Skip to main content

Fifth Skandha · Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Unit 114 of 318Fifth Skandha · Chapter 27Fifth Skandha · Chapter 271 source entries

Fifth Skandha · Chapter 27

Source

व्यास उवाच हतौ तौ दानवौ दृष्ट्वा हतशेषाश्च सैनिकाः । पलायनं ततः कृत्वा जग्मुः सर्वे नृपं प्रति ॥ १ ॥ भिन्नाङ्गा विशिखैः केचित्केचिच्छिन्नकरास्तथा । रुधिरस्रावदेहाश्च रुदन्तोऽभिययुः पुरे ॥ २ ॥ गत्वा दैत्यपतिं सर्वे चक्रुर्बुम्बारवं मुहुः । रक्ष रक्ष महाराज भक्षयत्यद्य कालिका ॥ ३ ॥ तया हतौ महावीरौ चण्डमुण्डौ सुरार्दनौ । भक्षिताः सैनिकाः सर्वे वयं भग्ना भयातुराः ॥ ४ ॥ भीतिदञ्च रणस्थानं कृतं कालिकया प्रभो । पातितैर्गजवीराश्वैर्दासेरकपदातिभिः ॥ ५ ॥ शोणितौघवहा कुल्या कृता मांसातिकर्दमा । केशशैवलिनी भग्नरथचक्रविराजिता ॥ ६ ॥ छिन्नबाह्वादिमत्स्याढ्या शीर्षतुम्बीफलान्विता । भयदा कातराणां वै सुराणां मोदवर्धिनी ॥ ७ ॥ कुलं रक्ष महाराज पातालं गच्छ सत्वरम् । क्रुद्धा देवी क्षयं सद्यः करिष्यति न संशयः ॥ ८ ॥ सिंहोऽपि भक्षयत्याजौ दानवान्दनुजेश्वर । तथैव कालिका देवी हन्ति बाणैरनेकधा ॥ ९ ॥ तस्मात्त्वमपि राजेन्द्र मरणाय मृषा मतिम् । करोषि सहितो भ्रात्रा शुम्भेन कुपिताशयः ॥ १० ॥ किं करिष्यति नार्येषा क्रूरा कुलविनाशिनी । यस्या हेतोर्महाराज हन्तुमिच्छसि बान्धवान् ॥ ११ ॥ दैवाधीनौ महाराज लोके जयपराजयौ । अल्पार्थाय महद्दुःखं बुद्धिमान्न प्रकल्पयेत् ॥ १२ ॥ चित्रं पश्य विधेः कर्म यदधीनं जगत् प्रभो । निहता राक्षसाः सर्वे स्त्रिया पश्यैकयानया ॥ १३ ॥ जेता त्वं लोकपालानां सैन्ययुक्तो हि साम्प्रतम् । एका प्रार्थयते बाला युद्धायेति सुसम्भ्रमः ॥ १४ ॥ पुरा त्वया तपस्तप्तं पुष्करे देवतायने । वरदानाय सम्प्राप्तो ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः ॥ १५ ॥ धात्रोक्तस्त्वं महाराज वरं वरय सुव्रत । तदा त्वयामरत्वं च प्रार्थितं ब्रह्मणः किल ॥ १६ ॥ देवदैत्यमनुष्येभ्यो न भवेन्मरणं मम । सर्पकिन्नरयक्षेभ्यः पुंल्लिङ्गवाचकादपि ॥ १७ ॥ तस्मात्त्वां हन्तुकामैषा प्राप्ता योषिद्वरा प्रभो । युद्धं मा कुरु राजेन्द्र विचार्यैवं धियाधुना ॥ १८ ॥ देवी ह्येषा महामाया प्रकृतिः परमा मता । कल्पान्तकाले राजेन्द्र सर्वसंहारकारिणी ॥ १९ ॥ उत्पादयित्री लोकानां देवानामीश्वरी शुभा । त्रिगुणा तामसी देवी सर्वशक्तिसमन्विता ॥ २० ॥ अजय्या चाक्षया नित्या सर्वज्ञा च सदोदिता । वेदमाता च गायत्री सन्ध्या सर्वसुरालया ॥ २१ ॥ निर्गुणा सगुणा सिद्धा सर्वसिद्धिप्रदाव्यया । आनन्दानन्ददा गौरी देवानामभयप्रदा ॥ २२ ॥ एवं ज्ञात्वा महाराज वैरभावं त्यजानया । शरणं व्रज राजेन्द्र देवी त्वां पालयिष्यति ॥ २३ ॥ आज्ञाकरो भवैतस्याः सञ्जीवय निजं कुलम् । हतशेषाश्च ये दैत्यास्ते भवन्तु चिरायुषः ॥ २४ ॥ व्यास उवाच इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा शुम्भः सुरबलार्दनः । उवाच वचनं तथ्यं वीरवर्यगुणान्वितम् ॥ २५ ॥ शुम्भ उवाच मौनं कुर्वन्तु भो मन्दा यूयं भग्ना रणाजिरात् । शीघ्रं गच्छत पातालं जीविताशा बलीयसी ॥ २६ ॥ दैवाधीनं जगत्सर्वं का चिन्तात्र जये मम । देवास्तथैव ब्रह्माद्या दैवाधीना वयं यथा ॥ २७ ॥ ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च रुद्रोऽयं यमोऽग्निर्वरुणस्तथा । सूर्यश्चन्द्रस्तथा शक्रः सर्वे दैववशाः किल ॥ २८ ॥ का चिन्ता तर्हि मे मन्दा यद्‌भावि तद्‌भविष्यति । उद्यमस्तादृशो भूयाद्यादृशी भवितव्यता ॥ २९ ॥ सर्वथैव विचार्यैव न शोचन्ति बुधाः क्वचित् । स्वधर्मं न त्यजन्तीह ज्ञानिनो मरणाद्‌भयात् ॥ ३० ॥ सुखं दुःखं तथैवायुर्जीवितं मरणं नृणाम् । काले भवति सम्प्राप्ते सर्वथा दैवनिर्मितम् ॥ ३१ ॥ ब्रह्मा पतति काले स्वे विष्णुश्च पार्वतीपतिः । नाशं गच्छन्त्यायुषोऽन्ते सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः ॥ ३२ ॥ तथाहमपि कालस्य वशगः सर्वथाधुना । नाशं जयं वा गन्तास्मि स्वधर्मपरिपालनात् ॥ ३३ ॥ आहूतोऽप्यनया कामं युद्धायाबलया किल । कथं पलायनपरो जीवेयं शरदां शतम् ॥ ३४ ॥ करिष्याम्यद्य संग्रामं यद्‌भावि तद्‌भवत्विह । जयो वा मरणं वापि स्वीकरोमि यथा तथा ॥ ३५ ॥ दैवं मिथ्येति विद्वांसो वदन्त्युद्यमवादिनः । युक्तियुक्तं वचस्तेषां ये जानन्त्यभिभाषितम् ॥ ३६ ॥ उद्यमेन विना कामं न सिध्यन्ति मनोरथाः । कातरा एव जल्पन्ति यद्‌भाव्यं तद्‌भविष्यति ॥ ३७ ॥ अदृष्टं बलवन्मूढाः प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिताः । प्रमाणं तस्य सत्त्वे किमदृश्यं दृश्यते कथम् ॥ ३८ ॥ अदृष्टं क्त्वापि दृष्टं स्यादेषा मूर्खविभीषिका । अवलम्बं विनैवैषा दुःखे चित्तस्य धारणा ॥ ३९ ॥ चक्रीसमीपे संविष्टा संस्थिता पिष्टकारिणी । उद्यमेन विना पिष्टं न भवत्येव सर्वथा ॥ ४० ॥ उद्यमे च कृते कार्यं सिद्धिं यात्येव सर्वथा । कदाचित्तस्य न्यूनत्वे कार्यं नैव भवेदपि ॥ ४१ ॥ देशं कालञ्च विज्ञाय स्वबलं शत्रुजं बलम् । कृतं कार्यं भवत्येव बृहस्पतिवचो यथा ॥ ४२ ॥ व्यास उवाच इति निश्चित्य दैत्येन्द्रो रक्तबीजं महासुरम् । प्रेषयामास संग्रामे सैन्येन महताऽऽवृतम् ॥ ४३ ॥ शुम्भ उवाच रक्तबीज महाबाहो गच्छ त्वं समराङ्गणे । कुरु युद्धं महाभाग यथा ते बलमाहितम् ॥ ४४ ॥ रक्तबीज उवाच महाराज न ते कार्या चिन्ता स्वल्पतरापि वा । अहमेनां हनिष्यामि करिष्यामि वशे तव ॥ ४५ ॥ पश्य मे युद्धचातुर्यं क्वेयं बाला सुरप्रिया । दासीं तेऽहं करिष्यामि जित्वेमां समरे बलात् ॥ ४६ ॥ व्यास उवाच इत्याभाष्य कुरुश्रेष्ठ रक्तबीजो महासुरः । जगाम रथमारुह्य स्वसैन्यपरिवारितः ॥ ४७ ॥ हस्त्यश्वरथपादातवृन्दैश्च परिवेष्टितः । निर्जगाम रथारूढो देवीं शैलोपरिस्थिताम् ॥ ४८ ॥ तमागतं समालोक्य देवी शङ्खमवादयत् । भयदं सर्वदैत्यानां देवानां मोदवर्धनम् ॥ ४९ ॥ श्रुत्वा शङ्खस्वनं चोग्रं रक्तबीजोऽतिवेगवान् । गत्वा समीपे चामुण्डां बभाषे वचनं मृदु ॥ ५० ॥ रक्तबीज उवाच बाले किं मां भीषयसि मत्वा त्वं कातरं किल । शङ्खनादेन तन्वङ्‌गि वेत्सि किं धूम्रलोचनम् ॥ ५१ ॥ रक्तबीजोऽस्मि नाम्नाहं त्वत्सकाशमिहागतः । युद्धेच्छा चेत्पिकालापे सज्जा भव भयं न मे ॥ ५२ ॥ पश्याद्य मे बलं कान्ते दृष्टा ये कातरास्त्वया । नाहं पङ्क्तिगतस्तेषां कुरु युद्धं यथेच्छसि ॥ ५३ ॥ वृद्धाश्च सेविताः पूर्वं नीतिशास्त्रं श्रुतं त्वया । पतितं चार्थविज्ञानं विद्वद्‌गोष्ठी कृताथ वा ॥ ५४ ॥ साहित्यतन्त्रविज्ञानं चेदस्ति तव सुन्दरि । शृणु मे वचनं पथ्यं तथ्यं प्रमितिबृंहितम् ॥ ५५ ॥ रसानाञ्च नवानां वै द्वावेव मुख्यतां गतौ । शृङ्गारकः शान्तिरसो विद्वज्जनसभासु च ॥ ५६ ॥ तयोः शृङ्गार एवादौ नृपभावे प्रतिष्ठितः । विष्णुर्लक्ष्म्या सहास्ते वै सावित्र्या चतुराननः ॥ ५७ ॥ शच्येन्द्रः शैलसुतया शङ्करः सह शेरते । वल्ल्या वृक्षो मृगो मृग्या कपोत्या च कपोतकः ॥ ५८ ॥ एवं सर्वे प्राणभृतः संयोगरसिका भृशम् । अप्राप्तभोगविभवा ये चान्ये कातरा नराः ॥ ५९ ॥ भवन्ति यतयस्ते वै मूढा दैवेन वञ्चिताः । असंसाररसज्ञास्ते वञ्चिता वञ्चनापरैः ॥ ६० ॥ मधुरालापनिपुणै रताः शान्तिरसे हि ते । क्व ज्ञानं क्व च वैराग्यं वर्तमाने मनोभवे ॥ ६१ ॥ लोभे क्रोधे च दुर्धर्षे मोहे मतिविनाशके । तस्मात्त्वमपि कल्याणि कुरु कान्तं मनोहरम् ॥ ६२ ॥ शुम्भं सुराणां जेतारं निशुम्भं वा महाबलम् । व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा रक्तबीजोऽसौ विरराम पुरःस्थितः । श्रुत्वा जहास चामुण्डा कालिका चाम्बिका तथा ॥ ६३ ॥

