा भज वामोरु महिषं मदगर्वितम् ॥ ३८ ॥ देव्युवाच आसन्नमरणः कामं प्रलपस्यद्य मोहितः । अद्यैव त्वां हनिष्यामि यथायं बाष्कलो हतः ॥ ३९ ॥ गच्छ वा तिष्ठ वा मन्द मरणं यदि रोचते । हत्वा त्वां वै वधिष्यामि बालिशं महिषीसुतम् ॥ ४० ॥ तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्या दुर्मुखो मर्तुमुद्यतः । मुमोच बाणवृष्टिं तु चण्डिकां प्रति दारुणाम् ॥ ४१ ॥ सापि तां तरसा छित्त्वा बाणवृष्टिं शितैः शरैः । जघान दानवं कृद्धा वृत्रं वज्रधरो यथा ॥ ४२ ॥ तयोः परस्परं युद्धं सञ्जातं चातिकर्कशम् । भयदं कातराणाञ्च शूराणां बलवर्धनम् ॥ ४३ ॥ देवी चिच्छेद तरसा धनुस्तस्य करे स्थितम् । तथैव पञ्चभिर्बाणैर्बभञ्ज रथमुत्तमम् ॥ ४४ ॥ रथे भग्ने महाबाहुः पदातिर्दुर्मुखस्तदा । गदां गहीत्वा दुर्धर्षां जगाम चण्डिकां प्रति ॥ ४५ ॥ चकार स गदाघातं सिंहमौलौ महाबलः । न चचाल हरिः स्थानात्ताडितोऽपि महाबलः ॥ ४६ ॥ अम्बिका तं समालोक्य गदापाणिं पुरःस्थितम् । खड्गेन शितधारेण शिरश्चिच्छेद मौलिमत् ॥ ४७ ॥ छिन्ने च मस्तके भूमौ पपात दुर्मुखो मृतः । जयशब्दं तदा चक्रुर्मुदिता निर्जरा भृशम् ॥ ४८ ॥ तुष्टुवुस्तां तदा देवीं दुर्मुखे निहतेऽमराः । पुष्पवृष्टिं तथा चक्रुर्जयशब्दं नभःस्थिताः ॥ ४९ ॥ ऋषयः सिद्धगन्धर्वाः सविद्याधरकिन्नराः । जहृषुस्तं हतं दृष्ट्वा दानवं रणमस्तके ॥ ५० ॥
vyāsa uvāca ityuktvā tau mahābāhū daityau bāṣkaladurmukhau | jagmaturmadadigdhāṅgau sarvaśastrāstrakovidau || 1 || tau gatvā samare devīmūcaturvacanaṃ tadā | dānavau ca madonmattau meghagambhīrayā girā || 2 || devi devā jitā yena mahiṣeṇa mahātmanā | varaya tvaṃ varārohe sarvadaityādhipaṃ nṛpam || 3 || sa kṛtvā mānuṣaṃ rūpaṃ sarvalakṣaṇasaṃyutam | bhūṣitaṃ bhūṣaṇairdivyaistvāmeṣyati rahaḥ kila || 4 || trailokyavibhavaṃ kāmaṃ tvameṣyasi śucismite | mahiṣe paramaṃ bhāvaṃ kuru kānte manogatam || 5 || kṛtvā patiṃ mahāvīraṃ saṃsārasukhamadbhutam | tvaṃ prāpsyasi pikālāpe yoṣitāṃ khalu vāñchitam || 6 || devyuvāca jālma tvaṃ kiṃ vijānāsi nārīyaṃ kāmamohitā | mandabuddhibalātyarthaṃ bhajeyaṃ mahiṣaṃ śaṭham || 7 || kulaśīlaguṇaistulyaṃ taṃ bhajanti kulastriyaḥ | adhikaṃ rūpacāturyabuddhiśīlakṣamādibhiḥ || 8 || kā nu kāmāturā nārī bhajecca paśurūpiṇam | paśūnāmadhamaṃ nūnaṃ mahiṣaṃ devarūpiṇī || 9 || gacchataṃ mahiṣaṃ tūrṇaṃ bhūpaṃ bāṣkaladurmukhau | vadataṃ madvaco daityaṃ gajatulyaṃ viṣāṇinam || 10 || pātālaṃ gaccha vābhyetya saṃgrāmaṃ kuru vā mayā | raṇe jāte sahasrākṣo nirbhayaḥ syāditi dhuvam || 11 || hatvāhaṃ tvāṃ gamiṣyāmi nānyathā gamanaṃ mama | itthaṃ jñātvā sudurbuddhe yathecchasi tathā kuru || 12 || māmanirjitya bhūbhāge na sthānaṃ te kadācana | bhaviṣyati catuṣpāda divi vā girikandare || 13 || vyāsa uvāca ityuktau tau tayā daityau kopākulitalocanau | dhanurbāṇadharau vīrau yuddhakāmau babhūvatuḥ || 14 || kṛtvā suvipulaṃ nādaṃ devī sā nirbhayā sthitā | ubhau ca cakratustīvrā bāṇavṛṣṭiṃ kurūdvaha || 15 || bhagavatyapi bāṇaughānmumoca dānavau prati | kṛtvātimadhuraṃ nādaṃ devakāryārthasiddhaye || 16 || tayostu