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Mantra · The seven Mothers join the war; Chamunda drinks the blood that breeds Raktabija

Durga Saptashati Chapter 8

चण्डे च निहते दैत्ये मुण्डे च विनिपातिते । बहुलेषु च सैन्येषु क्षयितेष्वसुरेश्वरः ॥

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 8 is

Durga Saptashati Chapter 8, whose colophon names it Raktabija Vadha, the slaying of Raktabija, is the fourth chapter of the last episode of the Devi Mahatmya and the one in which the Mothers, the Matrikas, take the field. Bhavani is the deity of the dhyana that precedes it. Verses 2 to 7 open straight after the deaths of Chanda and Munda: Shumbha, in a rage, sends out every clan he commands, from the eighty-six Udayudhas and eighty-four Kambus to the Kalakas, Mauryas and Kalakeyas. Verses 8 to 11 meet them with sound alone, the Goddess's bowstring, her lion's roar, her bell and Kali's cries. In verses 12 to 21 the powers (shaktis) of Brahma, Shiva, Guha, Vishnu and Indra leave the gods' bodies and arrive in each god's own form, mount and weapons. Verses 22 to 28 have a shakti come out of the Goddess herself and send Shiva to the demons as her envoy. Verses 29 to 39 are the Mothers' battle, each fighting in her own manner: Brahmani sprinkles water from her pot and leaves the enemy without strength, Varahi gores with her tusks and snout, Narasimhi tears with her claws and Shivaduti brings asuras down with her laughter, until the demon soldiers run. Verses 40 to 61 the long fight with Raktabija, whose name means 'blood-seed'. Verses 62 and 63 close the chapter with his fall and the Mothers' dance.

A demon who multiplies with every drop he sheds

With his armies breaking under the Mothers' attack, the asura Raktabija steps forward himself, mace in hand. Verse 41 states his nature plainly: whenever a drop of his blood touches the ground, an asura of his own size rises from the earth. The chapter gives no reason for it; it simply shows what follows. Aindri strikes him with her thunderbolt and the blood that pours out stands up as warriors of his form and strength. A second blow to the head brings thousands more. Vaishnavi's discus, Kaumari's spear, Varahi's sword and Maheshvari's trident each open a wound, and each wound fills the field, until verse 52 says the whole world was crowded with asuras born of one asura's blood and the gods were seized with fear. Chandika's answer, in verses 53 to 56, is to turn to Kali and call her Chamunda: open your mouth wide, take in every drop my weapons spill, and eat the asuras that spring from it, so that he is drained and none are born again. Then she strikes. Raktabija's mace lands on her and, verse 58 says, does not cause her the slightest pain. Chamunda catches the blood wherever it flows, devours the asuras that rise inside her mouth and drinks the rest, and the bloodless Raktabija falls under a storm of spear, thunderbolt, arrows, swords and lances. Verse 62 turns from the battlefield to the gods, who are filled with joy beyond measure, the answer to the fear of verse 52.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiचण्डे च निहते दैत्ये मुण्डे च विनिपातिते । बहुलेषु च सैन्येषु क्षयितेष्वसुरेश्वरः ॥

Tamilசண்டே ச நிஹதே தைத்யே முண்டே ச விநிபாதிதே । பஹுலேஷு ச ஸைந்யேஷு க்ஷயிதேஷ்வஸுரேஶ்வரஃ ॥

Teluguచణ్డే చ నిహతే దైత్యే ముణ్డే చ వినిపాతితే । బహులేషు చ సైన్యేషు క్షయితేష్వసురేశ్వరః ॥

Kannadaಚಣ್ಡೇ ಚ ನಿಹತೇ ದೈತ್ಯೇ ಮುಣ್ಡೇ ಚ ವಿನಿಪಾತಿತೇ । ಬಹುಲೇಷು ಚ ಸೈನ್ಯೇಷು ಕ್ಷಯಿತೇಷ್ವಸುರೇಶ್ವರಃ ॥

Malayalamചണ്ഡേ ച നിഹതേ ദൈത്യേ മുണ്ഡേ ച വിനിപാതിതേ । ബഹുലേഷു ച സൈന്യേഷു ക്ഷയിതേഷ്വസുരേശ്വരഃ ॥

EnglishRoman transliterationcaṇḍe ca nihate daitye muṇḍe ca vinipātite | bahuleṣu ca sainyeṣu kṣayiteṣvasureśvaraḥ ||

“The sage said: When the demon Chanda had been killed and Munda struck down, and many of the armies had been destroyed, the lord of the asuras...”

