📖 Markandeya Purana — Durga Saptashati
Verse 1
शुम्भ उवाच ।
गच्छ धूम्रलोचनाशु त्वं देवीं आनय सत्वरम् ।
बलात् प्रगृह्य केशेषु आनयस्व मदान्तिकम् ॥
Shumbha uvacha |
Gachchha dhumralochana ashu tvam devim anaya satvaram |
Balat pragrhya kesheshu anayasva madantikam ||
धूम्रलोचन
O Dhumralochana
देवीम् आनय
bring the Devi
बलात् प्रगृह्य
seizing by force
मदान्तिकम्
to my presence
Shumbha commanded Dhumralochana: go quickly. Bring the Devi to me by force if necessary.
Verse 2
स तथेत्युक्त्वा दैत्येन्द्रं प्रयातो बलसंयुतः ।
देवीं हिमवतः पार्श्वे ददर्श सुरसत्तमाम् ॥
Sa tathityuktva daityendram prayato balasanyutah |
Devim himvatah parshe dadarsha surasattamam ||
तथेति उक्त्वा
saying 'so be it'
प्रयातः बलसंयुतः
set out with his army
हिमवतः पार्श्वे
in the Himalayan forests
सुरसत्तमाम्
the most exalted of the divine
Dhumralochana agreed and marched out with his forces. He found the Devi in the forests of the Himalayas.
Verse 3
देव्युवाच ।
किमर्थमागतो दूत दैत्येन्द्रेण प्रेरितः ।
ब्रूहि सत्यं त्वमेवाद्य को ऽयं शुम्भः किमात्मकः ॥
Devyuvacha |
Kimartham agato duta daityendrena preritah |
Bruhi satyam tvamevadya ko ayam shumbhah kimatmakah ||
किमर्थम् आगतः
for what purpose have you come
दैत्येन्द्रेण प्रेरितः
sent by the lord of demons
सत्यं ब्रूहि
speak the truth
कः अयं शुम्भः
who is this Shumbha
The Devi asked Dhumralochana: O messenger, what is your purpose? Speak truthfully — who is this Shumbha and why has he sent you?
Verse 4
धूम्रलोचन उवाच ।
आगच्छ शुम्भस्य गृहं मत्तेभगामिनि ।
अन्यथा बलमाहृत्य नेष्यामि त्वां महाभुज ॥
Dhumralochana uvacha |
Agachchha shumbhasya griham mattebhagamini |
Anyatha balamahritya neshyami tvam mahabhuja ||
शुम्भस्य गृहम्
to Shumbha's palace
मत्तेभगामिनि
O one who moves like a proud elephant
Dhumralochana said: come with me to Shumbha's palace. If you refuse, I will take you by force.
Verse 5
देव्युवाच ।
दैत्येन्द्रेण प्रहितो ऽसि बलवान् दानवः स्वयम् ।
बलेन यदि मां नेतुमुत्सहसे तदा कुरु ॥
Devyuvacha |
Daityendrena prahito asi balavan danavah svayam |
Balena yadi mam netumуtsahase tada kuru ||
दैत्येन्द्रेण प्रहितः
sent by the lord of demons
बलवान् दानवः
a powerful demon
नेतुम् उत्सहसे
you are capable of taking me
The Devi replied with complete calm: you are powerful. If you believe you can take me by force — go ahead and try.
Verse 6
इत्युक्तः स तु देव्या वै हुंकारेणैव चण्डिका ।
भस्मसात् कृतवान् धूम्रलोचनो महासुरम् ॥
Ityuktah sa tu devya vai humkarenaiva Chandika |
Bhamsasat kritavan dhumralochano mahasuram ||
हुंकारेण
with a single fierce exclamation
भस्मसात् कृतवान्
reduced to ash
धूम्रलोचनः महासुरः
the great demon Dhumralochana
With a single fierce exclamation — just one sound — Devi Chandika reduced Dhumralochana to ash.
Verse 7
हताश्च तद्बलाश्चैव सिंहनादेन चण्डिकाः ।
जगुः स्तोत्रं महादेव्या देवाः सर्वे महर्षयः ॥
Hatashcha tadbhalashchaiva simhanadena Chandikah |
Jaguh stotram mahadevya devah sarve maharshayah ||
हताः तद्बलाः
his army too was routed
सिंहनादेन चण्डिका
by Chandika's lion-roar
जगुः स्तोत्रम्
sang praises
Dhumralochana's army was also scattered by Chandika's lion-roar. The devas and the great sages broke into praises of the Devi.
Verse 8
शुम्भो ऽपि तत् प्राप्य परां विषादमासादितः क्रुद्धः ।
प्रेषयामास चण्डं च मुण्डं सेनापती तदा ॥
Shumbho api tat prapya param vishadamasaditah kruddhah |
Preshayamasa chandam cha mundam senapati tada ||
परां विषादम्
deep distress
चण्डम् च मुण्डम्
Chanda and Munda
When the news reached Shumbha, he was seized with grief and rage. He sent his two commanders — Chanda and Munda — to deal with the Devi.
References
According to the Markandeya Purana, the sixth chapter tells the story of Dhumralochana's defeat. On Shumbha's orders, Dhumralochana marched with an army to capture the Devi. Chandika destroyed him with a single fierce exclamation.
This chapter shows the Devi's effortless power. A single sound was enough. After this, Shumbha sent Chanda and Munda — who are defeated in the next chapter.
Durga Saptashati · 6 / 13