vyāsa uvāca hatau tau dānavau dṛṣṭvā hataśeṣāśca sainikāḥ | palāyanaṃ tataḥ kṛtvā jagmuḥ sarve nṛpaṃ prati || 1 || bhinnāṅgā viśikhaiḥ kecitkecicchinnakarāstathā | rudhirasrāvadehāśca rudanto'bhiyayuḥ pure || 2 || gatvā daityapatiṃ sarve cakrurbumbāravaṃ muhuḥ | rakṣa rakṣa mahārāja bhakṣayatyadya kālikā || 3 || tayā hatau mahāvīrau caṇḍamuṇḍau surārdanau | bhakṣitāḥ sainikāḥ sarve vayaṃ bhagnā bhayāturāḥ || 4 || bhītidañca raṇasthānaṃ kṛtaṃ kālikayā prabho | pātitairgajavīrāśvairdāserakapadātibhiḥ || 5 || śoṇitaughavahā kulyā kṛtā māṃsātikardamā | keśaśaivalinī bhagnarathacakravirājitā || 6 || chinnabāhvādimatsyāḍhyā śīrṣatumbīphalānvitā | bhayadā kātarāṇāṃ vai surāṇāṃ modavardhinī || 7 || kulaṃ rakṣa mahārāja pātālaṃ gaccha satvaram | kruddhā devī kṣayaṃ sadyaḥ kariṣyati na saṃśayaḥ || 8 || siṃho'pi bhakṣayatyājau dānavāndanujeśvara | tathaiva kālikā devī hanti bāṇairanekadhā || 9 || tasmāttvamapi rājendra maraṇāya mṛṣā matim | karoṣi sahito bhrātrā śumbhena kupitāśayaḥ || 10 || kiṃ kariṣyati nāryeṣā krūrā kulavināśinī | yasyā hetormahārāja hantumicchasi bāndhavān || 11 || daivādhīnau mahārāja loke jayaparājayau | alpārthāya mahadduḥkhaṃ buddhimānna prakalpayet || 12 || citraṃ paśya vidheḥ karma yadadhīnaṃ jagat prabho | nihatā rākṣasāḥ sarve striyā paśyaikayānayā || 13 || jetā tvaṃ lokapālānāṃ sainyayukto hi sāmpratam | ekā prārthayate bālā yuddhāyeti susambhramaḥ || 14 || purā tvayā tapastaptaṃ puṣkare devatāyane | varadānāya samprāpto brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ || 15 || dhātroktastvaṃ mahārāja varaṃ varaya suvrata | tadā tvayāmaratvaṃ ca prārthitaṃ brahmaṇaḥ kila || 16 || devadaityamanuṣyebhyo na bhavenmaraṇaṃ mama | sarpakinnarayakṣebhyaḥ puṃlliṅgavācakādapi || 17 || tasmāttvāṃ hantukāmaiṣā prāptā yoṣidvarā prabho | yuddhaṃ mā kuru rājendra vicāryaivaṃ dhiyādhunā || 18 || devī hyeṣā mahāmāyā prakṛtiḥ paramā matā | kalpāntakāle rājendra sarvasaṃhārakāriṇī || 19 || utpādayitrī lokānāṃ devānāmīśvarī śubhā | triguṇā tāmasī devī sarvaśaktisamanvitā || 20 || ajayyā cākṣayā nityā sarvajñā ca sadoditā | vedamātā ca gāyatrī sandhyā sarvasurālayā || 21 || nirguṇā saguṇā siddhā sarvasiddhipradāvyayā | ānandānandadā gaurī devānāmabhayapradā || 