चण्डे: caṇḍe — Chanda
च: ca — and
निहते: nihate — having been killed
दैत्ये: daitye — the demon
मुण्डे: muṇḍe — Munda
च: ca — and
विनिपातिते: vinipātite — having been struck down
बहुलेषु: bahuleṣu — many
च: ca — and
सैन्येषु: sainyeṣu — armies
क्षयितेष्वसुरेश्वरः: kṣayiteṣvasureśvaraḥ — being destroyed, the lord of the asuras

Durga Saptashati Chapter 8 lyrics in full

The Bhavani meditation verse and all 63 numbered lines of the chapter in the standard numbering: one speaker line, 61 full verses and a closing half-verse.

All 63 numbered lines, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Durga Saptashati Chapter 8 PDFAll 63 numbered lines with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

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Dhyanam 1

ॐ अरुणां करुणातरङ्गिताक्षीं धृतपाशाङ्कुशबाणचापहस्ताम् ।
अणिमादिभिरावृतां मयूखैरहमित्येव विभावये भवानीम् ॥

I meditate on Bhavani, red in colour, whose eyes ripple with waves of compassion, who holds in her hands the noose, the goad, arrows and a bow, and who is surrounded by rays that are the powers beginning with Anima. I contemplate her as my very self.

Verse 2

ऋषिरुवाच
चण्डे च निहते दैत्ये मुण्डे च विनिपातिते । बहुलेषु च सैन्येषु क्षयितेष्वसुरेश्वरः ॥

The sage said: When the demon Chanda had been killed and Munda struck down, and many of the armies had been destroyed, the lord of the asuras...

Verse 3

ततः कोपपराधीनचेताः शुम्भः प्रतापवान् ।
उद्योगं सर्वसैन्यानां दैत्यानामादिदेश ह ॥

...the mighty Shumbha, his mind overpowered by anger, ordered all the armies of the daityas to make ready for war.

Verse 4

अद्य सर्वबलैर्दैत्याः षडशीतिरुदायुधाः ।
कम्बूनां चतुरशीतिर्निर्यान्तु स्वबलैर्वृताः ॥

He said: Today let the eighty-six Udayudha daitya chiefs march out with all their forces, and the eighty-four Kambu chiefs, each surrounded by his own troops.

Verse 5

कोटिवीर्याणि पञ्चाशदसुराणां कुलानि वै ।
शतं कुलानि धौम्राणां निर्गच्छन्तु ममाज्ञया ॥

At my command let the fifty clans of asuras called Kotivirya and the hundred clans of the Dhaumras go forth.

Verse 6

कालका दौर्हृदा मौर्याः कालकेयास्तथासुराः ।
युद्धाय सज्जा निर्यान्तु आज्ञया त्वरिता मम ॥

Let the Kalakas, the Daurhridas, the Mauryas and the Kalakeya asuras, ready for battle, march out quickly at my order.

Verse 7

इत्याज्ञाप्यासुरपतिः शुम्भो भैरवशासनः ।
निर्जगाम महासैन्यसहस्रैर्बहुभिर्वृतः ॥

Having given these orders, Shumbha, the lord of the asuras and a fearsome ruler, set out surrounded by many thousands of great troops.

Verse 8

आयान्तं चण्डिका दृष्ट्वा तत्सैन्यमतिभीषणम् ।
ज्यास्वनैः पूरयामास धरणीगगनान्तरम् ॥

Seeing that terrible army approaching, Chandika filled the space between earth and sky with the twanging of her bowstring.

