Chapter 3 of the Devi Mahatmya has 44 verses in the Markandeya Purana numbering (chapter 83 of the Purana). It is the second chapter of the middle episode and the one that most people mean when they speak of the goddess killing Mahishasura. It is also the chapter on which images of the goddess as Mahishasuramardini, the one who crushes the buffalo demon, are based.
The sage Medhas is telling the story to King Suratha and the merchant Samadhi. At the end of chapter 2 the goddess had destroyed Mahishasura’s armies, and in this chapter the generals and then the demon himself come forward.
How the chapter moves
- Verses 1 to 9: Chikshura, Mahishasura’s commander, attacks first. The goddess answers each arrow, spear and sword with her own and breaks them all. Chikshura falls.
- Verses 10 to 20: Chamara rides an elephant against her, and her lion leaps on the elephant. A long list of generals follows: Udagra, Karala, Vaskala, Tamra, Andhaka, Ugrasya, Ugravirya, Mahahanu, Bidala, Durdhara, Durmukha, Kala, Ugradarshana and Asiloma. Each is dispatched in a line or two, with a different weapon.
- Verses 21 to 27: Mahishasura now fights himself, in buffalo form. He terrifies her attendants, throws mountains with his horns, and with his tail and breath floods the sea and shakes the sky.
- Verses 28 to 33: She binds him with her noose. He tries a series of forms, each of which she defeats: a lion, then a man with a sword, then a huge elephant, and then the buffalo again.
- Verses 34 to 40: She drinks and laughs, tells him to roar while he can, leaps on him, presses his neck with her foot and strikes him with her spear. He comes halfway out of his own mouth and she cuts his head off with her great sword.
- Verses 41 to 44: All three worlds cry victory. The demon army vanishes, and the gods, the sages, the Gandharvas and the Apsaras honour her.
The shape-changing
The change of form in verses 29 to 33 is one of the best known parts of the chapter. Mahishasura’s name means the buffalo, and the buffalo is the form he keeps returning to. Bound by her noose, he gives up the buffalo and becomes a lion. As she goes to cut off the lion’s head, a man with a sword appears, and she cuts him down. He then becomes a huge elephant, drags her lion with his trunk, and she cuts off the trunk. Then he is a buffalo again, and shakes the three worlds as before.
Many readers take the shifting as a picture of pride that does not give up but only changes its disguise. The text itself gives no such explanation, and it can equally be read as the story of a hard fight in which the goddess has an answer to every form.
A note on verses 34 to 37
The goddess drinks “the best of drinks” before the final blow and speaks to Mahishasura with a flushed face. The Sanskrit word used for the drink in verse 37 is madhu. In the Tantric and Shakta traditions this scene has been read in more than one way, and some commentators read the drink as the delight of her own power and not as wine. We give the plain sense of the words and leave the reading to your own tradition.
The generals
The text names the generals, but says almost nothing about them other than how they fall. The list is partly in verse 40 of chapter 2, where their armies are counted, and partly here.
| Demon | How he falls in this chapter | Verse |
|---|---|---|
| Chikshura | His bow, banner, chariot and horses are destroyed, and his spear is broken by hers | 1 to 9 |
| Chamara | Struck from his elephant, his head cut off by the lion's paw | 10 to 15 |
| Udagra | Killed with rocks and trees | 16 |
| Karala | Brought down with teeth, fists and palms | 16 |
| Vaskala | Crushed with her club | 17 |
| Tamra and Andhaka | Killed with arrows and a spear | 17 |
| Ugrasya, Ugravirya, Mahahanu | Killed with her trident | 18 |
| Bidala | Head cut off with her sword | 19 |
| Durdhara and Durmukha | Sent to the house of Yama with arrows | 19 |
| Kala | Struck down with a staff | 19 |
| Ugradarshana, Asiloma | Beaten and cut with her sword | 20 |
| Mahishasura | Head cut off after the long fight | 21 to 41 |
How to read it
As a story, this is a classic battle in the Puranic style, with a sequence of single combats and a final duel. As a devotional text, the chapter is the centre of the middle episode, and one thing it keeps showing is the goddess’s ease. She breaks weapons as if in play, she laughs, and she grows angry only at the moment the story needs it.
In Bengal and across eastern India, Durga Puja is closely linked with this victory, and in many places the tenth day is kept as the day of the goddess’s triumph. You can read about the festival on the Durga Puja page. Other traditions keep Vijayadashami for other stories, and the Dussehra page covers those.
This page gives each verse in Devanagari with a plain transliteration and a meaning in our own words. The meanings follow the Sanskrit closely.
The text, transliteration and meaning
निहन्यमानं तत्सैन्यमवलोक्य महासुरः
सेनानीश्चिक्षुरः कोपाद्ययौ योद्धुमथाम्बिकाम् ॥ ३.१ ॥
Nihanyamanam tatsainyamavalokya mahasurah
Senanishchikshurah kopadyayau yoddhumathambikam
MeaningThe sage says: Seeing his army being destroyed, the great demon Chikshura, Mahishasura's commander, went furiously to fight the goddess Ambika.
