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Home › Mantras › Durga Saptashati › Durga Saptashati Chapter 7
Chandi (Durga) Durga Saptashati Chapter 7: Kali springing from the Goddess's brow and seizing the demon Chanda by the hair in battle
Kali springs from the Goddess's brow and seizes Chanda by the hair
Mantra · Kali bursts from Ambika's brow, eats an army and is named Chamunda

Durga Saptashati Chapter 7

आज्ञप्तास्ते ततो दैत्याश्चण्डमुण्डपुरोगमाः । चतुरङ्गबलोपेता ययुरभ्युद्यतायुधाः ॥

In Devanagari, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English — with the meaning of every word, and the one syllable most people pronounce wrongly.

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What the Durga Saptashati Chapter 7 is

Durga Saptashati Chapter 7, called Chanda-Munda Vadha in its colophon, the slaying of Chanda and Munda, sits in the middle of the third episode and is the chapter in which Kali first takes the field. The verse for meditation placed ahead of this chapter in the standard printed text is addressed to Matangi, seated on a jewelled throne, dark of body, one foot on a lotus, playing the vina while a parrot speaks to her. Verses 2 to 4 send Shumbha's two generals with a full army against the Goddess, who sits smiling on her lion on a golden Himalayan peak. In verses 5 to 8 her face turns black as ink with anger and Kali springs from her frowning forehead. Verses 9 to 15 show Kali eating the army, elephants and chariots included. Verses 16 to 22 are the two duels and the rout of what is left. In verses 23 to 27 Kali brings the two heads to Chandika and receives the name Chamunda. The chapter has 27 numbered lines: 25 verses and two lines naming the sage as speaker, numbered 1 and 25.

Kali from the brow, and the name Chamunda

At the end of chapter 6 Shumbha, furious that Dhumralochana has been burnt to ash, sends Chanda and Munda to bring the Goddess back, dragged by the hair or bound, and to kill her if they must (chapter 6, verse 23). Chapter 7 opens with their army of four divisions, elephants, horses, chariots and foot soldiers, marching on her. They find her smiling slightly on her lion, and some draw bows while others close in to seize her. Ambika's answer is anger: her face darkens, and out of her knitted brow leaps Kali, sword and noose in hand, carrying a skull-topped staff, wearing a garland of human heads and a tiger's skin, her flesh withered, mouth gaping, tongue lolling, eyes sunken and red. She does not fight the army so much as eat it. Verse 10 has her pick up elephants in one hand, with their drivers, rear-guards, warriors and bells, and toss them into her mouth; verse 13 has her catch the demons' missiles in her teeth and grind them. Chanda covers her with arrows and Munda hurls discuses by the thousand, which vanish into her mouth like many suns entering a cloud (verse 18). Laughing, she does to Chanda what he was sent to do to the Goddess, seizes him by the hair, and beheads him with her sword, then cuts Munda down, and the survivors scatter. She carries both heads to Chandika and offers them as victims for a sacrifice of battle, telling her that Shumbha and Nishumbha are hers to kill. Chandika answers gently, and gives Kali the name that joins Chanda and Munda: Chamunda.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiआज्ञप्तास्ते ततो दैत्याश्चण्डमुण्डपुरोगमाः । चतुरङ्गबलोपेता ययुरभ्युद्यतायुधाः ॥
Tamilஆஜ்ஞப்தாஸ்தே ததோ தைத்யாஶ்சண்டமுண்டபுரோகமாஃ । சதுரங்கபலோபேதா யயுரப்யுத்யதாயுதாஃ ॥
Teluguఆజ్ఞప్తాస్తే తతో దైత్యాశ్చణ్డముణ్డపురోగమాః । చతురఙ్గబలోపేతా యయురభ్యుద్యతాయుధాః ॥
Kannadaಆಜ್ಞಪ್ತಾಸ್ತೇ ತತೋ ದೈತ್ಯಾಶ್ಚಣ್ಡಮುಣ್ಡಪುರೋಗಮಾಃ । ಚತುರಙ್ಗಬಲೋಪೇತಾ ಯಯುರಭ್ಯುದ್ಯತಾಯುಧಾಃ ॥
Malayalamആജ്ഞപ്താസ്തേ തതോ ദൈത്യാശ്ചണ്ഡമുണ്ഡപുരോഗമാഃ । ചതുരങ്ഗബലോപേതാ യയുരഭ്യുദ്യതായുധാഃ ॥
EnglishRoman transliterationājñaptāste tato daityāścaṇḍamuṇḍapurogamāḥ | caturaṅgabalopetā yayurabhyudyatāyudhāḥ ||
“The sage said: Then the demons, so commanded, with Chanda and Munda at their head, set out with an army of four divisions and weapons raised.”
आज्ञप्तास्ते
ājñaptāste — they, so commanded
ततो
tato — then
दैत्याश्चण्डमुण्डपुरोगमाः
daityāścaṇḍamuṇḍapurogamāḥ — the demons, led by Chanda and Munda
चतुरङ्गबलोपेता
caturaṅgabalopetā — with an army of four divisions
ययुरभ्युद्यतायुधाः
yayurabhyudyatāyudhāḥ — went, weapons raised

