CHAPTER – 83
The Rishi said: – The mighty Asura, by name Chickchura, general of the army, on beholding the destruction of his force proceeded to fight against Ambika. That goddess poured a shower of arrows on the Asur, as the clouds rain on the peak of Meru mountain. The goddess sportively cut his mighty weapon, and killed the steeds, and driver by her arrows. She instantly broke his bow and his highest flag-staff: she wounded him in the body. Having lost his bow, he was deprived of his chariot, his horses, and drives were killed: the Asura, holding a shield and sword, ran against Devi. He struck the head of her lion fiercely with the keen blade of his sword: he struck the right arm of the goddess. O prince, when the sword reached her arm, it broke: the, Asura then took a Sula, his eyes being red with wrath. And discharged it at Bhadra-Kali, flaming with a brightness equal to the orbit of the sun in heaven. The goddess receiving the Sula, discharged by the demon, threw a trident which cut the mighty Asura’s weapon into a hundred pieces and killed him. When the great valiant demon was dead, Chamara, the general of Mahisha’s army, oppressor of Tridasas, mounted on an elephant. Firmly, discharged a Sacti on the Devi, but by her shout she made it to fall on the earth innoxious. With anger he beheld the Sacti broken and fallen, and discharged a Sula, she then cut it with her arrows. She leapt from the lion to the globular forehead of the elephant, and direly wrestled with the foes of Tridasas. During the combat, they both dismounted and began furiously to beat one another. Afterwards the enemy of the beasts1, swiftly attacked and separated the head of Chamara, from his body, by the strokes of his paws. Devi killed Vudagra, by hurling stones, trees, &c. upon him, she made Carala to fall by her teeth and feet. Devi being enraged by the blows of her mace, ground him into powder; Bhascala by Pindivala; Tomara and likewise Andhaca by her arrows. The supreme goddess killed Vugramsa, Vugra-Virya likewise Maha-Hanu and Trinatra, by her trident. She made the head of Bidala to fall by her sword; destroyed Durdhara and Durmukha by her arrows. While she was thus destroying his army, Mahishasura impeded those Ganas in the form of Mahisha. Some by biting with his mouth, and others by kicking with his hoofs, some by the
1 Enemy of the beasts – lion.
lashes of his tail and by the goring of his horns. Some of them by the loudness of his bellow, by his burning breath he made them to fall to the ground. The Asura having caused Pramadas to fall, angrily ran to kill the lion of the goddess. The great hero enraged, tore up the earth with his hoofs and cast down the highest hills. He speedily turned about, cracked the earth, lashed the ocean with his tail, and made it to overflow everywhere. The clouds were dispersed by his long horns, the mountains and sky were blown into hundred pieces by his breath and sighs. The great Asura wrathfully bellowed! Chandika looked, highly enraged and endeavoured to lay hold on him. She threw out a Pasa to bind him, he was tied, and relinquished his buffaloe’s form in this great combat. He instantly turned into a lion, within the time that Ambika cut of this head; he then converted himself into a man, held a sword and disappeared. Afterwards the goddess pierced him with her arrows, he with his sword and shield turned into a mighty elephant. The elephant pulled the lion with his trunk, and made a terrific noise, the goddess cut his proboscis with her sword. Afterwards the great Asura assumed the form of a buffaloe, and terrified the three Lokas of animates and inanimates. The passionate Chandika, matron of the world, frequently drank excellent liquor, bearing wrathful redness in her eyes. The Asura being highly endowed with bravery and lust, furiously hurled mountains with his horns on Chundika. She pulverized them with her strong arrows, and with increased intoxication and angry looking face. Devi cried, Oh! vain noise! noise! wait a moment until I perfectly drink this liquor; when you are slain by me here, all the gods will exclaim. The Rishi said, she laid hold on the great Asura, (who advanced towards her conveyance), with her feet, she struck him with her Sula. When he was caught hold on by her feet, his half real form from his face became manifest; the goddess was surrounded by a blaze of glory. The great Asura being half issued and fighting with her, the goddess cut off his head with her ample sword. Afterwards every one exclaimed, that the army of the Daitya was annihilated; then a multitude of deities were highly delighted. The band of deities, with the magnificient sages applauded the goddess, the kings of Gandharvas sung, Apsaras danced. Thus far is related in the third Chapter, containing the destruction of Mahishasura.