22 || evaṃ jñātvā mahārāja vairabhāvaṃ tyajānayā | śaraṇaṃ vraja rājendra devī tvāṃ pālayiṣyati || 23 || ājñākaro bhavaitasyāḥ sañjīvaya nijaṃ kulam | hataśeṣāśca ye daityāste bhavantu cirāyuṣaḥ || 24 || vyāsa uvāca iti teṣāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā śumbhaḥ surabalārdanaḥ | uvāca vacanaṃ tathyaṃ vīravaryaguṇānvitam || 25 || śumbha uvāca maunaṃ kurvantu bho mandā yūyaṃ bhagnā raṇājirāt | śīghraṃ gacchata pātālaṃ jīvitāśā balīyasī || 26 || daivādhīnaṃ jagatsarvaṃ kā cintātra jaye mama | devāstathaiva brahmādyā daivādhīnā vayaṃ yathā || 27 || brahmā viṣṇuśca rudro'yaṃ yamo'gnirvaruṇastathā | sūryaścandrastathā śakraḥ sarve daivavaśāḥ kila || 28 || kā cintā tarhi me mandā yad‌bhāvi tad‌bhaviṣyati | udyamastādṛśo bhūyādyādṛśī bhavitavyatā || 29 || sarvathaiva vicāryaiva na śocanti budhāḥ kvacit | svadharmaṃ na tyajantīha jñānino maraṇād‌bhayāt || 30 || sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ tathaivāyurjīvitaṃ maraṇaṃ nṛṇām | kāle bhavati samprāpte sarvathā daivanirmitam || 31 || brahmā patati kāle sve viṣṇuśca pārvatīpatiḥ | nāśaṃ gacchantyāyuṣo'nte sarve devāḥ savāsavāḥ || 32 || tathāhamapi kālasya vaśagaḥ sarvathādhunā | nāśaṃ jayaṃ vā gantāsmi svadharmaparipālanāt || 33 || āhūto'pyanayā kāmaṃ yuddhāyābalayā kila | kathaṃ palāyanaparo jīveyaṃ śaradāṃ śatam || 34 || kariṣyāmyadya saṃgrāmaṃ yad‌bhāvi tad‌bhavatviha | jayo vā maraṇaṃ vāpi svīkaromi yathā tathā || 35 || daivaṃ mithyeti vidvāṃso vadantyudyamavādinaḥ | yuktiyuktaṃ vacasteṣāṃ ye jānantyabhibhāṣitam || 36 || udyamena vinā kāmaṃ na sidhyanti manorathāḥ | kātarā eva jalpanti yad‌bhāvyaṃ tad‌bhaviṣyati || 37 || adṛṣṭaṃ balavanmūḍhāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ | pramāṇaṃ tasya sattve kimadṛśyaṃ dṛśyate katham || 38 || adṛṣṭaṃ ktvāpi dṛṣṭaṃ syādeṣā mūrkhavibhīṣikā | avalambaṃ vinaivaiṣā duḥkhe cittasya dhāraṇā || 39 || cakrīsamīpe saṃviṣṭā saṃsthitā piṣṭakāriṇī | udyamena vinā piṣṭaṃ na bhavatyeva sarvathā || 40 || udyame ca kṛte kāryaṃ siddhiṃ yātyeva sarvathā | kadācittasya nyūnatve kāryaṃ naiva bhavedapi || 41 || deśaṃ kālañca vijñāya svabalaṃ śatrujaṃ balam | kṛtaṃ kāryaṃ bhavatyeva bṛhaspativaco yathā || 42 || vyāsa uvāca iti niścitya