Fifth Skandha · Chapter 29
Sourceव्यास उवाच वरदानमिदं तस्य दानवस्य शिवार्पितम् । अत्यद्भुततरं राजञ्छ्रुणु तत्प्रब्रवीम्यहम् ॥ १ ॥ तस्य देहाद्रक्तबिन्दुर्यदा पतति भूतले । समुत्पतन्ति दैतेयास्तद्रूपास्तत्पराक्रमाः ॥ २ ॥ असंख्याता महावीर्या दानवा रक्तसम्भवाः । प्रभवन्त्विति रुद्रेण दत्तोऽस्त्यत्यद्भुतो वरः ॥ ३ ॥ स तेन वरदानेन दर्पितः क्रोधसंयुतः । अभ्यगात्तरसा संख्ये हन्तुं देवीं सकालिकाम् ॥ ४ ॥ स दृष्ट्वा वैष्णवीं शक्तिं गरुडोपरिसंस्थिताम् । शक्त्या जघान दैत्येन्द्रस्तां वै कमललोचनाम् ॥ ५ ॥ गदया वारयामास शक्तिः सा शक्तिसंयुता । अताडयच्च चक्रेण रक्तबीजं महासुरम् ॥ ६ ॥ रथाङ्गहतदेहात्तु बहु सुस्राव शोणितम् । वज्राहतगिरेः शृङ्गान्निर्झरा इव गैरिका ॥ ७ ॥ यत्र यत्र यदा भूमौ पतन्ति रक्तबिन्दवः । समुत्तस्थुस्तदाकाराः पुरुषाश्च सहस्रशः ॥ ८ ॥ ऐन्द्री तमसुरं घोरं वज्रेणाभिजघान च । रक्तबीजं क्रुधाऽऽविष्टा निःससार च शोणितम् ॥ ९ ॥ ततस्तत्क्षतजाज्जाता रक्तबीजा ह्यनेकशः । तद्वीर्याश्च तदाकारा सायुधा युद्धदुर्मदाः ॥ १० ॥ ब्रह्माणी ब्रह्मदण्डेन कुपिता ह्यहनद् भृशम् । माहेश्वरी त्रिशूलेन दारयामास दानवम् ॥ ११ ॥ नारसिंही नखाघातैस्तं विव्याध महासुरम् । अहनत्तुण्डघातेन क्रुद्धा तं राक्षसाधमम् ॥ १२ ॥ कौमारी च तथा शक्त्या वक्षस्येनमताडयत् । सोऽपि क्रुद्धः शरासारैर्बिभेद निशितैश्च ताः ॥ १३ ॥ गदाशक्तिप्रहारैस्तु मातॄः सर्वाः पृथक्पृथक् । शक्तयस्तं शराघातैर्विव्यधुस्तत्प्रकोपिताः ॥ १४ ॥ तस्य शस्त्राणि चिच्छेद चण्डिका स्वशरैः शितैः । जघानान्यैश्च विशिखैस्तं देवी कुपिता भृशम् ॥ १५ ॥ तस्य देहाच्च सुस्राव रुधिरं बहुधा तु यत् । तस्मात्तत्सदृशाः शूराः प्रादुरासन्सहस्रशः ॥ १६ ॥ रक्तबीजैर्जगद्व्याप्तं रुधिरौघसमुद्भवैः । सन्नद्धैः सायुधैः कामं कुर्वद्भिर्युद्धमद्भुतम् ॥ १७ ॥ प्रहरन्तश्च तान्दृष्ट्वा रक्तबीजाननेकशः । भयभीताः सुरास्त्रेसुर्विषण्णाः शोककर्षिताः ॥ १८ ॥ कथमद्य क्षयं दैत्या गमिष्यन्ति सहस्रशः । महाकाया महावीर्या दानवा रक्तसम्भवाः ॥ १९ ॥ एकैव चण्डिकात्रास्ति तथा काली च मातरः । एताभिर्दानवाः सर्वे जेतव्याः कष्टमेव तत् ॥ २० ॥ निशुम्भो वाथ शुम्भो वा सहसा बलसंवृतः । आगमिष्यति संग्रामे ततोऽनर्थो महान्भवेत् ॥ २१ ॥ व्यास उवाच एवं देवा भयोद्विग्नाश्चिन्तामापुर्महत्तराम् । यदा तदाम्बिका प्राह कालीं कमललोचनाम् ॥ २२ ॥ चामुण्डे कुरु विस्तीर्णं वदनं त्वरिता भृशम् । मच्छस्त्रपातसम्भूतं रुधिरं पिब सत्वरा ॥ २३ ॥ भक्षयन्ती चर रणे दानवानद्य कामतः । हनिष्यामि शरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्गदासिमुसलैस्तथा ॥ २४ ॥ तथा कुरु विशालाक्षि पानं तद्रुधिरस्य च । बिन्दुमात्रं यथा भूम्यां न पतेदपि साम्प्रतम् ॥ २५ ॥ भक्ष्यमाणास्तदा दैत्या न चोत्पत्स्यन्ति चापरे । एवमेषां क्षयो नूनं भविष्यति न चान्यथा ॥ २६ ॥ घातयिष्याम्यहं दैत्यं त्वं भक्षय च सत्वरा । पिबन्ती क्षतजं सर्वं यतमानारिसंक्षये ॥ २७ ॥ इत्थं दैत्यक्षयं कृत्वा दत्त्वा राज्यं सुरालयम् । इन्द्राय सुस्थिरं सर्वं गमिष्यामो यथासुखम् ॥ २८ ॥ व्यास उवाच इत्युक्ताम्बिकया देवी चामुण्डा चण्डविक्रमा । पपौ च क्षतजं सर्वं रक्तबीजशरीरजम् ॥ २९ ॥ अम्बिका तं जघानाशु खड्गेन मुसलेन च । चखाद देहशकलांश्चामुण्डा तान्कृशोदरी ॥ ३० ॥ सोऽपि क्रुद्धो गदाघातैश्चामुण्डां समघातयत् । तथापि सा पपावाशु क्षतजं तमभक्षयत् ॥ ३१ ॥ येऽन्ये रुधिरजाः क्रूरा रक्तबीजा महाबलाः । तेऽपि निष्पातिताः सर्वे भक्षिता गतशोणिताः ॥ ३२ ॥ कृत्रिमा भक्षिताः सर्वे यस्तु स्वाभाविकोऽसुरः । सोऽपि प्रपातितो हत्वा खड्गेनातिविखण्डितः ॥ ३३ ॥ रक्तबीजे हते रौद्रे ये चान्ये दानवा रणे । पलायनं ततः कृत्वा गतास्ते भयकम्पिताः ॥ ३४ ॥ हाहेति विब्रुवन्तस्ते शुम्भं प्रोचुः सविह्वलाः । रुथिरारक्तदेहाश्च विगतास्त्रा विचेतसः ॥ ३५ ॥ राजन्नम्बिकया रक्तबीजोऽसौ विनिपातितः । चामुण्डा तस्य देहात्तु पपौ सर्वं च शोणितम् ॥ ३६ ॥ ये चान्ये दानवाः शूरा वाहनेनातिरंहसा । सिंहेन निहताः सर्वे काल्या च भक्षिताः परे ॥ ३७ ॥ वयं त्वां कथितुं राजन्नागता युद्धचेष्टितम् । चरितञ्च तथा देव्याः संग्रामे परमाद्भुतम् ॥ ३८ ॥ अजेयेयं महाराज सर्वथा दैत्यदानवैः । गन्धर्वासुरयक्षैश्च पन्नगोरगराक्षसैः ॥ ३९ ॥ अन्यास्तत्रागता देव्य इन्द्राणीप्रमुखा भृशम् । युध्यमाना महाराज वाहनैरायुधैर्युताः ॥ ४० ॥ ताभिः सर्वं हतं सैन्यं दानवानां वरायुधैः । रक्तबीजोऽपि राजेन्द्र तरसा विनिपातितः ॥ ४१ ॥ एकापि दुःसहा देवी किं पुनस्ताभिरन्विता । सिंहोऽपि हन्ति संग्रामे राक्षसानमितप्रभः ॥ ४२ ॥ अतो विचार्य सचिवैर्यद्युक्तं तद्विधीयताम् । न वैरमनया युक्तं सन्धिरेव सुखप्रदः ॥ ४३ ॥ आश्चर्यमेतदखिलं यन्नारी हन्ति राक्षसान् । रक्तबीजोऽपि निहतः पीतं तस्यापि शोणितम् ॥ ४४ ॥ अन्ये निपातिता दैत्याः संग्रामेऽम्बिकया नृप । चामुण्डया च मांसं वै भक्षितं सकलं रणे ॥ ४५ ॥ वरं पातालगमनं तस्याः सेवाथवा वरा । न तु युद्धं महाराज कार्यमम्बिकया सह ॥ ४६ ॥ न नारी प्राकृता ह्येषा देवकार्यार्थसाधिनी । मायेयं प्रबला देवी क्षपयन्तीयमुत्थिता ॥ ४७ ॥ व्यास उवाच इति तेषां वचस्तथ्यं श्रुत्वा कालविमोहितः । मुमूर्षुः प्रत्युवाचेदं शुम्भः प्रस्फुरिताधरः ॥ ४८ ॥ शुम्भ उवाच यूयं गच्छत पातालं शरणं वा भयातुराः । हनिष्याम्यहमद्यैव ताञ्च ताश्च समुद्यतः ॥ ४९ ॥ जित्वा सर्वान्सुरानाजौ कृत्वा राज्यं सुपुष्कलम् । कथं नारीभयोद्विग्नः पातालं प्रविशाम्यहम् ॥ ५० ॥ निहत्य पार्षदान्सर्वान् रक्तबीजमुखान् रणे । प्राणत्राणाय गच्छामि हित्वा किं विपुलं यशः ॥ ५१ ॥ मरणं त्वनिवार्यं वै प्राणिनां कालकल्पितम् । तद्भयं जन्मनोपात्तं त्यजेत्को दुर्लभं यशः ॥ ५२ ॥ निशुम्भाहं गमिष्यामि रथारूढो रणाजिरे । हत्वा तामागमिष्यामि नागमिष्यामि चान्यथा ॥ ५३ ॥ त्वं तु सेनायुतो वीर पार्ष्णिग्राहो भवस्व मे । तरसा तां शरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्नारीं नय यमालये ॥ ५४ ॥ निशुम्भ उवाच अहमद्य हनिष्यामि गत्वा दुष्टाञ्च कालिकाम् । आगमिष्याम्यहं शीघ्रं गृहीत्वा तामथाम्बिकाम् ॥ ५५ ॥ मा चिन्तां कुरु राजेन्द्र वराकायास्तु कारणे । क्वैषा बाला क्व मे बाहुवीर्यं विश्ववशङ्करम् ॥ ५६ ॥ त्यक्त्वाऽऽर्तिं विपुलां भ्रातर्भुंक्ष भोगाननुत्तमान् । आनयिष्याम्यहं कामं मानिनीं मानसंयुताम् ॥ ५७ ॥ मयि तिष्ठति ते राजन्न युक्तं गमनं रणे । गत्वाहमानयिष्यामि तवार्थे वै जयश्रियम् ॥ ५८ ॥ व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा भ्रातरं ज्येष्ठं कनीयान्बलगर्वितः । रथमास्थाय विपुलं सन्नद्धः स्वबलावृतः ॥ ५९ ॥ जगाम तरसा तूर्णं सङ्गरे कृतमङ्गलः । संस्तुतो बन्दिसूतैश्च सायुधः सपरिष्करः ॥ ६० ॥