Verse 9

ततः सिंहो महानादमतीव कृतवान् नृप ।
घण्टास्वनेन तन्नादमम्बिका चोपबृंहयत् ॥

Then, O king, her lion gave a mighty roar, and Ambika swelled that sound further with the ringing of her bell.

Verse 10

धनुर्ज्यासिंहघण्टानां नादापूरितदिङ्मुखा ।
निनादैर्भीषणैः काली जिग्ये विस्तारितानना ॥

With the quarters filled by the sound of bowstring, lion and bell, Kali, her mouth opened wide, prevailed with her own terrible cries.

Verse 11

तं निनादमुपश्रुत्य दैत्यसैन्यैश्चतुर्दिशम् ।
देवी सिंहस्तथा काली सरोषैः परिवारिताः ॥

Hearing that uproar, the daitya armies in their fury surrounded the Goddess, the lion and Kali on all four sides.

Verse 12

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे भूप विनाशाय सुरद्विषाम् ।
भवायामरसिंहानामतिवीर्यबलान्विताः ॥

At that moment, O king, for the destruction of the enemies of the gods and for the welfare of those lions among the immortals, endowed with great valour and strength...

Verse 13

ब्रह्मेशगुहविष्णूनां तथेन्द्रस्य च शक्तयः ।
शरीरेभ्यो विनिष्क्रम्य तद्रूपैश्चण्डिकां ययुः ॥

...the shaktis (powers) of Brahma, Shiva, Guha, Vishnu and Indra came out of their bodies and went to Chandika, each in the form of its god.

Verse 14

यस्य देवस्य यद्रूपं यथाभूषणवाहनम् ।
तद्वदेव हि तच्छक्तिरसुरान् योद्धुमाययौ ॥

Whatever form, ornaments and mount each god had, his shakti came in just that form to fight the asuras.

Verse 15

हंसयुक्तविमानाग्रे साक्षसूत्रकमण्डलुः ।
आयाता ब्रह्मणः शक्तिर्ब्रह्माणी साभिधीयते ॥

The shakti of Brahma came seated in a chariot drawn by swans, holding a rosary and a water pot; she is called Brahmani.

Verse 16

माहेश्वरी वृषारूढा त्रिशूलवरधारिणी ।
महाहिवलया प्राप्ता चन्द्ररेखाविभूषणा ॥

Maheshvari arrived riding a bull, holding a fine trident, with great serpents for bracelets and the crescent moon as her ornament.

Verse 17

कौमारी शक्तिहस्ता च मयूरवरवाहना ।
योद्धुमभ्याययौ दैत्यानम्बिका गुहरूपिणी ॥

Kaumari, mother in the form of Guha, came to fight the daityas with a spear in her hand, riding a fine peacock.

Verse 18

तथैव वैष्णवी शक्तिर्गरुडोपरि संस्थिता ।
शङ्खचक्रगदाशार्ङ्गखड्गहस्ताभ्युपाययौ ॥

In the same way the shakti Vaishnavi came, seated on Garuda, with conch, discus, mace, the Sharnga bow and sword in her hands.

Verse 19

यज्ञवाराहमतुलं रूपं या बिभ्रतो हरेः ।
शक्तिः साप्याययौ तत्र वाराहीं बिभ्रती तनुम् ॥

The shakti of Hari, who takes the matchless form of the sacrificial boar, also came there, bearing the body of a sow (Varahi).

Verse 20

नारसिंही नृसिंहस्य बिभ्रती सदृशं वपुः ।
प्राप्ता तत्र सटाक्षेपक्षिप्तनक्षत्रसंहतिः ॥

Narasimhi arrived there in a body like that of Narasimha, scattering the clusters of stars with the toss of her mane.

Verse 21

वज्रहस्ता तथैवैन्द्री गजराजोपरि स्थिता ।
प्राप्ता सहस्रनयना यथा शक्रस्तथैव सा ॥

Likewise Aindri came, thunderbolt in hand, seated on the king of elephants, with a thousand eyes; she was just as Indra is.

