Ninth Skandha · Chapter 23
Sourceशिवस्तत्त्वं समाकर्ण्य तत्त्वज्ञानविशारदः । ययौ स्वयं च समरे स्वगणैः सह नारद ॥ १ ॥ शङ्खचूडः शिवं दृष्ट्वा विमानादवरुह्य च । ननाम परया भक्त्या शिरसा दण्डवद्भुवि ॥ २ ॥ तं प्रणम्य च वेगेन विमानमारुरोह सः । तूर्णं चकार सन्नाहं धनुर्जग्राह दुर्वहम् ॥ ३ ॥ शिवदानवयोर्युद्धं पूर्णमब्दशतं पुरा । न बभूवतुरन्योन्यं ब्रह्मञ्जयपराजयौ ॥ ४ ॥ न्यस्तशस्त्रश्च भगवान् न्यस्तशस्त्रश्च दानवः । रथस्थः शङ्खचूडश्च वृषस्थो वृषभध्वजः ॥ ५ ॥ दानवानां च शतकमुद्धृतं च बभूव ह । रणे ये ये मृताः शम्भुर्जीवयामास तान्विभुः ॥ ६ ॥ एतस्मिन्नन्तरे वृद्धब्राह्मणः परमातुरः । आगत्य च रणस्थानमुवाच दानवेश्वरम् ॥ ७ ॥ वृद्धब्राह्मण उवाच देहि भिक्षां च राजेन्द्र मह्यं विप्राय साम्प्रतम् । त्वं सर्वसम्पदां दाता यन्मे मनसि वाञ्छितम् ॥ ८ ॥ निरीहाय च वृद्धाय तृषिताय च साम्प्रतम् । पश्चात्त्वां कथयिष्यामि पुरः सत्यं च कुर्विति ॥ ९ ॥ ओमित्युवाच राजेन्द्रः प्रसन्नवदनेक्षणः । कवचार्थी जनश्चाहमित्युवाचातिमायया ॥ १० ॥ तच्छ्रुत्वा कवचं दिव्यं जग्राह हरिरेव च । शङ्खचूडस्य रूपेण जगाम तुलसीं प्रति ॥ ११ ॥ गत्वा तस्यां मायया च वीर्याधानं चकार ह । अथ शम्भुर्हरेः शूलं जग्राह दानवं प्रति ॥ १२ ॥ ग्रीष्ममध्याह्नमार्तण्डप्रलयाग्निशिखोपमम् । दुर्निवार्यं च दुर्धर्षमव्यर्थं वैरिघातकम् ॥ १३ ॥ तेजसा चक्रतुल्यं च सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रसारकम् । शिवकेशवयोरन्यैर्दुर्वहं च भयङ्करम् ॥ १४ ॥ धनुःसहस्रं दैर्घ्येण प्रस्थेन शतहस्तकम् । सजीवं ब्रह्मरूपं च नित्यरूपमनिर्दिशम् ॥ १५ ॥ संहर्तुं सर्वब्रह्माण्डमलं यत्स्वीयलीलया । चिक्षेप तोलनं कृत्वा शङ्खचूडे च नारद ॥ १६ ॥ राजा चापं परित्यज्य श्रीकृष्णचरणाम्बुजम् । ध्यानं चकार भक्त्या च कृत्वा योगासनं धिया ॥ १७ ॥ शूलं च भ्रमणं कृत्वा पपात दानवोपरि । चकार भस्मसात्तं च सरथं चाथ लीलया ॥ १८ ॥ राजा धृत्वा दिव्यरूपं किशोरं गोपवेषकम् । द्विभुजं मुरलीहस्तं रत्नभूषणभूषितम् ॥ १९ ॥ रत्नेन्द्रसारनिर्माणं वेष्टितं गोपकोटिभिः । गोलोकादागतं यानमारुरोह पुरं ययौ ॥ २० ॥ गत्वा ननाम शिरसा स राधाकृष्णयोर्मुने । भक्त्या च चरणाम्भोजं रासे वृन्दावने वने ॥ २१ ॥ सुदामानं च तौ दृष्ट्वा प्रसन्नवदनेक्षणौ । क्रोडे चक्रतुरत्यन्तं प्रेम्णातिपरिसंयुतौ ॥ २२ ॥ अथ शलं च वेगेन प्रययौ तं च सादरम् । अस्थिभिः शङ्खचूडस्य शङ्खजातिर्बभूव ह ॥ २३ ॥ नानाप्रकाररूपेण शश्वत्पूता सुरार्चने । प्रशस्तं शङ्खतोयं च देवानां प्रीतिदं परम् ॥ २४ ॥ तीर्थतोयस्वरूपं च पवित्रं शम्भुना विना । शङ्खशब्दो भवेद्यत्र तत्र लक्ष्मीः सुसंस्थिरा ॥ २५ ॥ स स्नातः सर्वतीर्थेषु यः स्नातः शङ्खवारिणा । शङ्खो हरेरधिष्ठानं यत्र शङ्खस्ततो हरिः ॥ २६ ॥ तत्रैव वसते लक्ष्मीर्दूरीभूतममङ्गलम् । स्त्रीणां च शङ्खध्वनिभिः शूद्राणां च विशेषतः ॥ २७ ॥ भीता रुष्टा याति लक्ष्मीस्तत्स्थलादन्यदेशतः । शिवोऽपि दानवं हत्वा शिवलोकं जगाम ह ॥ २८ ॥ प्रहृष्टो वृषभारूढः स्वगणैश्च समावृतः । सुराः स्वविषयं प्रापुः परमानन्दसंयुताः ॥ २९ ॥ नेदुर्दुन्दुभयः स्वर्गे जगुर्गन्धर्वकिन्नराः । बभूव पुष्पवृष्टिश्च शिवस्योपरि सन्ततम् । प्रशशंसुः सुरास्तं च मुनीन्द्रप्रवरादयः ॥ ३० ॥
śivastattvaṃ samākarṇya tattvajñānaviśāradaḥ | yayau svayaṃ ca samare svagaṇaiḥ saha nārada || 1 || śaṅkhacūḍaḥ śivaṃ dṛṣṭvā vimānādavaruhya ca | nanāma parayā bhaktyā śirasā daṇḍavadbhuvi || 2 || taṃ praṇamya ca vegena vimānamāruroha saḥ | tūrṇaṃ cakāra sannāhaṃ dhanurjagrāha durvaham || 3 || śivadānavayoryuddhaṃ pūrṇamabdaśataṃ purā | na babhūvaturanyonyaṃ brahmañjayaparājayau || 4 || nyastaśastraśca bhagavān nyastaśastraśca dānavaḥ | rathasthaḥ śaṅkhacūḍaśca vṛṣastho vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ || 5 || dānavānāṃ ca śatakamuddhṛtaṃ ca babhūva ha | raṇe ye ye mṛtāḥ śambhurjīvayāmāsa tānvibhuḥ || 6 || etasminnantare vṛddhabrāhmaṇaḥ paramāturaḥ | āgatya ca raṇasthānamuvāca dānaveśvaram || 7 || vṛddhabrāhmaṇa uvāca dehi bhikṣāṃ ca rājendra mahyaṃ viprāya sāmpratam | tvaṃ sarvasampadāṃ dātā yanme manasi vāñchitam || 8 || nirīhāya ca vṛddhāya tṛṣitāya ca sāmpratam | paścāttvāṃ kathayiṣyāmi puraḥ satyaṃ ca kurviti || 9 || omityuvāca rājendraḥ prasannavadanekṣaṇaḥ | kavacārthī janaścāhamityuvācātimāyayā || 10 || tacchrutvā kavacaṃ divyaṃ jagrāha harireva ca | śaṅkhacūḍasya rūpeṇa jagāma tulasīṃ prati || 11 || gatvā tasyāṃ māyayā ca vīryādhānaṃ cakāra ha | atha śambhurhareḥ śūlaṃ jagrāha dānavaṃ prati || 12 || grīṣmamadhyāhnamārtaṇḍapralayāgniśikhopamam | durnivāryaṃ ca durdharṣamavyarthaṃ vairighātakam || 13 || tejasā cakratulyaṃ ca sarvaśastrāstrasārakam | śivakeśavayoranyairdurvahaṃ ca bhayaṅkaram || 14 || dhanuḥsahasraṃ dairghyeṇa prasthena śatahastakam | sajīvaṃ brahmarūpaṃ ca nityarūpamanirdiśam || 15 || saṃhartuṃ sarvabrahmāṇḍamalaṃ yatsvīyalīlayā | cikṣepa tolanaṃ kṛtvā śaṅkhacūḍe ca nārada || 16 || rājā cāpaṃ parityajya śrīkṛṣṇacaraṇāmbujam | dhyānaṃ cakāra bhaktyā ca kṛtvā yogāsanaṃ dhiyā || 17 || śūlaṃ ca bhramaṇaṃ kṛtvā papāta dānavopari | cakāra bhasmasāttaṃ ca sarathaṃ cātha līlayā || 18 || rājā dhṛtvā divyarūpaṃ kiśoraṃ gopaveṣakam | dvibhujaṃ muralīhastaṃ ratnabhūṣaṇabhūṣitam || 19 || ratnendrasāranirmāṇaṃ veṣṭitaṃ gopakoṭibhiḥ | golokādāgataṃ yānamāruroha puraṃ yayau || 20 || gatvā nanāma śirasā sa rādhākṛṣṇayormune | bhaktyā ca caraṇāmbhojaṃ rāse vṛndāvane vane || 21 || sudāmānaṃ ca tau dṛṣṭvā prasannavadanekṣaṇau | kroḍe cakraturatyantaṃ premṇātiparisaṃyutau || 22 || atha śalaṃ ca vegena prayayau taṃ ca sādaram | asthibhiḥ śaṅkhacūḍasya śaṅkhajātirbabhūva ha || 23 || nānāprakārarūpeṇa śaśvatpūtā surārcane | praśastaṃ śaṅkhatoyaṃ ca devānāṃ prītidaṃ param || 24 || tīrthatoyasvarūpaṃ ca pavitraṃ śambhunā vinā | śaṅkhaśabdo bhavedyatra tatra lakṣmīḥ susaṃsthirā || 25 || sa snātaḥ sarvatīrtheṣu yaḥ snātaḥ śaṅkhavāriṇā | śaṅkho hareradhiṣṭhānaṃ yatra śaṅkhastato hariḥ || 26 || tatraiva vasate lakṣmīrdūrībhūtamamaṅgalam | strīṇāṃ ca śaṅkhadhvanibhiḥ śūdrāṇāṃ ca viśeṣataḥ || 27 || bhītā ruṣṭā yāti lakṣmīstatsthalādanyadeśataḥ | śivo'pi dānavaṃ hatvā śivalokaṃ jagāma ha || 28 || prahṛṣṭo vṛṣabhārūḍhaḥ svagaṇaiśca samāvṛtaḥ | surāḥ svaviṣayaṃ prāpuḥ paramānandasaṃyutāḥ || 29 || nedurdundubhayaḥ svarge jagurgandharvakinnarāḥ | babhūva puṣpavṛṣṭiśca śivasyopari santatam | praśaśaṃsuḥ surāstaṃ ca munīndrapravarādayaḥ || 30 ||
English translation
1-6. Narayana said: - S’iva, versed in the knowledge of the Higher Reality, hearing all this, went hinnself with His whole host to the battle. Seeing Him, S’ankhachuda alighted from his chariot and fell prostrate before him. With great force he got up and, quickly putting on his armour he took up his huge and heavy bow case. Then a great fight ensued between S’iva and S’ankhachuda for full one hundred years but there was no defeat nor victory on either side. The result was stalemate. Both of them, Bhagavan and the Danava quitted their weapons. S’ankhachuda, remained on his chariot and Mahadeva role on His Bull. Hundreds and hundreds of Danavas were slain. But extraordinarily endowed with divine power, S’ambhu restored to life all those of His party that were slain.