vyāsa uvāca varadānamidaṃ tasya dānavasya śivārpitam | atyadbhutataraṃ rājañchruṇu tatprabravīmyaham || 1 || tasya dehādraktabinduryadā patati bhūtale | samutpatanti daiteyāstadrūpāstatparākramāḥ || 2 || asaṃkhyātā mahāvīryā dānavā raktasambhavāḥ | prabhavantviti rudreṇa datto'styatyadbhuto varaḥ || 3 || sa tena varadānena darpitaḥ krodhasaṃyutaḥ | abhyagāttarasā saṃkhye hantuṃ devīṃ sakālikām || 4 || sa dṛṣṭvā vaiṣṇavīṃ śaktiṃ garuḍoparisaṃsthitām | śaktyā jaghāna daityendrastāṃ vai kamalalocanām || 5 || gadayā vārayāmāsa śaktiḥ sā śaktisaṃyutā | atāḍayacca cakreṇa raktabījaṃ mahāsuram || 6 || rathāṅgahatadehāttu bahu susrāva śoṇitam | vajrāhatagireḥ śṛṅgānnirjharā iva gairikā || 7 || yatra yatra yadā bhūmau patanti raktabindavaḥ | samuttasthustadākārāḥ puruṣāśca sahasraśaḥ || 8 || aindrī tamasuraṃ ghoraṃ vajreṇābhijaghāna ca | raktabījaṃ krudhā''viṣṭā niḥsasāra ca śoṇitam || 9 || tatastatkṣatajājjātā raktabījā hyanekaśaḥ | tadvīryāśca tadākārā sāyudhā yuddhadurmadāḥ || 10 || brahmāṇī brahmadaṇḍena kupitā hyahanad bhṛśam | māheśvarī triśūlena dārayāmāsa dānavam || 11 || nārasiṃhī nakhāghātaistaṃ vivyādha mahāsuram | ahanattuṇḍaghātena kruddhā taṃ rākṣasādhamam || 12 || kaumārī ca tathā śaktyā vakṣasyenamatāḍayat | so'pi kruddhaḥ śarāsārairbibheda niśitaiśca tāḥ || 13 || gadāśaktiprahāraistu mātṝḥ sarvāḥ pṛthakpṛthak | śaktayastaṃ śarāghātairvivyadhustatprakopitāḥ || 14 || tasya śastrāṇi ciccheda caṇḍikā svaśaraiḥ śitaiḥ | jaghānānyaiśca viśikhaistaṃ devī kupitā bhṛśam || 15 || tasya dehācca susrāva rudhiraṃ bahudhā tu yat | tasmāttatsadṛśāḥ śūrāḥ prādurāsansahasraśaḥ || 16 || raktabījairjagadvyāptaṃ rudhiraughasamudbhavaiḥ | sannaddhaiḥ sāyudhaiḥ kāmaṃ kurvadbhiryuddhamadbhutam || 17 || praharantaśca tāndṛṣṭvā raktabījānanekaśaḥ | bhayabhītāḥ surāstresurviṣaṇṇāḥ śokakarṣitāḥ || 18 || kathamadya kṣayaṃ daityā gamiṣyanti sahasraśaḥ | mahākāyā mahāvīryā dānavā raktasambhavāḥ || 19 || ekaiva caṇḍikātrāsti tathā kālī ca mātaraḥ | etābhirdānavāḥ sarve jetavyāḥ kaṣṭameva tat || 20 || niśumbho vātha śumbho vā sahasā balasaṃvṛtaḥ | āgamiṣyati saṃgrāme tato'nartho mahānbhavet || 21 || vyāsa uvāca evaṃ devā bhayodvignāścintāmāpurmahattarām | yadā tadāmbikā prāha kālīṃ kamalalocanām || 22 || cāmuṇḍe kuru vistīrṇaṃ vadanaṃ tvaritā bhṛśam | macchastrapātasambhūtaṃ rudhiraṃ piba satvarā || 23 || bhakṣayantī cara raṇe dānavānadya kāmataḥ | haniṣyāmi śaraistīkṣṇairgadāsimusalaistathā || 24 || tathā