📖 Markandeya Purana — Durga Saptashati
Verse 1
चण्ड उवाच ।
अहो रूपमिदं दिव्यं एकाकिन्याः स्थितं वने ।
इयं शुम्भस्य भार्याऽऽस्तां मम वा बलशालिनः ॥
Chanda uvacha |
Aho rupam idam divyam ekakinyah sthitam vane |
Iyam shumbhasya bharyastam mama va balashlinah ||
अहो रूपम् इदम् दिव्यम्
what a divine form this is
शुम्भस्य भार्या
Shumbha's consort
बलशालिनः
the powerful one
Chanda saw the Devi and said to Munda: what a divine form she has — standing alone in the forest. Let us take her to Shumbha.
Verse 2
ततो ऽभ्यधावतां देव्यां चण्डो मुण्डश्च दानवौ ।
सशरासनसंयुक्तौ खड्गशक्तिधरौ तदा ॥
Tato abhyadhavatam devyam chando mundashcha danavau |
Sasharasanasanyuktau khadgashaktidharu tada ||
सशरासनसंयुक्तौ
with bows and arrows
खड्गशक्तिधरौ
bearing swords and spears
Chanda and Munda charged at the Devi, armed with bows, arrows, swords, and spears.
Verse 3
ततः कोपं चकारोच्चैः अम्बिका तानरीन् प्रति ।
तस्याश्चण्डाटहासभयंकरो वदनाद् बभूव ॥
Tatah kopam chakarochchaih Ambika tanarim prati |
Tasyashchandattahasabhayankaro vadanad babhуva ||
कोपम् चकार
was roused to fierce anger
चण्डाट्टहास
a terrible, roaring laugh
वदनात् बभूव
rose from her face
Mother Ambika's anger rose. A terrible roaring laugh broke from her face — and from that sound, something new was about to emerge.
Verse 4
काली करालवदना विनिष्क्रान्ता तदाम्बिकाः ।
खड्गमादाय पाशं च विचचार महाहवे ॥
Kali karalavadana vinishkranta tadambikah |
Khadgamadaya pasham cha vichachara mahahave ||
काली करालवदना
Kali — terrifying of face
अम्बिकाः
from Ambika's forehead
खड्गम् आदाय पाशम्
taking up sword and noose
विचचार महाहवे
moved through the battlefield
From Ambika's forehead, Kali emerged — terrifying of face, bearing a sword and noose, striding across the battlefield.
Verse 5
चण्डं गृहीत्वा केशेषु मुण्डं चापि महासुरम् ।
खड्गेन पातयामास तयोः शीर्षे महाहवे ॥
Chandam grhitva kesheshu mundam chapi mahasuram |
Khadgena patayamasa tayoh shirpe mahahave ||
चण्डम् गृहीत्वा केशेषु
seizing Chanda by the hair
खड्गेन पातयामास
struck down with her sword
तयोः शीर्षे
both their heads
Kali seized Chanda by the hair and Munda by the same — and brought both down with her sword. It was this act that gave her the name Chamunda.
Verse 6
चामुण्डेति ततो लोके ख्याता देवी भविष्यसि ।
चण्डमुण्डावनयोस्त्वया हतौ महासुरौ ॥
Chamundeti tato loke khyata devi bhavishyasi |
Chandamundavanayostvaya hatau mahasurau ||
लोके ख्याता
known throughout the world
चण्डमुण्डौ
Chanda and Munda
The Devi said to Kali: because you have slain Chanda and Munda, you will be known throughout the world as Chamunda.
Verse 7
एवमुक्ता तु सा देवी चामुण्डा प्रीतमानसा ।
नानाशस्त्रैः सुसंपन्ना बभूव युद्धकाम्यया ॥
Evamukta tu sa devi Chamunda pritamanasa |
Nanashastraih susampanna babhava yuddhakamyaya ||
एवमुक्ता
spoken to in this way
प्रीतमानसा
with a joyful heart
नानाशस्त्रैः
with many weapons
युद्धकाम्यया
eager for battle
Chamunda was delighted to receive this name. Armed with many weapons, she stood ready for whatever battle lay ahead.
Verse 8
ततः शुम्भो ऽतिसंक्रुद्धः सेनापतिवधं श्रुत्वा ।
प्रेषयामास रक्तबीजं दैत्यसेनापतिं तदा ॥
Tatah shumbho atisankruddah senapativadham shrutva |
Preshayamasa raktabijam daityasenapatin tada ||
सेनापतिवधं श्रुत्वा
on hearing of his commanders' defeat
अतिसंक्रुद्धः
consumed with rage
दैत्यसेनापतिम्
the demon commander
When Shumbha heard of the defeat of Chanda and Munda, his rage was immense. He sent Raktabija — another demon commander with a fearsome special power.
References
According to the Markandeya Purana, the seventh chapter tells the story of Chanda and Munda's defeat. From Ambika's forehead, Kali emerged and overcame both demons. It is because of this that she received the name Chamunda.
This chapter shows the Devi's many forms — Ambika, Kali, Chamunda — all expressions of the same supreme power. After this, Shumbha sent Raktabija, who appears in the next chapter.
Durga Saptashati · 7 / 13