Verse 22

ततः परिवृतस्ताभिरीशानो देवशक्तिभिः ।
हन्यन्तामसुराः शीघ्रं मम प्रीत्याऽऽह चण्डिकाम् ॥

Then Shiva, surrounded by these shaktis of the gods, said to Chandika: Let the asuras be slain quickly, for my pleasure.

Verse 23

ततो देवीशरीरात्तु विनिष्क्रान्तातिभीषणा ।
चण्डिकाशक्तिरत्युग्रा शिवाशतनिनादिनी ॥

Then from the body of the Goddess came forth the shakti of Chandika, most terrible and fierce, howling like a hundred jackals.

Verse 24

सा चाह धूम्रजटिलमीशानमपराजिता ।
दूत त्वं गच्छ भगवन् पार्श्वं शुम्भनिशुम्भयोः ॥

That unconquered one said to Shiva, whose matted hair is smoke-coloured: Lord, go as my messenger to Shumbha and Nishumbha.

Verse 25

ब्रूहि शुम्भं निशुम्भं च दानवावतिगर्वितौ ।
ये चान्ये दानवास्तत्र युद्धाय समुपस्थिताः ॥

Speak to Shumbha and Nishumbha, those two very arrogant danavas, and to the other danavas gathered there for battle.

Verse 26

त्रैलोक्यमिन्द्रो लभतां देवाः सन्तु हविर्भुजः ।
यूयं प्रयात पातालं यदि जीवितुमिच्छथ ॥

Say: Let Indra have the three worlds, and let the gods again enjoy the sacrificial offerings. If you wish to live, go down to Patala.

Verse 27

बलावलेपादथ चेद्भवन्तो युद्धकाङ्क्षिणः ।
तदागच्छत तृप्यन्तु मच्छिवाः पिशितेन वः ॥

But if, proud of your strength, you long for battle, then come, and let my jackals be sated with your flesh.

Verse 28

यतो नियुक्तो दौत्येन तथा देव्या शिवः स्वयम् ।
शिवदूतीति लोकेऽस्मिंस्ततः सा ख्यातिमागता ॥

Because the Goddess appointed Shiva himself as her messenger, she became known in this world as Shivaduti.

Verse 29

तेऽपि श्रुत्वा वचो देव्याः शर्वाख्यातं महासुराः ।
अमर्षापूरिता जग्मुर्यत्र कात्यायनी स्थिता ॥

The great asuras, hearing the Goddess's words as Shiva delivered them, were filled with rage and went to where Katyayani stood.

Verse 30

ततः प्रथममेवाग्रे शरशक्त्यृष्टिवृष्टिभिः ।
ववर्षुरुद्धतामर्षास्तां देवीममरारयः ॥

Then, at the very start, the enemies of the gods, swollen with fury, rained arrows, spears and lances upon the Goddess.

Verse 31

सा च तान् प्रहितान् बाणाञ्छूलशक्तिपरश्वधान् ।
चिच्छेद लीलयाऽऽध्मातधनुर्मुक्तैर्महेषुभिः ॥

With great arrows shot from her twanging bow she cut down, as if in play, the arrows, tridents, spears and axes they had hurled.

Verse 32

तस्याग्रतस्तथा काली शूलपातविदारितान् ।
खट्वाङ्गपोथितांश्चारीन् कुर्वती व्यचरत्तदा ॥

Then Kali ranged in front of her, tearing the enemies apart with blows of her spear and crushing them with her skull-topped staff.

Verse 33

कमण्डलुजलाक्षेपहतवीर्यान् हतौजसः ।
ब्रह्माणी चाकरोच्छत्रून् येन येन स्म धावति ॥

Wherever Brahmani ran, she sprinkled water from her water pot and left the enemies drained of valour and vigour.

Verse 34

माहेश्वरी त्रिशूलेन तथा चक्रेण वैष्णवी ।
दैत्याञ्जघान कौमारी तथा शक्त्यातिकोपना ॥

Maheshvari slew the daityas with her trident, Vaishnavi with her discus, and Kaumari, very wrathful, with her spear.