kuru viśālākṣi pānaṃ tadrudhirasya ca | bindumātraṃ yathā bhūmyāṃ na patedapi sāmpratam || 25 || bhakṣyamāṇāstadā daityā na cotpatsyanti cāpare | evameṣāṃ kṣayo nūnaṃ bhaviṣyati na cānyathā || 26 || ghātayiṣyāmyahaṃ daityaṃ tvaṃ bhakṣaya ca satvarā | pibantī kṣatajaṃ sarvaṃ yatamānārisaṃkṣaye || 27 || itthaṃ daityakṣayaṃ kṛtvā dattvā rājyaṃ surālayam | indrāya susthiraṃ sarvaṃ gamiṣyāmo yathāsukham || 28 || vyāsa uvāca ityuktāmbikayā devī cāmuṇḍā caṇḍavikramā | papau ca kṣatajaṃ sarvaṃ raktabījaśarīrajam || 29 || ambikā taṃ jaghānāśu khaḍgena musalena ca | cakhāda dehaśakalāṃścāmuṇḍā tānkṛśodarī || 30 || so'pi kruddho gadāghātaiścāmuṇḍāṃ samaghātayat | tathāpi sā papāvāśu kṣatajaṃ tamabhakṣayat || 31 || ye'nye rudhirajāḥ krūrā raktabījā mahābalāḥ | te'pi niṣpātitāḥ sarve bhakṣitā gataśoṇitāḥ || 32 || kṛtrimā bhakṣitāḥ sarve yastu svābhāviko'suraḥ | so'pi prapātito hatvā khaḍgenātivikhaṇḍitaḥ || 33 || raktabīje hate raudre ye cānye dānavā raṇe | palāyanaṃ tataḥ kṛtvā gatāste bhayakampitāḥ || 34 || hāheti vibruvantaste śumbhaṃ procuḥ savihvalāḥ | ruthirāraktadehāśca vigatāstrā vicetasaḥ || 35 || rājannambikayā raktabījo'sau vinipātitaḥ | cāmuṇḍā tasya dehāttu papau sarvaṃ ca śoṇitam || 36 || ye cānye dānavāḥ śūrā vāhanenātiraṃhasā | siṃhena nihatāḥ sarve kālyā ca bhakṣitāḥ pare || 37 || vayaṃ tvāṃ kathituṃ rājannāgatā yuddhaceṣṭitam | caritañca tathā devyāḥ saṃgrāme paramādbhutam || 38 || ajeyeyaṃ mahārāja sarvathā daityadānavaiḥ | gandharvāsurayakṣaiśca pannagoragarākṣasaiḥ || 39 || anyāstatrāgatā devya indrāṇīpramukhā bhṛśam | yudhyamānā mahārāja vāhanairāyudhairyutāḥ || 40 || tābhiḥ sarvaṃ hataṃ sainyaṃ dānavānāṃ varāyudhaiḥ | raktabījo'pi rājendra tarasā vinipātitaḥ || 41 || ekāpi duḥsahā devī kiṃ punastābhiranvitā | siṃho'pi hanti saṃgrāme rākṣasānamitaprabhaḥ || 42 || ato vicārya sacivairyadyuktaṃ tadvidhīyatām | na vairamanayā yuktaṃ sandhireva sukhapradaḥ || 43 || āścaryametadakhilaṃ yannārī hanti rākṣasān | raktabījo'pi nihataḥ pītaṃ tasyāpi śoṇitam || 44 || anye nipātitā daityāḥ saṃgrāme'mbikayā nṛpa | cāmuṇḍayā ca māṃsaṃ vai bhakṣitaṃ sakalaṃ raṇe || 45 || varaṃ pātālagamanaṃ tasyāḥ sevāthavā varā | na tu yuddhaṃ mahārāja kāryamambikayā saha || 46 || na nārī prākṛtā hyeṣā devakāryārthasādhinī | māyeyaṃ prabalā devī kṣapayantīyamutthitā || 47 || vyāsa uvāca iti teṣāṃ vacastathyaṃ śrutvā kālavimohitaḥ | mumūrṣuḥ pratyuvācedaṃ śumbhaḥ prasphuritādharaḥ || 48 || śumbha uvāca yūyaṃ gacchata pātālaṃ śaraṇaṃ vā bhayāturāḥ | haniṣyāmyahamadyaiva tāñca tāśca samudyataḥ || 49 || jitvā sarvānsurānājau kṛtvā rājyaṃ supuṣkalam | kathaṃ nārībhayodvignaḥ pātālaṃ praviśāmyaham || 50 || nihatya pārṣadānsarvān raktabījamukhān raṇe | prāṇatrāṇāya gacchāmi hitvā kiṃ vipulaṃ yaśaḥ || 51 || maraṇaṃ tvanivāryaṃ vai prāṇināṃ kālakalpitam | tadbhayaṃ janmanopāttaṃ tyajetko durlabhaṃ yaśaḥ || 52 || niśumbhāhaṃ gamiṣyāmi rathārūḍho raṇājire | hatvā tāmāgamiṣyāmi nāgamiṣyāmi cānyathā || 53 || tvaṃ tu senāyuto vīra pārṣṇigrāho bhavasva me | tarasā tāṃ śaraistīkṣṇairnārīṃ naya yamālaye || 54 || niśumbha uvāca ahamadya haniṣyāmi gatvā duṣṭāñca kālikām | āgamiṣyāmyahaṃ śīghraṃ gṛhītvā tāmathāmbikām || 55 || mā cintāṃ kuru rājendra varākāyāstu kāraṇe | kvaiṣā bālā kva me bāhuvīryaṃ viśvavaśaṅkaram || 56 || tyaktvā''rtiṃ vipulāṃ bhrātarbhuṃkṣa bhogānanuttamān | ānayiṣyāmyahaṃ kāmaṃ māninīṃ mānasaṃyutām || 57 || mayi tiṣṭhati te rājanna yuktaṃ gamanaṃ raṇe | gatvāhamānayiṣyāmi tavārthe vai jayaśriyam || 58 || vyāsa uvāca ityuktvā bhrātaraṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ kanīyānbalagarvitaḥ | rathamāsthāya vipulaṃ sannaddhaḥ svabalāvṛtaḥ || 59 || jagāma tarasā tūrṇaṃ saṅgare kṛtamaṅgalaḥ | saṃstuto bandisūtaiśca sāyudhaḥ sapariṣkaraḥ || 60 ||
English translation
1-21. Vyasa said O King! Please hear attentively about the extraordinary boon that was given by Mahadeva, the God of gods, to the great warrior, Raktabija. Whenever a drop of blood from the body of that great warrior will drop on the surface of the earth, immediately will arise innumerable Danavas, equal in form and power to him; thus the Deva Rudra granted the Demon the wonderful boon. Thus elated with the boon, he entered into the battlefield with great force in order to kill Kalika with Ambika Devi. Seeing the Vaisnavi S’akti, lotus-eyed, seated on the bird Garuda, the Demon struck Her with a violent weapon (named S’akti). She then baffled the weapon by Her club and hurled Sudars’ana disc on the great Asura Raktabija. Thus struck by the disc, blood began to ooze out from his body as the red stream of soft red sandstone comes out of a mountain-top. Wherever on the surface of the earth drops of blood fell from his body, then and there sprang out thousands and thousands of demons like him. Indrani, the wife of Indra, became very angry and struck the terrible Raktabija with his thunderbolt. Streams of blood then began to ooze out from his body. No sooner the drops of blood fell from the Demon’s body, than were instantaneously born from the blood many powerful Asuras, of similar forms, having similar weapons and hard to be conquered in battle. Brahmani then becoming enraged struck at him with the staff of Brahma with greater force. Mahes’vari rent the Danava asunder by striking him with Her trident. Nara Simhi pierced the Asura with Her nails; Varahi struck at him with Her teeth. Then the Danava