7-30. In the meanwhile, an aged Brahmana, very distressed in his appearance, came to the battlefield and asked S’ankhachuda, the King of Danavas “O King! Grant me what I beg of you; you give away in charity all sorts of wealth and riches; give me also what I desire; give me, a Brahmin, something also. I am a quiet peaceable aged Brahmin, very very thirsty. Make your Promise first and then I will speak to you what I desire.” (Note The Brahmins only are fit for receiving frauds and cheatings.)
The King S’ankhachuda, with a gracious countenance and pleasing eyes swore before him that He would give him what he would desire. Then the Brahmin spoke to the King with great affection and Maya “I am desirous of your Kavacha (amulet).” The King, then, gave him the Kavacha (the amulet, mantra written on a Bhurja bark and located in a golden cup). Bhagavan Hah (in the form of that Brahmin) took that Kavacha and, assuming the form of S’ankhachuda came to Tulasi. Coming there. He made His Maya (magic) manifest and held
sexual intercourse with her. At this time Mahadeva took up the Hari’s trident-aiming at the king of the Danavas. The trident looked like the Mid-day Sun of summer, flaming like a Pralaya fire. It looked irresistible and invincible as if quite powerful to kill the enemies. In brilliance it equalled the Sudars’an Chakra (disc) and it was the chief of all the weapons. No other body than S’iva and Kes’ava could wield such a weapon. And everybody feared that but S’iva and Kes’ava. In length it was one thousand Dhanus and in width it was one hundred hands. It seemed lively, of the nature of Brahma, eternal and not capable to be noticed, whence and how it proceeded. The weapon could destroy, by its own free Lila (Will) all the worlds. When S’iva held it aloft and aiming at S’ankhachuda, He hurled it on him, the King of the Demons quitted his bows and arrows and with mind collected in a yoga posture, began to meditate on the lotus-feet of S’ri Krisna with great devotion. At that moment, the trident, whirling round fell on S’ankhachuda and easily burnt him and his chariot to ashes. He, then assuming the form of a two-armed Gopa, full of youth, divine, ornamented with jewels, holding flute, mounted on a Divine Chariot, surrounded by kotis and kotis of Gopas who came there from the region of Goloka, whose bodies were built up of excellent jewels, and S’ankhachuda then went up to the Heavens (Goloka, where S’ri Brindabana is located in the middle). He went to Vrindaban, full of Rasas (sentiments) and bowed down at the lotus feet of Radha Krisna with devotion. Both of them were filled with love when they saw Sudama, and, with a gracious countenance and joyful eyes, they took him on their laps. On the other hand the S’ula weapon came with force and gladness back again to Krisna. The bones of S’ankhachuda, O Narada! were transformed into conch-shells. These conch-shells are always considered very sacred and auspicious in the worship of the Devas. The water in the conch-shell is also very holy and pleasing to the Devas. What more than this, that the water in the conch-shell is as holy as the water of any Tirtha. This water can be offered to all the Gods but not to S’iva. Wherever the conch-shell is blown, there Laksmi abides with great pleasure. If bathing be done with conch- shell water, it is equivalent to taking bath in all the Tirthas. Bhagavan
Hari resides direct in the conch-shell. Where S’ankha is placed, there Hari resides. Laksmi also resides there and all inauspicious things fly away from there. Where the females and S’udras blow the S’ankhas, Laksmi then gets vexed and, out of terror. She goes away to other places. O Narada! Mahadeva, after killing the Danava, went to His own abode. When He gladly went away on His Vehicle, on the Bull’s back, with His whole host, all the other Devas went to their respective places with great gladness. Celestial drums were sounded in the Heavens. The Gandharbas and the Kinnaras began to sing songs. And showers of flowers were strewn on S’iva’s head. All the Munis and Devas and their chiefs began to chant hymns to Him.
Here ends the Twenty-Third Chapter of the Ninth Book on the killing of S’ankhachuda in S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24511, revision 75095 (2016-07-25T03:24:54Z). 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/bk09ch23.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.