Verse 35

ऐन्द्रीकुलिशपातेन शतशो दैत्यदानवाः ।
पेतुर्विदारिताः पृथ्व्यां रुधिरौघप्रवर्षिणः ॥

Torn open by the strokes of Aindri's thunderbolt, daityas and danavas fell to the earth by hundreds, pouring streams of blood.

Verse 36

तुण्डप्रहारविध्वस्ता दंष्ट्राग्रक्षतवक्षसः ।
वाराहमूर्त्या न्यपतंश्चक्रेण च विदारिताः ॥

Shattered by blows of her snout, their chests wounded by her tusk tips and torn by her discus, they fell before the one in boar form.

Verse 37

नखैर्विदारितांश्चान्यान् भक्षयन्ती महासुरान् ।
नारसिंही चचाराजौ नादापूर्णदिगम्बरा ॥

Narasimhi roamed the battlefield devouring other great asuras torn apart by her claws, filling the quarters and the sky with her roars.

Verse 38

चण्डाट्टहासैरसुराः शिवदूत्यभिदूषिताः ।
पेतुः पृथिव्यां पतितांस्तांश्चखादाथ सा तदा ॥

Struck down by the fierce loud laughter of Shivaduti, asuras fell to the ground, and she then devoured those who had fallen.

Verse 39

इति मातृगणं क्रुद्धं मर्दयन्तं महासुरान् ।
दृष्ट्वाभ्युपायैर्विविधैर्नेशुर्देवारिसैनिकाः ॥

Seeing the angry band of Mothers crushing the great asuras by many means, the soldiers of the gods' enemies fled.

Verse 40

पलायनपरान् दृष्ट्वा दैत्यान् मातृगणार्दितान् ।
योद्धुमभ्याययौ क्रुद्धो रक्तबीजो महासुरः ॥

Seeing the daityas, harassed by the Mothers, bent on flight, the great asura Raktabija came forward in anger to fight.

Verse 41

रक्तबिन्दुर्यदा भूमौ पतत्यस्य शरीरतः ।
समुत्पतति मेदिन्यां तत्प्रमाणस्तदासुरः ॥

Whenever a drop of blood fell from his body to the ground, an asura of his own size sprang up from the earth.

Verse 42

युयुधे स गदापाणिरिन्द्रशक्त्या महासुरः ।
ततश्चैन्द्री स्ववज्रेण रक्तबीजमताडयत् ॥

Mace in hand, the great asura fought with Indra's shakti, and Aindri struck Raktabija with her thunderbolt.

Verse 43

कुलिशेनाहतस्याशु बहु सुस्राव शोणितम् ।
समुत्तस्थुस्ततो योधास्तद्रूपास्तत्पराक्रमाः ॥

Struck by the thunderbolt, he quickly shed much blood, and from it rose warriors of his form and his prowess.

Verse 44

यावन्तः पतितास्तस्य शरीराद्रक्तबिन्दवः ।
तावन्तः पुरुषा जातास्तद्वीर्यबलविक्रमाः ॥

As many drops of blood as fell from his body, so many men were born, with his valour, strength and might.

Verse 45

ते चापि युयुधुस्तत्र पुरुषा रक्तसम्भवाः ।
समं मातृभिरत्युग्रशस्त्रपातातिभीषणम् ॥

Those men born of the blood also fought there with the Mothers, a most terrible fight of fierce weapon strokes.

Verse 46

पुनश्च वज्रपातेन क्षतमस्य शिरो यदा ।
ववाह रक्तं पुरुषास्ततो जाताः सहस्रशः ॥

When his head was wounded again by a stroke of the thunderbolt, blood flowed, and from it men were born by thousands.

Verse 47

वैष्णवी समरे चैनं चक्रेणाभिजघान ह ।
गदया ताडयामास ऐन्द्री तमसुरेश्वरम् ॥

In the battle Vaishnavi struck him with her discus, and Aindri beat that lord of asuras with a mace.