Durga Saptashati Chapter 7 lyrics in full

The Matangi meditation verse and all 27 numbered lines of the chapter in the standard numbering; the speaker of each passage is named above it.

All 27 numbered lines, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Durga Saptashati Chapter 7 PDFAll 27 numbered lines with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

Dhyanam 1

ॐ ध्यायेयं रत्नपीठे शुककलपठितं शृण्वतीं श्यामलाङ्गीं न्यस्तैकाङ्घ्रिं सरोजे शशिशकलधरां वल्लकीं वादयन्तीम् ।
कह्लाराबद्धमालां नियमितविलसच्चोलिकां रक्तवस्त्रां मातङ्गीं शङ्खपात्रां मधुरमधुमदां चित्रकोद्भासिभालाम् ॥

I meditate on Matangi, seated on a jewelled throne, listening to the sweet speech of a parrot, dark of body, one foot resting on a lotus, wearing the crescent moon and playing the vina. She wears a garland of white water-lilies, a close-fitting bodice and red garments, holds a vessel of conch, is gently intoxicated with sweet wine, and has a bright mark shining on her forehead.

Verse 2

ऋषिरुवाच
आज्ञप्तास्ते ततो दैत्याश्चण्डमुण्डपुरोगमाः । चतुरङ्गबलोपेता ययुरभ्युद्यतायुधाः ॥

The sage said: Then the demons, so commanded, with Chanda and Munda at their head, set out with an army of four divisions and weapons raised.

Verse 3

ददृशुस्ते ततो देवीमीषद्धासां व्यवस्थिताम् ।
सिंहस्योपरि शैलेन्द्रशृङ्गे महति काञ्चने ॥

Then they saw the Goddess, smiling slightly, seated on the lion on a great golden peak of the king of mountains.

Verse 4

ते दृष्ट्वा तां समादातुमुद्यमं चक्रुरुद्यताः ।
आकृष्टचापासिधरास्तथान्ये तत्समीपगाः ॥

Seeing her, they made ready and set about seizing her; some drew their bows and held up swords, and others came up close to her.

Verse 5

ततः कोपं चकारोच्चैरम्बिका तानरीन् प्रति ।
कोपेन चास्या वदनं मषीवर्णमभूत्तदा ॥

Then Ambika grew fiercely angry with those enemies, and in her anger her face turned black as ink.

Verse 6

भ्रुकुटीकुटिलात्तस्या ललाटफलकाद्द्रुतम् ।
काली करालवदना विनिष्क्रान्तासिपाशिनी ॥

From the surface of her forehead, knitted in a frown, there swiftly sprang Kali, with a dreadful face, armed with sword and noose.

Verse 7

विचित्रखट्वाङ्गधरा नरमालाविभूषणा ।
द्वीपिचर्मपरीधाना शुष्कमांसातिभैरवा ॥

She carried a strange skull-topped staff, wore a garland of human heads, was clad in a tiger's skin, and looked most terrible with her withered flesh.

Verse 8

अतिविस्तारवदना जिह्वाललनभीषणा ।
निमग्नारक्तनयना नादापूरितदिङ्मुखा ॥

Her mouth was gaping wide, she was fearful with her lolling tongue, her eyes were sunken and reddish, and she filled the quarters with her roar.