daityendro raktabījaṃ mahāsuram | preṣayāmāsa saṃgrāme sainyena mahatā''vṛtam || 43 || śumbha uvāca raktabīja mahābāho gaccha tvaṃ samarāṅgaṇe | kuru yuddhaṃ mahābhāga yathā te balamāhitam || 44 || raktabīja uvāca mahārāja na te kāryā cintā svalpatarāpi vā | ahamenāṃ haniṣyāmi kariṣyāmi vaśe tava || 45 || paśya me yuddhacāturyaṃ kveyaṃ bālā surapriyā | dāsīṃ te'haṃ kariṣyāmi jitvemāṃ samare balāt || 46 || vyāsa uvāca ityābhāṣya kuruśreṣṭha raktabījo mahāsuraḥ | jagāma rathamāruhya svasainyaparivāritaḥ || 47 || hastyaśvarathapādātavṛndaiśca pariveṣṭitaḥ | nirjagāma rathārūḍho devīṃ śailoparisthitām || 48 || tamāgataṃ samālokya devī śaṅkhamavādayat | bhayadaṃ sarvadaityānāṃ devānāṃ modavardhanam || 49 || śrutvā śaṅkhasvanaṃ cograṃ raktabījo'tivegavān | gatvā samīpe cāmuṇḍāṃ babhāṣe vacanaṃ mṛdu || 50 || raktabīja uvāca bāle kiṃ māṃ bhīṣayasi matvā tvaṃ kātaraṃ kila | śaṅkhanādena tanvaṅ‌gi vetsi kiṃ dhūmralocanam || 51 || raktabījo'smi nāmnāhaṃ tvatsakāśamihāgataḥ | yuddhecchā cetpikālāpe sajjā bhava bhayaṃ na me || 52 || paśyādya me balaṃ kānte dṛṣṭā ye kātarāstvayā | nāhaṃ paṅktigatasteṣāṃ kuru yuddhaṃ yathecchasi || 53 || vṛddhāśca sevitāḥ pūrvaṃ nītiśāstraṃ śrutaṃ tvayā | patitaṃ cārthavijñānaṃ vidvad‌goṣṭhī kṛtātha vā || 54 || sāhityatantravijñānaṃ cedasti tava sundari | śṛṇu me vacanaṃ pathyaṃ tathyaṃ pramitibṛṃhitam || 55 || rasānāñca navānāṃ vai dvāveva mukhyatāṃ gatau | śṛṅgārakaḥ śāntiraso vidvajjanasabhāsu ca || 56 || tayoḥ śṛṅgāra evādau nṛpabhāve pratiṣṭhitaḥ | viṣṇurlakṣmyā sahāste vai sāvitryā caturānanaḥ || 57 || śacyendraḥ śailasutayā śaṅkaraḥ saha śerate | vallyā vṛkṣo mṛgo mṛgyā kapotyā ca kapotakaḥ || 58 || evaṃ sarve prāṇabhṛtaḥ saṃyogarasikā bhṛśam | aprāptabhogavibhavā ye cānye kātarā narāḥ || 59 || bhavanti yatayaste vai mūḍhā daivena vañcitāḥ | asaṃsārarasajñāste vañcitā vañcanāparaiḥ || 60 || madhurālāpanipuṇai ratāḥ śāntirase hi te | kva jñānaṃ kva ca vairāgyaṃ vartamāne manobhave || 61 || lobhe krodhe ca durdharṣe mohe mativināśake | tasmāttvamapi kalyāṇi kuru kāntaṃ manoharam || 62 || śumbhaṃ surāṇāṃ jetāraṃ niśumbhaṃ vā mahābalam | vyāsa uvāca ityuktvā raktabījo'sau virarāma puraḥsthitaḥ | śrutvā jahāsa cāmuṇḍā kālikā cāmbikā tathā || 63 ||

