Devi Mahatmyam

Sri Devi Mahatmyam
Madhyama Charitham
(Middle part)
Chapter 2: Killing of the armies of Mahishasura.

16.  Thasyasthu Dantha sambhootha prajapathyena thejasa,

       Nayanathritayam jakjne thadha pavaka thejasa.

 Her teeth were made with the power of Prajapathis like Daksha and her three eyes from the power of God of fire.

17.  Broovou cha sandyoyostheja sravana vanilasya cha,

       Anyeshaam chaiva devanaam sambhavasthejasam shiva.

 From the power of dawn and dusk were made her eye brows, from the power of God of wind her ears and then power from all other Devas became one and she was formed.

18.  Thatha samastha devaanaam thejo rasi samud bhavam,

       Thaam vilokhya mudham prapuramara mahishardhitha.

 All devas who were troubled by Mahishasura became happy seeing that Devi (Goddess) who was formed out of the powers of all devas.

19.  Soolam sooladhwinishkrushya dhadhou thasyai pinaka druk,

       Chakram cha Dhathawan Krushna samudpatya swachakratham.

 Lord Shiva took the power of trident and gave it to her and Similarly Lord Vishnu took the power of his holy wheel and mace and gave it to her.

(“Chakram cha” meaning “also holy wheel” has been interpreted as Holy wheel and mace, because she holds the mace in one of her eighteen hands).

20.  Sankham cha Varuna, shakthim dadhou tasyai huthasana,

       Maarutho dathavamschapam banapurne thadheshudhi.

Varuna (God of rain) gave her the Conch, fire god Spear, and the God of wind the quiver full (inexhaustible) of many arrows.

 (to be contd…..)

Devi Mahatmyam

Sri Devi Mahatmyam
Madhyama Charitham
(Middle part)
Chapter 2: Killing of the armies of Mahishasura.

11.  Athheevathejasa kutam jwalanthamiva parvatham,

       Dhadrususthe surasthathra jwala vyaptha digantharam.

 Those devas saw that very powerful fireball which was lighting all directions with its great flame and found it similar to a shining mountain.

12.  Athulam thathra thatheja sarva deva sareerajam,

       Ekastham thada bhoonari vyaptha lokathrayam twisha.

 In that assembly of devas, that incomparable flame which emerged from the bodies of all devas including Vishnu became one and took the form of a lady whose power was shining in all the three worlds.

13.  Yadabhooschambhavam thejasthena jayatha thanmkham,

       Yamyena chabhavan kesa bahavo Vishnu thejasa.

 From the power of Lord Shiva the face of Goddess was formed, from that of Yama her hair was formed and from that Vishnu her hands were formed.

(Her face was white because Shiva was white her hair black because Yama was black and her eighteen hands were blue because Vishnu was blue. )

14.  Sowmyenas thanyor yugmam, madhyamaindrena cha bhavat,

       vaarunena cha jangoru nithamba sthejasa buva.

From the power of moon her two busts were made, from the power of Indra her middle part, from the power of Varuna her calfs and thighs and from the power of earth her behind.

(Her busts were white because it was from moon, and her middle part was red because it was from Indra)

15.  Brahmana thejasa padhou thadangulyo arka thejasa,

       Vasoonaam cha karangulyai koubherana cha nasika.

 Her feet were made by the power from Brahma, her toes from the power of Sun, from the Ashta Vasus her fingers and from the power of Kubhera her nose were made.

(Her feet were red because they were made with the power of Brahma)

(to be contd…..)

Happy Deepavali

Devi Mahatmyam

Sri Devi Mahatmyam
Madhyama Charitham
(Middle part)

Chapter 2: Killing of the armies of Mahishasura.

6.    Swarga nirakrutha sarve thena devagana bhuvi,

       Vicharanthi yadha marthya mahishena durathmana.

Driven out from heaven by the bad soul Mahishasura all groups of Devas are traveling in the earth like human beings.

7.    Ethadwa kaditham sarva amarari cheshtitham,

       Saranam cha prapanna smo vadha sthasya vichinthyathaam.

We have told you all actions of Mahishasura and have sought your refuge. Please think about how he can be killed.

8.    Iththam nisamya devaanaam vachamsi Madu soodhana,

       Chakara kopam sambhooscha brukuti kuti lalanou.

Thus hearing the words of the devas, Lord Vishnu and lord Shiva, with a face with eyebrows curved, became very angry.

9.    Thatho kopa poor nasya chakrino vadanasthada,

       Nischakrama mahathejo brahmana sankarasya cha.

Then from the very angry and broad face of Vishnu and the faces of Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma, one lustrous power arose.

10.  Anwesham chaiva devanam sakradheenam sareeratha,

       Nirgatham samuhatheja thachaikyam samagachatha.

From the bodies of all devas including Indra very large lustrous power arose and became united with this power.

(to be contd…..)

Devi Mahatmyam

Sri Devi Mahatmyam

Madhyama Charitham

(Middle part)

Chapter 2: Killing of the armies of Mahishasura.

Rishir Uvacha:-

Devasuramabhoodhyudham poornama sabdhasatham pura,

Mahishe asuranamadhipe devanam cha purandare

The sage told:-

Long long ago when Indra was the king of devas and Mahisha was the king of asuras, a hundred year was fought between devas and asuras.