becoming angry shot at them all with sharpened arrows and pierced them all. Thus when the Matrika DevTs were pierced by the club and other various weapons of that great Asura, they got very angry and pierced the Danavas in return with shots of arrows. Kaumari, too, struck at his breast with Her weapon, named S’akti. The Danavas then got angry and hurled on them multitude of arrows and began to pierce them. O King! The Chandika Devi, getting angry, cut off his weapons into pieces and shot violently at
him other arrows. O King! Thus struck by severe blows, when blood began to flow in profuse quantities from his body, thousands and thousands of Danavas resembling Raktabija sprang out instantly from it. So much so, that the heavens were all covered over with Raktabijas that sprang up from the blood. They all covered all over their bodies with coats of armour, began to fight terribly with weapons in their hands. Then the Devas, seeing that the innumerable Raktavijas were striking the Devi, became very much frightened and were distressed with sorrow. They began to talk with each other with sorrowful countenances that thousands and thousands of huge bodied warriors were springing from the blood. These were all very powerful; so how could they be destroyed! In this battlefield there were now left only the Matrikas, Kalika, and Chandika. It would be certainly extremely difficult for them to conquer all these Danavas. And if at that moment, S’umbha and Nis’umbha were to join them with his army, certainly a great catastrophe would occur.
22-28. Vyasa said O King! When the Devas were thus extremely anxious, out of terror, Ambika Devi said to the lotus-eyed Kali “O Chamunda! Open out your mouth quickly, and no sooner I strike Raktabija with weapons, you would drink off the blood as fast as it runs out of his body. Instantly I will kill those Danavas sprung from the blood with sharpened arrows, clubs, swords and Musalas; and you would then be able to devour them all at your will, and, then, roam in this field as you like. O Large-eyed One! You would drink off all the jets of blood in such a way that not a drop of it escapes and falls on the ground. And then when they will all be devoured, no more Danavas would be able to spring. Thus they will surely be extirpated; otherwise they will never be destroyed. Let me begin to strike blows after blows on Raktabija and you better drink off quickly all the blood, being intent on destroying the forces. O Chamunde! Thus, the Danavas being all exterminated, we will hand over to the
Indra, the lord of the Devas, his Heavens without any enemy; and, thus, we can go peacefully and happily to our own places.”