English translation

1-14. Vyasa said O King! Seeing the two Danavas killed in the battle, the remnant soldiers all fled away back to S’umbha. Some of them were cut and wounded in many places by arrows, some had their arms severed, some were bleeding; thus they entered crying into the sky. On reaching the lord of the Daityas, they began to make frequently the noise indicative of danger and exclaimed, “O King! Save us. Save us; Kalika is devouring everything today. The two great warriors Chanda and Munda, the tormentors of the Devas, were slain by Her; all the soldiers were devoured by Her; we have fled away panic-stricken. O Lord! Kalika has rendered the battlefield horrible by the dead bodies of elephants, horses, camels, warriors, and foot soldiers. A river of blood is flowing there of which the flesh of the soldiers is sufficient mud, their hairs are like aquatic plants, the broken chariot wheels are like whirlpools, the severed arms and feet are like fishes and their heads look like Tumbi fruits (long gourds). O King! Save your line; go quickly to Patala. The Devi has become angry and will, no doubt, destroy our race. Even the lion is eating away the Danavas; and the Kalika Devi is killing innumerable Danavas by Her arrows. Therefore, O King! What intentions are you cherishing in your mind? Is it that you have desired to be merely slain with your younger brother Nis’umbha! And what good purpose will this cruel woman, destroying your race, serve, for Whose sake, you have desired to kill all your friends? O King! Victory or defeat in this world are under the Daiva. The wise never risk to meet with great difficulties for the gratification of an ordinary whim. O Lord!

Look at the wonderful deeds of that Great Creator! What more wonder can there be than this that a woman alone killed all the Danavas. O King! You have conquered by the help of your army all the Lokapalas (guardians of the quarters of the sky); but now that Lady, though alone and unsupported by anybody, is challenging you to fight.

15-24. O King! In ancient times, in the holy pilgrimage of Puskara, the sacred place of the Devas, you performed austerities when Brahma, the Grandsire of all the worlds, came to you to grant a boon. Then you asked the boon and wanted to become to be immortal. But when Brahma refused to grant it you wanted from him and were granted that you would not be killed by any male being, be he a Deva, Danava, a man, Naga, Kinnara, Yaksa, or any other person. O Lord! For that very reason we think now that this Lady has timely come to kill you. Think over it seriously and cease fighting. O King! This Devi is the great Maha-Maya, the Highest Prakriti; It is She that devours everything at the end of a Kalpa. This auspicious Devi is the Creatrix of all the worlds and the Devas. She is the embodiment of the three qualities, endowed with all the powers. She is Tamasi, i.e., is the Destructrix of the whole world. This Devi can never be conquered. Imperishable, Eternal, She is the Sandhya and the Refuge of the Devas. She is Gayatri, the Mother of the Vedas. She is All-knowing and always manifested. This Undecaying Lady is void of any Prakritic attributes, though She at times possesses attributes. She is Success Incarnate and bestows success to all; She is Bliss Herself and gives bliss to all. This Gauri bids all the Devas discard all their fears. She is S’uddha Sattva. Thus knowing, O King! Quit thy inimical feelings to Her; seek refuge unto Her; the Devi would then certainly protect you. Be obedient to Her and save your race. Then the remnant Danavas will be able to live for a very long time.”

25. Vyasa said O King! Hearing thus, S’umbha, the conqueror of the Devas, told them truly in words becoming of a hero.

26-42. S’umbha said “O Fools! Hold your tongue.You have fled because your desire to live is very strong. So you better go to Patala without any delay. This world is under the control of Fate; so I need

not think about Victory. I am under this Fate just as Brahma and other Devas are under it. Brahma, Visnu, Rudra, Yama, Agni,

