CHAPTER – 89
The Rajah said, “O divine one! you have disclosed to me the wonderful story, and the sacred action of the goddess, which exterminated Rackta-Bija. I am now desirous of hearing the actions of Sumbha, and the excessive anger of Nisumbha. The Rishi said, at the death of Rackta-Bija, and others in battle, Sumbha and Nisumbha were uncommonly enraged. Seeing their immense army destroyed, the demons were filled with ire. Nisumbha ran to their succour with considerable reinforcement. In the front, rear, and flanks, he was attended by mighty giants, who were wrathfully biting their lips, and meditating the death of the goddess. The mighty Asura Sumbha, surrounded by his force, fought with the chief amazons, and furiously proceeded towards Chandika. Sumbha and Nisumbha then commenced a dreadful combat with the goddess, and shot powerful showers of arrows, thick as clouds of rain. Chandika cut them to pieces with her own parts, and pierced both the chief Asuras with several arrows. Nisumbha then took his keen sword and resplendent shield, and struck on the head of the lion, the noble conveyance of the goddess. When her excellent animal was beaten, Chichura took a sharp sword and cut in two pieces, the shield of Nisumbha, called Asta-Chandra1. That Asura after his shield was destroyed, shot a Sakti, but as it was whizzing towards her, the goddess cleft it in twain with her discus. Then Nisumbha made a furious charge with his Sula; the goddess pulverized the hostile weapon with her fist. The demon then swung his mace at Chandika, but the goddess by her trident reduced it to calx instantaneously. After this disappointment, the chief of the Daitayas seized a battle axe and approached Devi, she levelled the warrior to the earth with her arrows. When the dreadful Nisumbha fell to the ground, his brother burning with fire repaired to kill Amvika. Being mounted on his chariot, he grasped his missiles, and potent implement, and with unequalled voice penetrated over all the sky. The goddess perceived his conning and sounded her conch and her bow-string, the noise of which was insupportable, The sound of her bell filled the etherial space; the different detachments of the Daityas were dismayed. The lion lustily roared, the sound penetrated the sky earth and the ten directions. Afterwards Kali leaped up towards heaven and kicked the ground, at the piercing sound of her voice the giants vanished. Siva-Duti, shouted at the misfortune of the Asura, the noise reached the giant Sumbha who furiously proceeded towards the goddess. Amvika said to him, O impious wretch! stand! stand! the gods immortal inhabitants of the sky have cried “victory to be thee!” Sumbha discharged a Sakti, which issuing in a terrific flame, became a mass of fire, she opposed him with a Maholka. The lion like voice of Sumbha, overspread the three world (Oh lord of the earth)! by the appalling sound of it, he hoped to conquer. The goddess cut off the arrows of Sumbha, by her own shafts, into hundreds and thousands of pieces. Chandika,
1 Asta-Chandra – literally eight moons.
was enraged, and struck him with her trident: the giant thereon fainted and fell on the earth. Nisumbha having revived, took his bow and beat the goddess Kali, and the lion with his arrows. The king of giants, with ten thousand arms, enveloped Chandika, with numerous weapons, discuses, and arrows. Then the goddess, the inaccessible, the subduer of various ills, being enraged cut off those direful weapons with her arrows into hundred pieces. Nisumbha swiftly took the club, (and attended by his giant’s forces), ran to kill Chandika. The goddess destroyed his club and threw her keen sword the demon took a trident. Nisumbha, the oppressor of immortals, was going to Chandika, she broke his bosom with a Sula, with a mace fixed to it. His bosom being broke, another demon came out of him, the goddess smiled and cut off his head with her sword, and he fell on the earth. By the teeth of the lion, by Kali and Siva-Duti, other giants were decapitated. Koumari destroyed some giants by her Sakti; Brahmani with her enchanted water slew others. Maheswari demolished some by her trident Varahi by beating reduced them to powder on the earth. Vaishnavi, with her discus, crushed the giants to pieces; Indri with her weapon Vajra killed others. Many of the giants retreated, many were annihilated in that horrible war, Kali, Siva-Duti and the great lion devoured others. Thus far is related in ninth Chapter, comprising the destruction of Nisumbha.