Verse 48

वैष्णवीचक्रभिन्नस्य रुधिरस्रावसम्भवैः ।
सहस्रशो जगद्व्याप्तं तत्प्रमाणैर्महासुरैः ॥

The world was filled by thousands of great asuras his size, born from the blood that flowed when Vaishnavi's discus cut him.

Verse 49

शक्त्या जघान कौमारी वाराही च तथासिना ।
माहेश्वरी त्रिशूलेन रक्तबीजं महासुरम् ॥

Kaumari struck the great asura Raktabija with her spear, Varahi with her sword, and Maheshvari with her trident.

Verse 50

स चापि गदया दैत्यः सर्वा एवाहनत् पृथक् ।
मातॄः कोपसमाविष्टो रक्तबीजो महासुरः ॥

And the daitya Raktabija, the great asura, filled with rage, struck each of the Mothers in turn with his mace.

Verse 51

तस्याहतस्य बहुधा शक्तिशूलादिभिर्भुवि ।
पपात यो वै रक्तौघस्तेनासञ्छतशोऽसुराः ॥

From the stream of blood that fell to the ground as he was struck again and again by spears, tridents and other weapons, asuras arose by hundreds.

Verse 52

तैश्चासुरासृक्सम्भूतैरसुरैः सकलं जगत् ।
व्याप्तमासीत्ततो देवा भयमाजग्मुरुत्तमम् ॥

The whole world was filled with those asuras born of the asura's blood, and the gods fell into the greatest fear.

Verse 53

तान् विषण्णान् सुरान् दृष्ट्वा चण्डिका प्राह सत्वरा ।
उवाच कालीं चामुण्डे विस्तीर्णं वदनं कुरु ॥

Seeing the gods dejected, Chandika spoke quickly to Kali: Chamunda, open your mouth wide.

Verse 54

मच्छस्त्रपातसम्भूतान् रक्तबिन्दून्महासुरान् ।
रक्तबिन्दोः प्रतीच्छ त्वं वक्त्रेणानेन वेगिना ॥

With this swift mouth of yours, take in the drops of blood shed by the strokes of my weapons, and the great asuras born from those drops.

Verse 55

भक्षयन्ती चर रणे तदुत्पन्नान्महासुरान् ।
एवमेष क्षयं दैत्यः क्षीणरक्तो गमिष्यति ॥

Range over the battlefield devouring the great asuras born from it. In this way the daitya, drained of blood, will perish.

Verse 56

भक्ष्यमाणास्त्वया चोग्रा न चोत्पत्स्यन्ति चापरे ।
इत्युक्त्वा तां ततो देवी शूलेनाभिजघान तम् ॥

As you devour these fierce ones, no others will be born. Having said this to her, the Goddess struck him with her spear.

Verse 57

मुखेन काली जगृहे रक्तबीजस्य शोणितम् ।
ततोऽसावाजघानाथ गदया तत्र चण्डिकाम् ॥

Kali caught Raktabija's blood in her mouth. Then he struck Chandika there with his mace.

Verse 58

न चास्या वेदनां चक्रे गदापातोऽल्पिकामपि ।
तस्याहतस्य देहात्तु बहु सुस्राव शोणितम् ॥

The blow of the mace did not cause her even the slightest pain. Much blood flowed from his wounded body.

Verse 59

यतस्ततस्तद्वक्त्रेण चामुण्डा सम्प्रतीच्छति ।
मुखे समुद्गता येऽस्या रक्तपातान् महासुराः ॥

Wherever it flowed, Chamunda took it into her mouth. The great asuras that sprang up in her mouth from the falling blood...

Verse 60

तांश्चखादाथ चामुण्डा पपौ तस्य च शोणितम् ।
देवी शूलेन वज्रेण बाणैरसिभिर्ऋष्टिभिः ॥

...Chamunda devoured, and she drank his blood. The Goddess, with spear, thunderbolt, arrows, swords and lances...