Varuna, Surya, Chandra, and Indra are all under the sway of this Destiny. O Fools! Whatever is inevitable will certainly come to pass. What need I think over it then? The effort also comes to be of such a nature as will lead to that ordained by Fate. Thus thinking, the wise never grieve; especially the wise ones never leave their own Dharma for fear of death. The happiness, pain, longevity, birth and death of all the embodied souls are all determined by Fate when their proper time arrives. Seel When the time is over, Brahma, Visnu and Mahadeva, the lord of Parvati die away; on the expiration of their terms of lives, Indra and other Devas go to destruction. Similarly I am also completely under the sway of time; so what doubt is there that I, too, will go to destruction when I have observed my own Dharma! This Lady is challenging me to fight of Her own will; how can I fly away and live hundreds of years. I will fight today. Let the result come whatever it may. I will gladly take the victory or defeat whatever the case may be. The learned approving of the cause of effort declare Fate as fictitious; those who realise their sayings know that they are full of reason. Without exertion no end can be achieved; weak persons depend on the destiny. Foolish persons say that Fate is strong; but the wise do not say so. There is no proof whether Fate exists or not; in fact what is called Fate is invisible; how can it then be seen? Has anybody seen Fate? It is simply a scare for the illiterate; remedy only to console one’s mind in times of distress. Simply proximity to a grindmill without any man’s effort cannot grind a material. Therefore if exertion be made in proportion to the gravity of the work, success is sure to ensue; if exertion be made less in proportion, the work does not come to a successful issue. If time, place and one’s enemies’ forces be correctly taken into account and then if the proper attempts be made, success follows; thus Brihaspati has said.”

43-44. Vyasa said O King! Thus making a firm resolve to send the powerful Raktabija to the battle with a vast army; S’umbha said “O Raktabija! You are a very powerful hero; therefore do you go to the battle. O Fortunate One! Fight as you are the strength of your forces.”

45-46. Raktabija said “O King! You need not be a bit anxious for this work.Certainly I will either slay Her or I will bring Her under your control. Please see my skill in this warfare; that Lady, favourite of the gods, is worth nothing; I will just now conquer Her and make Her your slave.”

47-50. Vyasa said O Best of Kurus! Thus saying, the powerful Raktabija mounted on his chariot and went to the battle accompanied by his forces. The battalion consisted of cavalry, infantry, chariots and elephants. Thus surrounded he departed from the city for that Devi, seated on a mountain top. Then the Devi, seeing him coming, blew Her conchshell; the Danavas were terrified at that sound and the joy of the Devas increased. Hearing that sound Raktabija came very hurriedly to Chamunda and began to speak to Her sweetly.

51-62. O Girl! Do you think me weak and thus want to terrify me with the sound of a conchshell? O Lean One! Have you taken me to be a Dhumralochana? O Sweet speaking one! My name is Raktabija; I have come here for Thy sake. If Thou desirest to fight, be prepared; I am not a bit afraid of that. O Dear! You saw those who were weak; I do not belong to that class. Therefore dost Thou fight as Thou likest and then Thou wilt be able to ascertain my strength. O Beautiful! If Thou didst serve the old persons before, if Thou hadst heard the science of politics and morals, if Thou hadst studied the political economy, joined the assemblage of the Pundits or if Thou hast been

well versed in literature and Tantras, then hear this my good counsel which will serve as a medicinal diet to Thee. Out of the nine sentiments, the S’ringara (Amorous love sentiments) and S’anti (Peace) are considered as the chief by the assemblage of the Pundits. Again out of these two, the love sentiment is the king. Drenched with this sentiment, Visnu lives with Kamala; Brahma, the four-faced, lives with Savitri; Indra with S’achi and S’ankara resides with his wife Lima. The tree stands with creepers surrounding it, the deer lives with his female deer, the pigeon lives with the female pigeon; thus all the beings are very attached to this sentiment of remaining in couples. Those who cannot enjoy owing to certain disease or illness, they are deprived by Fate of such enjoyments. Those who are ignorant of this love sentiment in couples, they are deprived of it by the sweet jugglery of words of the cheat and yet attached to the Peace sentiment. When delusion, the destroyer of Buddhi, the common sense, occurs, when the violent indomitable anger, greed, and lust arise, where, then, is the place for knowledge and dispassion? Therefore, O Auspicious One! Dost Thou marry the beautiful S’umbha or the powerful Nis’umbha.

63. Vyasa said O King! When Raktabija spoke all these words, standing before the Devi Kalika, Ambika and Chamunda began to laugh.

Here ends the Twenty-seventh Chapter of the Fifth Book on the description of the war of Raktabija in S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam, the Maha Puranam, of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24424, revision 74862 (2016-07-22T00:16:12Z). 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/bk05ch27.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.