(Mahishmati was the wife of an Asura called Vipra chithi. She terrorized the sage Sindhu Deepa taking the form of a buffalo. He cursed her to really become a buffalo. She drank the semen of sage Sindhu Deepa and gave birth to Mahishasura. The place where Mahishasura ruled in the olden days was called Mahishur and is the present Mysore in the city in the Karnataka State of India. )

2. Thathrasurai Maha Veeryair deva sainyam parajitham,

Jithwa sakalan devan indroabhoon Mahishasura.

In that war the army of devas was defeated by the very valorous army of Asuras and after winning all devas Mahishasura became Indra (king of Devas)

3. Thatha parajithaa deva padmayonim prajapathim,

Puraskruthya gathasthathra yathresa garuda dwaja.

Afterwards the defeated Devas went to the place where Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are there with Brahma who was born out of the lotus as their leader.

4. Yada vrutham thayosthadwan Mahishasura Cheshtitham,

Tridasa kadayamasu r devabhi bhava vistharam.

Devas went to them and related to them about the action of Mahishasura and their great defeat truly as it happened.

5. Suryendragnya Neelendunaam yamasya varunasya cha,

Anwesham cha adhikaraan swaya mevadhi thisthati.

That Mahishasura has usurped the powers of Sun, Indra, Fire, wind god, and moon and using their powers.

(to be contd…..)

Devi Mahatmyam

Sri Devi Mahatmyam
Prathama Charitham
(First Part)
Pradhmao adhyaya: Madhu Kaidaba Vadha Varnanam
Chapter 1: Description of Killing of Madhu and Kaidabha.

76.  Rishir Uvacha:-

Vanchithabhyamithi thada sarvamapomayam Jagath,

Vilokya thabhyam gadhitho Bhagwan Kamalekshana.

Avaam jahi na ya throrvi salilena pariplutha.

The sage told:-

Thus deceived by Lord Vishnu who had lotus eyes and seeing that the whole world was full of water, they requested him to kill them in a place on earth, which was free of water.

77.  Thadethyukthyo bhagawatha sanka chakra gadhabrudha,

Kruthva chakrena vay chinne jagane sirasi thayo.

He told, “let it be like that” and their heads were kept on his lap and were cut by the holy wheel by the Lord who carries a conch, holy wheel and mace.

(There is a story that Lord Vishnu created the earth out of the fat (Medhas) of Madhu and Kaidabha and that is why one of the synonyms of earth in Sanskrit is Medhas. There is also a story that Lord Vishnu did penance for the sin of killing Madhu and Kaidabha and consecrated two Shiva Lingas called Mahukeswara and Kaidabheswara in the shore of the river varadha. Please also note that sea water in deluge cannot raise above the feet of Lord Vishnu. )

78.  Evam esha samuthpanna brahmana samsthutha swayam,

Prabhavamasya devyasthu bhooya srunu vadhami they.

Thus this great enchantress rose up as a result of great prayer of Brahma. I would further tell you about the greatness of this Goddess.

Ithi Sree Markandeya purane Savarnike manwathare,

Devi Mahatmye Madhu Kaidabha Vadho Nama

Prathamodhyaya.

This is the first chapter in Devi Mahatmya dealing with the killing of Madhu and Kaidabha Occurring the Savarnika period of Markandeya Purana.

(to be contd…..)

Devi Mahatmyam

Sri Devi Mahatmyam
Prathama Charitham
(First Part)
Pradhmao adhyaya: Madhu Kaidaba Vadha Varnanam
Chapter 1: Description of Killing of Madhu and Kaidabha. 
71. Ekarnave ahisayanathatha thatha sa daruse cha thou,
Madhu kaidabhou durathmanava athi veerya parakramaou.

72. Krodha Raktha Kshanou hanthum brahmanam janithodhyamou.

Woken (Freed) by her that Lord of the Universe Vishnu got up from the bed of serpent floating on the unified sea. Afterwards he saw the very valorous and cruel brained Madhu and Kaidaba who were having very red eyes due to extreme anger and who were intent on killing Brahma.
(Though Devi as the great enchantress has externally baser qualities, in the inside she is filled with good qualities, She came out of Lord Vishnu with this external appearance of baser qualities. The Thanthric literature ascribes the killing of Madhu and Kaidabha to her instead of Vishnu. Since she had to do wrestling with these two Rakshasas,she took the form of Vishnu, according to them. )

73. Samuthaya thathasthabhyam yuyudhe bhagawan hari,
Pancha varsha sahasrani bahu praharano vibhu.

Afterwards that God Vishnu who was spread everywhere got up and fought using bare hands with Madhu and Kaidabha for five thousand years.
(They were not getting tired even after fighting 500 years because they had taken a boon that they will die only according to their own will. At the end Lord Vishnu offered them any boon that they want. -Some texts have two slokas carrying the above meaning)

74. Thavapyathi balonmathou maha maya vimohithou,
Ukthavanthou varosmatho vryathamithi kesavam.

Those very strong Madhu and Kaidabha loosing their senses (by not loosing the war) and being enchanted by the Goddess who was the great enchantress, told Vishnu that they both are offering him a boon.

75. Sri Baghwan Uvacha
Bhavethamadhya me thushtou mama vadhyavubhavapi,
Kimanyena varenathra ethavadhi vrutham maya

The great God told:-
If both of you are happy you should consent to be killed by me. What is the use of any other boon? I want only that boon.

(to be contd.....)