Verse 61

जघान रक्तबीजं तं चामुण्डापीतशोणितम् ।
स पपात महीपृष्ठे शस्त्रसङ्घसमाहतः ॥

...struck down Raktabija, whose blood Chamunda had drunk. Smitten by the mass of weapons, he fell on the face of the earth...

Verse 62

नीरक्तश्च महीपाल रक्तबीजो महासुरः ।
ततस्ते हर्षमतुलमवापुस्त्रिदशा नृप ॥

...the great asura Raktabija, O protector of the earth, drained of blood. Then, O king, the gods attained boundless joy.

Verse 63

तेषां मातृगणो जातो ननर्तासृङ्मदोद्धतः ॥

The band of Mothers born from them danced, wild with the intoxication of blood.

The syllable people get wrong

In verse 53, cāmuṇḍe (चामुण्डे), the name spoken to Kali, has a long ā and a ṇḍ struck from the roof of the mouth with the tongue tip flipped backward: say chaa-MUN-day, with a hard, curled d, not 'cha-moon-dee'.

When the Durga Saptashati Chapter 8 is chanted

Weekday. Friday

Festival. Navaratri, as the last chapter of the fourth day's reading

Questions

Verses 15 to 21 name them as the powers of the gods, each a copy of her god: Brahmani on a swan chariot with rosary and water pot, Maheshvari on a bull with trident and serpent bracelets, Kaumari on a peacock with a spear, Vaishnavi on Garuda with conch, discus, mace, bow and sword, Varahi in the body of a sow, Narasimhi tossing the stars aside with her mane, and Aindri on an elephant with a thousand eyes. Varahi and Narasimhi are both shaktis of Vishnu, in his boar and man-lion forms. Kali and Shivaduti fight beside the seven, but they come from the Goddess herself, not from a god. Temple sculpture usually sets Chamunda in place of Narasimhi in its row of seven, and in Nepal eight Mothers are worshipped.

Shivaduti means 'she whose messenger is Shiva'. In verse 22 Shiva, ringed by the Mothers, asks Chandika to destroy the asuras quickly. A fierce shakti then comes out of her own body, howling like a hundred jackals, and in verse 24 sends Shiva himself, described there with smoke-coloured matted hair, as her envoy to Shumbha and Nishumbha. The message, verses 26 and 27, is short: give the three worlds back to Indra and go down to Patala, or come and fight and feed my jackals. The chapter plays on the word: shiva is the god, shiva also a jackal. Verse 28 says this is why she became known as Shivaduti.

Because every weapon used on Raktabija has only made more of him. In verse 53, seeing the gods despair, Chandika names Kali Chamunda, the name she won in chapter 7, and tells her to widen her mouth. Verses 54 to 56 give the plan: Kali is to catch the drops that the Goddess's blows release, devour the asuras already born from them and roam the field doing so, and then, drained of blood, he will perish and no others will arise. Verses 57 to 60 carry it out exactly, down to the asuras that spring up inside Chamunda's mouth and are eaten there. Only in verse 61, when Raktabija's blood is gone, does the Goddess's volley of weapons kill him.

The dhyana, opening 'om arunam karunatarangitakshim', asks the reader to picture Bhavani, the wife of Bhava, a name of Shiva, as red in colour, her eyes rippling with waves of compassion. In her hands she holds a noose, a goad, arrows and a bow. Around her shine rays that are the powers 'beginning with Anima', the yogic attainments of which Anima, the power to become as small as an atom, is the first. Its last words, 'aham ityeva vibhavaye', mean 'I contemplate her as my very self'. The gentle face of this verse stands beside a chapter that ends in verse 63 with the Mothers dancing, drunk on blood.

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Durga Saptashati Chapter 8

What the Durga Saptashati Chapter 8 is

A demon who multiplies with every drop he sheds

The mantra, in six scripts

Durga Saptashati Chapter 8 lyrics in full

The syllable people get wrong

When the Durga Saptashati Chapter 8 is chanted

Questions

Have your chart read before you decide

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