bāṣkalastūrṇaṃ sammukho'bhūd raṇāṅgaṇe | durmukhaḥ prekṣakastatra devīmabhimukhaḥ sthitaḥ || 17 || tayoryuddhamabhūd ghoraṃ devībāṣkalayostadā | bāṇāsiparighāghātairbhayadaṃ mandacetasām || 18 || tataḥ kruddhā jaganmātā dṛṣṭvā taṃ yuddhadurmadam | jaghāna pañcabhirbāṇaiḥ karṇākṛṣṭaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ || 19 || dānavo'pi śarāndevyāściccheda niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ | saptabhistāḍayāmāsa devīṃ siṃhoparisthitām || 20 || sāpi taṃ daśabhistīkṣṇaiḥ supītaiḥ sāyakaiḥ khalam | jaghāna taccharāṃśchittvā jahāsa ca muhurmuhuḥ || 21 || ardhacandreṇa bāṇena ciccheda ca śarāsanam | bāṣkalo'pi gadāṃ gṛhya devīṃ hantumupāyayau || 22 || āgacchantaṃ gadāpāṇiṃ dānavaṃ madagarvitam | caṇḍikā svagadāpātaiḥ pātayāmāsa bhūtale || 23 || bāṣkalaḥ patito bhūmau muhūrtādutthitaḥ punaḥ | cikṣepa ca gadāṃ so'pi caṇḍikāṃ caṇḍavikramaḥ || 24 || tamāgacchantamālokya devī śūlena vakṣasi | jaghāna bāṣkalaṃ kruddhā papāta ca mamāra saḥ || 25 || patite bāṣkale sainyaṃ bhagnaṃ tasya durātmanaḥ | jayeti ca mudā devāścukruśurgagane sthitāḥ || 26 || tasmiṃśca nihate daitye durmukho'tibalānvitaḥ | ājagāma raṇe devīṃ krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ || 27 || tiṣṭha tiṣṭhābale so'pi bhāṣamāṇaḥ punaḥ punaḥ | dhanurbāṇadharaḥ śrīmānrathasthaḥ kavacāvṛtaḥ || 28 || tamāgacchantamālokya devī śaṅkhamavādayat | kopayantī dānavaṃ taṃ jyāghoṣañca cakāra ha || 29 || so'pi bāṇānmumocāśu tīkṣṇānāśīviṣopamān | svabāṇaistānmahāmāyā ciccheda ca nanāda ca || 30 || tayoḥ parasparaṃ yuddhaṃ babhūva tumulaṃ nṛpa | bāṇaśaktigadāghātairmusalaistomaraistathā || 31 || raṇabhūmau tadā jātā rudhiraughavahā nadī | patitāni tadā tīre śirāṃsi prababhustadā || 32 || yathā santaraṇārthāya yamakiṅkaranāyakaiḥ | tumbīphalāni nītāni navaśikṣāparairmudā || 33 || raṇabhūmistadā ghorā babhūvātīva durgamā | śarīraiḥ patitairbhūmau khādyamānairvṛkādibhiḥ || 34 || gomāyusārameyāśca kākāḥ kaṅkā ayomukhāḥ | gṛdhrā śyenāśca khādanti śarīrāṇi durātmanām || 35 || vavau vāyuśca durgandho mṛtānāṃ dehasaṅgataḥ | abhūtkilakilāśabdaḥ khagānāṃ palabhakṣiṇām || 36 || tadā cukopa duṣṭātmā durmukhaḥ kālamohitaḥ | devīmuvāca garveṇa kṛtvā cordhvakaraṃ śubham || 37 || gaccha caṇḍi haniṣyāmi tvāmadyaiva subāliśe | daityaṃ vā bhaja vāmoru mahiṣaṃ madagarvitam || 38 || devyuvāca āsannamaraṇaḥ kāmaṃ pralapasyadya mohitaḥ | adyaiva tvāṃ haniṣyāmi yathāyaṃ bāṣkalo hataḥ || 39 || gaccha vā tiṣṭha vā manda maraṇaṃ yadi rocate | hatvā tvāṃ vai vadhiṣyāmi bāliśaṃ mahiṣīsutam || 40 || tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasyā durmukho martumudyataḥ | mumoca bāṇavṛṣṭiṃ tu caṇḍikāṃ prati dāruṇām || 41 || sāpi tāṃ tarasā chittvā bāṇavṛṣṭiṃ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ | jaghāna dānavaṃ kṛddhā vṛtraṃ vajradharo yathā || 42 || tayoḥ parasparaṃ yuddhaṃ sañjātaṃ cātikarkaśam | bhayadaṃ kātarāṇāñca śūrāṇāṃ balavardhanam || 43 || devī ciccheda tarasā dhanustasya kare sthitam | tathaiva pañcabhirbāṇairbabhañja rathamuttamam || 44 || rathe bhagne mahābāhuḥ padātirdurmukhastadā | gadāṃ gahītvā durdharṣāṃ jagāma caṇḍikāṃ prati || 45 || cakāra sa gadāghātaṃ siṃhamaulau mahābalaḥ | na cacāla hariḥ sthānāttāḍito'pi mahābalaḥ || 46 || ambikā taṃ samālokya gadāpāṇiṃ puraḥsthitam | khaḍgena śitadhāreṇa śiraściccheda maulimat || 47 || chinne ca mastake bhūmau papāta durmukho mṛtaḥ | jayaśabdaṃ tadā cakrurmuditā nirjarā bhṛśam || 48 || tuṣṭuvustāṃ tadā devīṃ durmukhe nihate'marāḥ | puṣpavṛṣṭiṃ tathā cakrurjayaśabdaṃ nabhaḥsthitāḥ || 49 || ṛṣayaḥ siddhagandharvāḥ savidyādharakinnarāḥ | jahṛṣustaṃ hataṃ dṛṣṭvā dānavaṃ raṇamastake || 50 ||
English translation
1-6. Vyasa said O King! The two powerful Danavas Vaskala and Durmukha, well-versed in arts of warfare, went out for battle, maddened with their prowess. The two Danavas, elated with vanity, went to the battle-field and began to address the Devi in voice deep as the rumbling of a cloud. O Beautiful Devi! You better choose and worship the Lord of the Daityas, that high-souled Mahisasura who has conquered all the Devas. He will come before you in privacy in a human shape, with all auspicious signs and adorned with beautiful ornaments. O Sweet smiling One! better place your highest feelings of love on the lovely Mahisa as your husband, and you will get all the pleasures of the three worlds as you desire. O Sweet speaking! In short, if you select him as your husband, you will be the mistress of those incomparable worldly happinesses that women always aspire.
7-13. Hearing thus the words of Vaskala and Durmukha, the Devi said “O Stupid! Do you think Me as deluded by passion? Do I not possess strength and intelligence that I will worship that hypocrite Mahisa as husband? See! The ladies of a high family select those persons that are equal in rank as far as family and distinctions, qualifications and propriety of conduct are concerned or those who are superior in beauty, cleverness, intelligence and other qualifications. Then how can a Devi, becoming passionate, worship the worst of all beasts, the beast Mahisa? O two Asuras! Go you immediately to your King Mahisa resembling in his body like an elephant and having a pair of horns and tell him. Go either to Patala (the nether regions) or come and fight with Me; the Lord of the Devas will no doubt be happy if the war ensues. O Stupid! My advent here cannot go in vain; I will easily slay you and then depart; knowing this do as you like. O Beast! Without conquering Me, you
would get no shelter either in the heavens, or in this earth, or in the caves of mountains?”
