Shakti Sadhana Programme for Navarathri [ Day Eight ]

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CHAPTER 9 : The Slaying of Nisumbha

 

The king (Suratha) said:

1-2. 'Wonderful is this that you, adorable sir,

have related to me about the greatness of the Devi's act in slaying

Raktabija.

 

3. 'I wish to hear further what the very irate Sumbha and Nisumbha

did after Raktabija was killed.'

 

The Rishi said:

4-5. After Raktabija was slain and other asuras were killed in the

fight, the asura Sumbha and Nisumbha gave way to unbounded wrath.

 

6. Enraged on seeing his great army slaughtered, Nisumbha then

rushed forward with the chief forces of the asuras.

 

7. In front of him behind him and on both sides of him, great

asuras, enraged and biting their lips, advanced to slay the Devi.

 

8. Sumbha also, mighty in valour, went forward, surrounded, with his

own troops to slay Chandika in this rage, after fighting with the

Matrs.

 

9. Then commenced severe combat between the Devi on one side and on

the other, Sumbha and Nisumbha who, like two thunder-clouds, rained

a most tempestuous shower of arrows on her.

 

10. Chandika with numerous arrows quickly split the arrows shot by

the two asuras and smote the two lords of asuras on their limbs with

her mass of weapons.

 

11. Nisumbha, grasping a sharp sword and a shining shield, struck

the lion, the great carrier of the Devi on the head.

 

12. When her carrier was struck, the Devi quickly cut Nisumbha's

superb sword with a sharp-edged arrow and also his shield on which

eight moons were figured.

 

13. When his shield was slit and his sword too broken, the asura

hurled his spear; and that missile also, as it advanced towards her,

was split into two by her discus.

 

14. Then the danava Nisumbha, swelling with wrath, seized a dart;

and that also, as it came, the Devi powdered with a blow of her fist.

 

15. Then brandishing his club, he flung it against Chandika; cleft

by the trident of the Devi, it also turned to ashes.

 

16. Then the Devi assailed the heroic danava advancing with battle-

axe in hand, and laid him low on the ground.

 

17. When his brother Nisumbha of terrific prowess fell to the

ground, (Sumbha) got infuriated in the extreme, and strode forward

to slay Ambika.

 

18. Standing in his chariot and grasping excellent weapons in his

long and incomparable eight arms, he shone by pervading the entire

sky.

 

19. Seeing him approaching, the Devi blew her conch, and made a

twang of her bow-string, which was unbearable in the extreme.

 

20. And (the Devi) filled all directions with the ringing of her

bell, which destroys the strength of all the daitya hosts.

 

21. The lion filled the heaven, the earth and the ten quarters of

the sky with loud roars, which made the elephants give up their

violent rut.

 

22. Then Kali, springing upwards in the sky, (came down) and struck

the earth with both her hands; by its noise all the previous sounds

were drowned.

 

23. Sivaduti made a loud ominous peal of laughter, the asuras were

frightened by those sounds, and Sumbha flew into an utmost rage.

 

24. As Ambika said, 'O evil-natured one, stop, stop', the devas

stationed in the sky cheered her with the words, 'Be victorious'.

 

25. The spear, flaming most terribly and shining like a mass of

fire, which Sumbha approaching hurled was, as it was coming along,

put out by a great firebrand (from the Devi).

 

26. The interspace between the three worlds was pervaded by Sumbha's

lion-like roar, but the dreadful thunder-clap ( of the Devi)

smothered that, O King.

 

27. The Devi split the arrows shot by Sumbha, and Sumbha also split

the arrows discharged by her, (each with her and his) sharp arrows

in hundreds and thousands.

 

28. Then Chandika became angry and smote him with a trident. Wounded

therewith, he fainted and fell to the ground.

 

29. Then Nisumbha, regaining consciousness seized his bow and struck

with arrows the Devi and Kali and the lion.

 

30. And the danuja-lord, the son of Diti, putting forth a myriad

arms, covered Chandika with myriad discuses.

 

31. Then Bhagavati Durga, the destroyer of difficulties and

afflictions, became angry and split those discuses and those arrows

with her own arrows.

 

32. Thereupon Nisumbha, surrounded by the daitya host, swiftly

seizing his club, rushed at Chandika to sly her.

 

33. As he was just rushing at her, Chandika colve his club with her

sharp-edged sword; and her took hold of a dart.

 

34. As Nisumbha, the afflictor of the devas, was advancing with the

dart in hand, Chandika pierced him in the heart with a swiftly

hurled dart.

 

35. From his (Nisumbha's) heart that was pierced by the dart, issued

forth another person of great strength and valour, exclaiming (at

the Devi) 'Stop.'

 

36. Then the Devi, laughing aloud, severed the head of him, who

issued forth, with her sword. Thereupon he fell to the ground.

 

37. The lion then devoured those asuras whose necks he had crushed

with his fierce teeth, and Kali and Sivaduti devoured others.

 

38. Some great asuras perished, being pierced through by the spear

if Kaumari. Others were repulsed by (sprinkling of ) the water

purified by the incantation of Brahmani.

 

39. Others fell, pierced by a trident wielded by Mahesvari; some

were powdered on the ground by the blows from the snout of Varahi.

 

40. Some danavas were cut to pieces by the discus of Vaisnavi, and

others again by the thunderbolt discharged from the palm of Aindri.

 

41. Some asuras perished (themselves), some fled from the great

battle, and others were devoured by Kali, Sivaduti and the lion.

 

 

Here ends the ninth chapter called 'the Slaying of Nisumbha' 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.