Verse 9

सा वेगेनाभिपतिता घातयन्ती महासुरान् ।
सैन्ये तत्र सुरारीणामभक्षयत तद्बलम् ॥

Rushing on at speed and slaughtering the great demons, she devoured that army of the enemies of the gods.

Verse 10

पार्ष्णिग्राहाङ्कुशग्राहियोधघण्टासमन्वितान् ।
समादायैकहस्तेन मुखे चिक्षेप वारणान् ॥

Seizing elephants with one hand, together with their rear-guards, the drivers with their goads, the warriors and the bells, she flung them into her mouth.

Verse 11

तथैव योधं तुरगै रथं सारथिना सह ।
निक्षिप्य वक्त्रे दशनैश्चर्वयन्त्यतिभैरवम् ॥

In the same way she threw into her mouth the warriors with their horses and the chariots with their charioteers, and chewed them up most fearfully with her teeth.

Verse 12

एकं जग्राह केशेषु ग्रीवायामथ चापरम् ।
पादेनाक्रम्य चैवान्यमुरसान्यमपोथयत् ॥

She seized one by the hair and another by the neck; one she trampled under foot and another she crushed against her chest.

Verse 13

तैर्मुक्तानि च शस्त्राणि महास्त्राणि तथासुरैः ।
मुखेन जग्राह रुषा दशनैर्मथितान्यपि ॥

The weapons and great missiles hurled by the demons she caught in her mouth in fury and ground them with her teeth.

Verse 14

बलिनां तद् बलं सर्वमसुराणां दुरात्मनाम् ।
ममर्दाभक्षयच्चान्यानन्यांश्चाताडयत्तथा ॥

That whole army of mighty, evil-minded demons she crushed; some she devoured and others she struck down.

Verse 15

असिना निहताः केचित्केचित्खट्वाङ्गताडिताः ।
जग्मुर्विनाशमसुरा दन्ताग्राभिहतास्तथा ॥

Some were killed by the sword, some beaten with the skull-staff, and so the demons met their end, struck also by the points of her teeth.

Verse 16

क्षणेन तद् बलं सर्वमसुराणां निपातितम् ।
दृष्ट्वा चण्डोऽभिदुद्राव तां कालीमतिभीषणाम् ॥

Seeing that whole army of demons felled in a moment, Chanda rushed at Kali, who was most terrifying.

Verse 17

शरवर्षैर्महाभीमैर्भीमाक्षीं तां महासुरः ।
छादयामास चक्रैश्च मुण्डः क्षिप्तैः सहस्रशः ॥

The great demon covered the terrible-eyed Goddess with showers of very dreadful arrows, and Munda with discuses hurled by the thousand.

Verse 18

तानि चक्राण्यनेकानि विशमानानि तन्मुखम् ।
बभुर्यथार्कबिम्बानि सुबहूनि घनोदरम् ॥

Those many discuses, entering her mouth, looked like many orbs of the sun entering the belly of a cloud.

Verse 19

ततो जहासातिरुषा भीमं भैरवनादिनी ।
काली करालवक्त्रान्तर्दुर्दर्शदशनोज्ज्वला ॥

Then Kali, roaring terribly, laughed fearfully in great fury, her dreadful mouth gleaming with teeth hard to look upon.

Verse 20

उत्थाय च महासिं हं देवी चण्डमधावत ।
गृहीत्वा चास्य केशेषु शिरस्तेनासिनाच्छिनत् ॥

Then the Goddess raised her great sword and, crying out 'ham', rushed at Chanda; seizing him by the hair, she cut off his head with that sword.

Verse 21

अथ मुण्डोऽभ्यधावत्तां दृष्ट्वा चण्डं निपातितम् ।
तमप्यपातयद्भूमौ सा खड्गाभिहतं रुषा ॥

Then Munda, seeing Chanda felled, ran at her; and she too, in her fury, struck him with the sword and threw him to the ground.

Verse 22

हतशेषं ततः सैन्यं दृष्ट्वा चण्डं निपातितम् ।
मुण्डं च सुमहावीर्यं दिशो भेजे भयातुरम् ॥

Seeing Chanda felled, and the very mighty Munda too, what was left of the army fled in all directions, overcome with fear.