14-25. Vyasa said Hearing thus, the two powerful Daityas, with eyes reddened with anger, firmly resolved to fight and took bows and arrows in their hands. O Descent of Kuru! The Devi then made a terrible noise and fearlessly stood there. The two Danavas then began to shoot dreadful arrows at Her. For the victory of the Devas, the Devi also begin to hurl arrows after arrows on the two Danavas, emitting a sweet sound. Vaskala first came forward with no delay; and Durmukha stood aloof there simply as a witness. The terrible fight then ensued between the Devi and Vaskala; arrows, swords and weapons were seen shining in the air and raised terror to those that were dull in intellect. Then the Mother of the Universe seeing Vaskala growing turbulent shot at him five arrows sharpened on stone. The Danava, too, cut off the arrows of the Devi and hurled seven arrows at Her, seated on a lion. The Devi cut off the Danava’s arrows and shot at that hypocrite, sharpened arrows and began to laugh frequently. She again cut off his arrows with Ardhachandra arrow; Vaskala then pursued the Devi with a club in his hands to slay Her. Seeing the arrogant Danava with club in his hands, Chandika Devi struck him down on the ground with Her own club. The very powerful Vaskala fell down on the ground but rose up within a very short time and hurled again on the Devi his club. Seeing him again attacking Her, the Devi got angry and pierced him with Her trident; Vaskala fell down, thus pierced, and died.
26-38. Vaskala falling thus dead on the field, the soldiers of the wicked demon routed; whereas the Devas became glad and repeatedly shouted aloud, “Victory to the Devi.” On this Daitya being slain, Durmukha came forward on the battle-field, filled with anger and accompanied by a stronger army. Mounted on a chariot, shielded all over his body with a coat of armour, Durmukha came
before the Devi, shouting all along, “Wait, wait, O You weak woman!” and with bows and arrows in his hands. The Devi blew Her conchshell and made sounds by stretching Her bow in order to make the Danava infuriated with anger. The Asura then began to shoot sharp arrows after arrows like poisonous snakes. The Mahamaya, by Her own arrows, cut off those of Her enemy and began to shout loudly. The fight then raged furiously, when both parties began to use arrows, S’aktis, clubs, Musalas, and Tomaras. Blood began to flow in the battle-field in torrents like rivers and on the banks of that river of blood, were seen the severed heads of the dead bodies which looked like so many hollow shells of gourds, as if kept there by the attendant of the god of Death, for their swimming purposes. The battle-field, then, became very dreadful and impassable; at some places dead bodies are lying; wolves are feeding on their flesh; at other places are seen jackals, dogs, herons, crows, vultures, eagles, and other voracious birds and beasts and iron-tipped arrows, eating the dead bodies of those wicked demons. Air began to emit an offensive smell, because of its contact with these corpses; and there were heard the heart-rending sounds of various carnivorous birds and animals. Then the wicked Durmukha began, as if inspired by the god of Death, to address the Devi angrily and arrogantly with his right hand raised up before Her. “Your brain has become perverted; fly away just now or I will send you unto death, or you better accept the proud Mahisa, the lord of the Daityas, as your husband.”
39-50. The Devi said:-- “O Villain! I see your death at hand this very day; therefore you are deluded and therefore raving like a mad man. I will kill you today like Vaskala. O Stupid! Better fly away; or if you prefer death, then wait; I will slay you first; then the dull Mahisa, the son of a she-buffalo.” Hearing thus, Durmukha, as if prompted by Death, hurled dreadful arrows on the Devi. Instantly the Devi, too, cut off all his arrows and, infuriated with anger, pierced the Danava by sharpened arrows as Indra had pierced Vritrasura before. The fight then turned out very dreadful. O King! Weak persons become
very afraid and strong ones become very excited. Instantly the Devi cut off the Asura’s bow and broke his chariot by five arrows. On seeing his chariot broken, the powerful Durmukha attacked on foot the Devi with his club, very hard to overcome. He knocked at the head of the lion with that club with great force; but the powerful lion did not become unsteady, though so very hard hit. Seeing the demon thus standing before Her, the goddess Ambika cut down his head by her sharpened axe. On his head being thus severed, Durmukha fell down dead on the field. The band of Immortals, then, loudly shouted, “Victory to the Devi.” When Durmukha was slain, the Immortals from the celestial space began to chant praises and hymns to the Devi, showered down flowers on Her head and gave shouts of “Victory to the Devi.” The Risis, Siddhas, Gandarbhas, Vidyadharas, and Kinnaras all became very glad to see the Demon dead on the field.
Here ends the Thirteenth Chapter of the Fifth Book on the killing of Vaskala and Durmukha in S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam, the Mahapuranam, of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24412, revision 74845 (2016-07-21T23:42:22Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk05ch13.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.