Shakti Sadhana Programme for Navarathri [ Day Sevan ]

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CHAPTER 7 : The slaying of Chanda and Munda

 

The Rishi said:

1-2. Then at his command the asuras, fully armed, and

with Chanda and Munda at their head, marched in fourfold array.

 

3. They saw the Devi, smiling gently, seated upon the lion on a huge

golden peak of the great mountain.

 

4. On seeing her, some of them excited themselves and made an effort

to capture her, and others approached her, with their bows bent and

swords drawn.

 

5. Thereupon Ambika became terribly angry with those foes, and in

her anger her countenance then became dark as ink.

 

6. Out from the surface of her forehead, fierce with frown, issued

suddenly Kali of terrible countenance, armed with a sword and noose.

 

7-9. Bearing the strange skull-topped staff, decorated with a

garland of skull, clad in a tiger's skin, very appalling owing to

her emaciated flesh, with gaping mouth, fearful with her tongue

lolling out, having deep-sunk reddish eyes and filling the regions

of the sky with her roars, and falling upon impetuously and

slaughtering the great asuras in that army, she devoured those hosts

of the foes of the devas.

 

10. Snatching the elephants with one hand she flung them into her

mouth together with their rear men and drivers and their warrior-

riders and bells.

 

11. Taking likewise into her mouth the cavalry with the horses, and

chariot with its driver, she ground them most frightfully with her

teeth.

 

12. She seized one by the hair and another by the neck; one she

crushed by the weight of the foot, and another of her body.

 

13. And she caught with her mouth the weapons and the great arms

shot by those asuras and crunched them up with her teeth in her fury.

 

14. She destroyed all that host of mighty and evil-natured asuras,

devoured some and battered others.

 

15. Some were killed with her word, some were beaten with her

skull-topped staff, and other asuras met their death being ground

with the edge of her teeth.

 

16. On seeing all the hosts of asuras laid low in a moment, Chanda

rushed against that Kali, who was exceedingly terrible.

 

17. The great asura (Chanda) with very terrible showers of arrows,

and Munda with discuses hurled in thousands covered that

terrible-eyed(Devi).

 

18. Those numerous discuses, disappearing into her mouth, looked

like numerous solar orbs disappearing into the midst of a cloud.

 

19. Thereat Kali, who was roaring frightfully, whose fearful teeth

were gleaming within her dreadful mouth, laughed terribly with

exceeding fury.

 

20. Then the Devi, mounting upon her great lion, rushed at Chanda,

and seizing him by his hair, severed his head with her sword.

 

21. Seeing Chanda laid low, Munda also rushed at her. She felled him

also the ground, striking him with her sword in her fury.

 

22. Seeing the most valiant Chanda and Munda laid low, the remaining

army there became panicky and fled in all directions.

 

23. And Kali, holding the heads of Chanda and Munda in her hands,

approached Chandika and said, her words mingled with very loud

laughter.

 

24. 'Here have I brought you the heads of Chanda and Munda as two

great animal offerings in this sacrifice of battle; Sumbha and

Nisumbha, you shall yourself slay.'

 

The Rishi said:

25-27. Thereupon seeing those asuras, Chanda and Munda

brought to her, the auspicious Chandika said to Kali these playful

words: 'Because you have brought me both Chanda and Munda, you O

Devi, shall be famed in the world by the name Chamunda.

 

Here ends the seventh chapter called 'The slaying of Chanda and

Munda' of Devi-mahatmya in Markandeya purana, during the period of

Savarni, the Manu.

 

 

>From DEVI MAHATMYAM.

Glory of the Divine Mother.

700 Mantras on Sri Durga.

English Translation by Swami Jagadiswarananda.

Sri Ramakrishna Math, 11th Impression.

 

I pray to the Divine Mother to shower HER blessings on those who

read this MAhAtmaya.