📖 Markandeya Purana — Durga Saptashati
Verse 1
देव्युवाच ।
ब्रूहि दूत महादैत्यः कोऽयं शुम्भो निशुम्भश्च ।
किमर्थं देवदेशे ऽस्मिन् युयुत्सुर्जातवेगवान् ॥
Devyuvacha |
Bruhi duta mahadaityah ko ayam shumbho nishumbhashcha |
Kimartham devadehe asmin yuyutsurjatavegavan ||
महादैत्यः
the great demon
शुम्भः निशुम्भः
Shumbha and Nishumbha
किमर्थम्
for what purpose
युयुत्सुः
one eager for battle
The Devi asked the messenger calmly: O messenger, who are these — Shumbha and Nishumbha? What brings them here, so eager for battle?
Verse 2
दूत उवाच ।
शुम्भो ऽसुरेन्द्रो बलवान् महाबलः ।
त्वाम् इच्छति महाभागे स्वभार्यात्वेन भामिनि ॥
Duta uvacha |
Shumbho asurendo balavan mahabalah |
Tvam ichchhati mahabhage svabharyatvena bhamini ||
दूत उवाच
the messenger spoke
शुम्भः असुरेन्द्रः
Shumbha, lord of the asuras
बलवान् महाबलः
immensely powerful
त्वाम् इच्छति
desires you
महाभागे भामिनि
O fortunate and radiant one
The messenger replied: Shumbha, the mighty king of the asuras, desires you as his consort, O radiant one.
Verse 3
देव्युवाच ।
सत्यमुक्तं त्वया नाऽत्र मिथ्या किञ्चिद् वचस्त्वया ।
शुम्भो बली निशुम्भश्च किं सत्यं तद् भवेन्मम ॥
Devyuvacha |
Satyamuktam tvaya natra mithya kinchid vacastvaya |
Shumbho bali nishumbhashcha kim satyam tad bhavenma mama ||
सत्यमुक्तम्
you have spoken the truth
शुम्भः बली
Shumbha is powerful
किं सत्यम्
but this too is true
The Devi replied: you speak the truth. Shumbha is powerful, yes. But I too have made a vow.
Verse 4
यो मां जयति संग्रामे यो मे दर्पं व्यपोहति ।
यो मे प्रतिबलो लोके स मे भर्ता भविष्यति ॥
Yo mam jayati sangrame yo me darpam vyapohati |
Yo me pratibalo loke sa me bharta bhavishyati ||
यः मां जयति
whoever defeats me
मे दर्पम् व्यपोहति
overcomes my pride
प्रतिबलः
equal in strength to me
मे भर्ता भविष्यति
he alone shall be my lord
The Devi declared her vow: whoever defeats me in battle, whoever is truly my equal in strength — only that one can claim to be my lord. Let Shumbha come and try.
Verse 5
तच्छ्रुत्वा दूतवचनं क्रुद्धः शुम्भो महासुरः ।
प्रेषयामास धूम्रलोचनं दैत्यपुंगवम् ॥
Tachchhrutva dutavachanam kruddhah shumbho mahasura |
Preshayamasa dhumralocanam daityapungavam ||
क्रुद्धः शुम्भः
the enraged Shumbha
धूम्रलोचनम्
the demon Dhumralochana
दैत्यपुंगवम्
chief among the demons
Hearing the Devi's answer, Shumbha grew furious. He dispatched Dhumralochana — one of his most powerful commanders — to bring her by force.
Verse 6
देव्युवाच ।
एवमेतद् बलिष्ठो ऽसौ किं तु मां युद्धमाह्वय ।
तन्निवार्यमिदं कर्म तव दूत ममोत्तमम् ॥
Devyuvacha |
Evametad balishtho asau kintu mam yuddhamahvaya |
Tannivaryamidam karma tava duta mamottamam ||
बलिष्ठः असौ
he is powerful
मां युद्धम् आह्वय
let him challenge me to battle
तन्निवार्यम्
this is the proper course
ममोत्तमम्
this is my firm word
The Devi told the messenger plainly: if Shumbha is so powerful, let him come and face me in battle. That is my condition — and it stands.
Verse 7
इत्युक्त्वा सा जगन्माता हास्यपूर्णमुखाम्बुजा ।
दूतो गत्वा तु शुम्भाय वचनं प्राह तद्वचः ॥
Ityuktva sa jaganmata hasyapurnamukhambiuja |
Duto gatva tu shumbhaya vachanam praha tadvachah ||
जगन्माता
the Mother of the world
हास्यपूर्णमुखाम्बुजा
her lotus face full of a quiet smile
दूतः गत्वा
the messenger went back
शुम्भाय वचनम् प्राह
and reported her words to Shumbha
The Mother of the world spoke — and smiled. The messenger returned and reported her words to Shumbha exactly.
Verse 8
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं देव्याः शुम्भः क्रोधमुपागमत् ।
न्यायतो न हि देव्येयं वशगा भविता मम ॥
Tachchhrutva vachanam devyah shumbhah krodhamupagamat |
Nyayato na hi devyeyam vashaga bhavita mama ||
देव्याः वचनम् श्रुत्वा
hearing the Devi's words
क्रोधम् उपागमत्
was seized with anger
न्यायतः
by the terms she has set
वशगा न भविता
she will not submit willingly
Shumbha heard the Devi's words and his anger flared. He understood now: she would not come without a fight.
References
According to the Markandeya Purana, the fifth chapter is a dialogue between the Devi and Shumbha's messenger. Shumbha wished to make the Devi his consort. She answered with her vow: only one who defeats her in battle can make any claim on her.
This exchange reveals the Devi's fearlessness and the terms she sets. Rather than accept her challenge, Shumbha sends Dhumralochana — who is defeated in the next chapter.
Durga Saptashati · 5 / 13