29-47. Vyasa said O King! The Chamunda Devi, of furious strength, hearing thus the Devi’s words began to drink the jets of blood coming out of the body of Raktabija. The Devi Ambika began to cut the Demon’s body into pieces and Chamunda, of thin belly, went on devouring them. Then Raktabija, becoming angry, struck Chamunda with his club. But though She was thus hurt severely.
She drank off the blood and then devoured all the limbs thereof. O King! Thus Kalika Devi drank off the blood of all other powerful wicked Danava Raktabijas that sprang out of the blood. Ambika thus destroyed them. Thus, all the Danavas, created out of the blood were devoured; then, there was left, lastly, the real Raktabija.
Ambika Devi then cut him asunder into pieces by Her axe and thus killed him. Thus, when the dreadful Raktabija was slain in the battle, the Danavas fled away trembling with fear. Without any weapons, covered all over their bodies with blood, and void of consciousness they uttered, dumb confounded “Alas! Alas! What has happened, what has happened.” Thus crying, they told their King S’umbha thus “O King of Kings! Ambika Devi has killed Raktabija and Chamunda has drunk off all their blood. The carrier (Vahana) of Devi, the powerful ferocious Lion killed other powerful warriors and Kali devoured the remaining soldiers. O Lord of the Danavas! We have fled and come to you to give the news of the battle and to describe the wonderful doings of that Chandika Devi in the battlefield. O King! In our opinion, no one will be able to conquer that Lady, be he a Daitya, Danava, Gandarbha, Asura, Yaksa, Pannaga, Charana, Raksasa, or an Uraga. O King of Kings! The other Goddesses, Indrani and others, have come to the battle, on their own carriers respectively and are fighting with various weapons. O Lord of the Danavas! The Danava forces are all slain by them with the excellent weapons in their hands. Even Raktabija has been slain in no time. That Lion, of indomitable prowess, killed the Raksasas in
the battle; The Devi alone is hard to conquer; how much more would it be impossible to conquer Her, when She has been joined with other goddesses. So consult with the ministers and do what is reasonable. In our opinion it is better to make treaty with Her and quit your enmity. O King! Think over the fact that that Lady destroyed all the Danavas and at last drank off the blood of Raktabija and at last killed him. What on earth can be more wonderful than this? O King! The Devi Ambika killed all the other Daityas and Chamunda devoured their blood, flesh, and all. Considering all this, it is now better for us to serve the Devi Ambika or fly away to Patala. No more fighting is desirable. She is not an ordinary woman; She is Maha Maya, there is not the least doubt in this. Only to serve the cause of the Gods, She has manifested Herself and is now destroying the Raksasas’ race.”
48. Vyasa said Hearing thus, S’umbha got confounded by Kala (Death), as his end was coming nigh, and said the following words, his lips quivering with anger.
49-54. You are struck with fear; so you all take the refuge of Chandika or fly down to Patala; but I will kill Her with all my exertion and effort. I conquered all the hosts of Devas and I have enjoyed their kingdom; shall I now, out of the fear of one Lady, fly and enter into the Patala. All my attendants, Raktabija and other heroes, are now slain in the battle and is it possible that I will now fly away out of the sake of preserving my life only. See! The death of all the beings is ordained by Kala and it is unavoidable. No sooner a being is born, he is liable to the fear of death. How can a man, then, out of fear of death, quit all his name and fame? O Nis’umbha! I will now go immediately to the battle, mounting on my chariot and will return after slaying Her in battle. And if I cannot kill Her, I will not then return any more. O Best of warriors! Better stand on my side with all your forces and kill that Lady in no time, with sharp arrows.
55-58. Nis’umbha said Today I will go to the battle and slaying that Kalika, will shortly return here with Ambika. O King! Do not think at all for that Lady; see my world-conquering strength and look at that weak woman; there is a vast difference. Cast aside your this great mental anxiety and trouble. Enjoy, O Brother, excellent things. I will bring that dignified Lady with all honours before you. O King! You ought not to go to the battle when I am alive. I will presently go to the fight and bring for you that Lady as a sign of our victory.
59-60. Vyasa said O King! Thus saying, the younger brother, proud of his own strength, went hurriedly to the battlefield, mounting on his big chariot. He was protected all over his body by his coat of armour and he was well provided with various weapons and all other accoutrements of war. The bards began to sing hymns to him and various other propitious ceremonies were being performed.
Here ends the Twenty-ninth Chapter of the Fifth Book on the killing 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 24426, revision 74864 (2016-07-22T00:19:58Z). 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/bk05ch29.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.