📖 Markandeya Purana — Durga Saptashati
Verse 1
ततः क्रुद्धो महिषासुरो गत्वा देवीसमीपतः ।
महिषीं रूपमास्थाय तां ययौ स मृत्युसन्निभः ॥
Tatah kruddho Mahishasuro gatva devisamipatah |
Mahishim rupam asthaya tam yayau sa mrityusannibhah ||
क्रुद्धः महिषासुरः
the enraged Mahishasura
देवीसमीपतः
toward the Devi
महिषीं रूपम् आस्थाय
taking the form of a buffalo
मृत्युसन्निभः
resembling death itself
According to the Markandeya Purana, Mahishasura — enraged by the defeat of his army — charged toward the Devi in the form of a fearsome buffalo, death-like in his menace.
Verse 2
देवी तु तस्य पाशेन बद्ध्वा तं महिषासुरम् ।
गर्जन्तं स्वपदाक्रान्तं खड्गेनाताडयत् तदा ॥
Devi tu tasya pashena baddva tam Mahishasuram |
Garjantam svapadakrantam khadgena atatadayat tada ||
पाशेन बद्ध्वा
binding with her noose
स्वपदाक्रान्तम्
pinned under her foot
खड्गेन आताडयत्
struck with her sword
The Devi bound Mahishasura with her noose, pinned him under her foot as he roared, and struck him with her sword. Each time he changed form, her power matched and exceeded his.
Verse 3
स तत्याज महिषं रूपं देव्याः शक्त्या प्रभाविताम् ।
अथ सिंहभवद्रूपं पुनश्चक्रे महासुरः ॥
Sa tatyaja mahisham rupam devyah shakтya prabhavitam |
Atha simhabhavadrupam punashchakre mahasuras ||
महिषं रूपम् तत्याज
abandoned the buffalo form
देव्याः शक्त्या प्रभाविताम्
overwhelmed by the Devi's power
सिंहभवद्रूपम्
a lion's form
Overwhelmed by the Devi's power, Mahishasura abandoned the buffalo form and became a lion — but the Devi's radiance was inexhaustible. Every form he tried, she was already beyond it.
Verse 4
नानारूपाणि दत्त्वाऽसौ देव्या शक्त्यभिभूयत ।
तेनैव तु पुरुषस्तत्र देवीं संप्राप्य योत्स्यते ॥
Nanarupani dattva asau devya shaktyabhibhuyata |
Tenaiva tu purushah tatra devim samprapya yotsyate ||
नानारूपाणि दत्त्वा
taking on many forms
देव्याः शक्त्या अभिभूयत
was defeated by the Devi's power
Buffalo, lion, human — Mahishasura shifted through many forms trying to evade her. Each time, the Devi's shakti overcame him completely. No disguise could shelter him from her.
Verse 5
ततो देवी त्रिशूलेन जघान च महासुरम् ।
स पपात धरां तेन चाल्यमानो महाहवे ॥
Tato devi trishulena jaghana cha mahasuram |
Sa papata dharam tena chalymano mahawave ||
त्रिशूलेन जघान
struck with her trident
पपात धराम्
fell to the earth
महाहवे
in this great battle
At last the Devi struck with her trident. Mahishasura fell to the earth. The long battle was over. The one who had cast the devas from heaven lay vanquished.
Verse 6
देवाः स्तोत्रैः स्तवनं चक्रुर्देव्याः प्रसन्नचेतसः ।
जयेति जयशब्दाश्च नभो ऽऽपूरयन् दिशः ॥
Devah stotраih stavanam chakurdevyah prasannachetasah |
Jayeti jayashabdashcha nabho apurayan dishah ||
देवाः स्तोत्रैः
the devas with hymns of praise
स्तवनं चक्रुः
offered their praise
प्रसन्नचेतसः
with joyful hearts
जयशब्दाः
cries of victory
नभः आपूरयन्
filled the sky
With joyful hearts, the devas offered their praises to the Devi. Cries of victory — Jay! Jay! — rang out and filled the sky in every direction.
Verse 7
सिंहनादो ऽभवत् तस्या देव्याः प्रचण्डनिस्स्वनः ।
तेन पूरयामास नभो महीं च सर्वदिशः ॥
Simhanado abhavat tasya devyah prachandanihssvanah |
Tena purayamasa nabho mahim cha sarvadishah ||
प्रचण्डनिःस्वनः
of tremendous, thundering sound
पूरयामास
filled completely
नभः महीम् सर्वदिशः
the sky, the earth, and all directions
The Devi's lion's roar — tremendous and far-reaching — filled the sky, the earth, and every direction. All the worlds rang with it. Joy spread everywhere.
Verse 8
एतत् ते कथितं भूप देवीमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् ।
एवंभूता देवी शत्रूनपि युद्धे निहन्ति वै ॥
Etat te kathitam bhupa devimahAtmyam uttamam |
Evambhuta devi shatrunapi yuddhe nihanti vai ||
एतत् कथितम्
this story has been told
देवीमाहात्म्यम् उत्तमम्
the supreme glory of the Devi
एवंभूता देवी
such is the Devi
शत्रून् निहन्ति
she removes all obstacles
The sage says: O king, this is the supreme glory of the Devi. Such is she — the one who removes every obstacle for those who turn to her.
References
According to the Markandeya Purana, the third chapter is the full story of Mahishasura's defeat. He took form after form — buffalo, lion, human — but the Devi's power exceeded all of them. Finally, her trident brought him down.
It is because of this great victory that the Devi is known as Mahishasuramardini — she who vanquished Mahishasura. The devas filled the sky with her praises.
Durga Saptashati · 3 / 13