Verse 23

शिरश्चण्डस्य काली च गृहीत्वा मुण्डमेव च ।
प्राह प्रचण्डाट्टहासमिश्रमभ्येत्य चण्डिकाम् ॥

Kali took the heads of Chanda and Munda, came to Chandika and spoke, mingling her words with fierce, loud laughter.

Verse 24

मया तवात्रोपहृतौ चण्डमुण्डौ महापशू ।
युद्धयज्ञे स्वयं शुम्भं निशुम्भं च हनिष्यसि ॥

I have brought you here Chanda and Munda, two great beasts for sacrifice. In the sacrifice of battle you yourself will slay Shumbha and Nishumbha.

Verse 26

ऋषिरुवाच
तावानीतौ ततो दृष्ट्वा चण्डमुण्डौ महासुरौ । उवाच कालीं कल्याणी ललितं चण्डिका वचः ॥

The sage said: Seeing the two great demons Chanda and Munda brought before her, the auspicious Chandika spoke gentle words to Kali.

Verse 27

यस्माच्चण्डं च मुण्डं च गृहीत्वा त्वमुपागता ।
चामुण्डेति ततो लोके ख्याता देवि भविष्यसि ॥

Because you have seized Chanda and Munda and come to me, O Goddess, you will be famed in the world by the name Chamunda.

The syllable people get wrong

In verse 27, cāmuṇḍeti (चामुण्डेति, 'as Chamunda') opens with a long ā and carries the retroflex pair ṇḍ, sounded with the tongue tip turned up and back against the palate: say chaa-mun-ḍaa, not 'cha-MOON-da' with an English d.

When the Durga Saptashati Chapter 7 is chanted

Weekday. Friday

Festival. Navaratri, in the fourth day's reading (chapters 5 to 8)

Questions

The text keeps them apart. In chapter 5, verse 88, when Kaushiki comes out of Parvati's body, Parvati herself turns dark and is called Kalika, and she stays on the Himalaya; she plays no part in the fighting. The Kali of chapter 7 is a new figure, born in verse 6 from the frowning forehead of Ambika at the moment the demons try to seize her. This Kali fights beside the Goddess for the rest of the war: she is with her in chapter 8, where Chandika calls on her as Chamunda to open her mouth wide and take in the drops of Raktabija's blood, and the demons born from them. The chapter 5 Kalika is Parvati herself, darkened once Kaushiki has left her; the chapter 7 Kali is a power that comes out of her in anger and acts as her own fighting arm.
Matangi is counted among the ten Mahavidyas, the Tantric goddesses of wisdom, and is linked with speech, music and learning; she is often described as a Tantric form of Sarasvati, which sets her close to Mahasaraswati, the deity of this third episode. The dhyana printed before the chapter sees her on a jewelled seat, dark-limbed, wearing the crescent moon, red garments and a garland of white water-lilies, holding a conch vessel and playing the vina while she listens to a parrot. The calm of that picture is in sharp contrast with the chapter itself, where the only new goddess is the gaunt, roaring Kali. The chapter text never names Matangi; the dhyana is a separate meditation, set apart from the narrative it introduces.
The word is mahapashu. A pashu is any animal, but in ritual language it is the victim bound and offered at a sacrifice. Kali sets the two heads before Chandika and says she has brought her 'two great beasts', then calls the whole war a yuddha-yajna, a sacrifice of battle, in which Chandika herself will slay Shumbha and Nishumbha. The battle is pictured as a fire ritual, with Kali handing over the first offerings and leaving the chief ones to the Goddess. Verse 26 marks the change of tone: Chandika, called kalyani, the auspicious one, replies to her in gentle words, and what she gives in return is not a weapon or a boon but a name, Chamunda, made from the names of the two victims.
Most printings run the letters together as one word, mahasimham, so that the Goddess rises, mounts or takes up her great lion and rushes at Chanda. The standard printed edition prints a space, maha-asim ham: she raises her great sword (asi) and utters 'ham' as she charges, and its own Hindi rendering follows this reading. The second half of the verse supports a sword, since she seizes Chanda by the hair and cuts off his head 'with that sword'. The standard printed edition also gives, only in a footnote, an extra verse found in the Shantanavi commentary, in which Chanda's death cry frightens the three worlds; it is not counted in the chapter's 27 lines.
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