स देवीं शरवर्षेण ववर्ष समरेऽसुरः
यथा मेरुगिरेः शृङ्गं तोयवर्षेण तोयदः ॥ ३.२ ॥
Sa devim sharavarshena vavarsha samare'surah
Yatha merugireh shringam toyavarshena toyadah
MeaningIn the battle that demon showered arrows on the goddess, as a cloud pours rain on the peak of Mount Meru.
तस्य च्छित्त्वा ततो देवी लीलयैव शरोत्करान्
जघान तुरगान् बाणैर्यन्तारं चैव वाजिनाम् ॥ ३.३ ॥
Tasya chchhittva tato devi lilayaiva sharotkaran
Jaghana turagan banairyantaram chaiva vajinam
MeaningThe goddess, as if in play, cut his bundle of arrows to pieces and killed his horses and the driver of his horses with her own arrows.
चिच्छेद च धनुः सद्यो ध्वजं चातिसमुच्छ्रितम्
विव्याध चैव गात्रेषु च्छिन्नधन्वानमाशुगैः ॥ ३.४ ॥
Chichchheda cha dhanuh sadyo dhvajam chatisamuchchhritam
Vivyadha chaiva gatreshu chchhinnadhanvanamashugaih
MeaningShe cut his bow at once, and his very tall banner, and then pierced his body with swift arrows, though his bow was already broken.
स च्छिन्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वो हतसारथिः
अभ्यधावत तां देवीं खड्गचर्मधरोऽसुरः ॥ ३.५ ॥
Sa chchhinnadhanva viratho hatashvo hatasarathih
Abhyadhavata tam devim khadgacharmadharo'surah
MeaningHis bow broken, his chariot gone, his horses and charioteer dead, the demon ran at the goddess with sword and shield in his hands.
सिंहमाहत्य खड्गेन तीक्ष्णधारेण मूर्धनि
आजघान भुजे सव्ये देवीमप्यतिवेगवान् ॥ ३.६ ॥
Simhamahatya khadgena tikshnadharena murdhani
Ajaghana bhuje savye devimapyativegavan
MeaningVery swift, he struck the lion on the head with his sharp-edged sword, and struck the goddess too on her left arm.
तस्याः खड्गो भुजं प्राप्य पफाल नृपनन्दन
ततो जग्राह शूलं स कोपादरुणलोचनः ॥ ३.७ ॥
Tasyah khadgo bhujam prapya paphala nripanandana
Tato jagraha shulam sa kopadarunalochanah
MeaningBut his sword broke when it reached her arm, prince. Then, in his rage, with red eyes, he seized a spear.
चिक्षेप च ततस्तत्तु भद्रकाल्यां महासुरः
जाज्वल्यमानं तेजोभी रविबिम्बमिवाम्बरात् ॥ ३.८ ॥
Chikshepa cha tatastattu bhadrakalyam mahasurah
Jajvalyamanam tejobhi ravibimbamivambarat
MeaningThe great demon then hurled it at Bhadrakali, blazing with light like the disc of the sun falling from the sky.
दृष्ट्वा तदापतच्छूलं देवी शूलममुञ्चत
तेन तच्छतधानीतं शूलं स च महासुरः ॥ ३.९ ॥
Drishtva tadapatachchhulam devi shulamamunchata
Tena tachchhatadhanitam shulam sa cha mahasurah
MeaningSeeing the spear coming, the goddess hurled her own spear. It broke his into a hundred pieces, and the great demon too.
NoteThe verse is compressed. Her spear breaks his spear into a hundred pieces, and the same stroke finishes the demon Chikshura who threw it.
हते तस्मिन् महावीर्ये महिषस्य चमूपतौ
आजगाम गजारूढश्चामरस्त्रिदशार्दनः ॥ ३.१० ॥
Hate tasmin mahavirye mahishasya chamupatau
Ajagama gajarudhashchamarastridashardanah
MeaningWhen Mahishasura's mighty commander had been killed, Chamara, who tormented the gods, came out riding an elephant.
सोऽपि शक्तिं मुमोचाथ देव्यास्तामम्बिका द्रुतम्
हुङ्काराभिहतां भूमौ पातयामास निष्प्रभाम् ॥ ३.११ ॥
So'pi shaktim mumochatha devyastamambika drutam
Hunkarabhihatam bhumau patayamasa nishprabham
MeaningHe too hurled a lance at the goddess, but she brought it down at once, robbed of its brightness, just by uttering the sound hum.
भग्नां शक्तिं निपतितां दृष्ट्वा क्रोधसमन्वितः
चिक्षेप चामरः शूलं बाणैस्तदपि साच्छिनत् ॥ ३.१२ ॥
Bhagnam shaktim nipatitam drishtva krodhasamanvitah
Chikshepa chamarah shulam banaistadapi sachchhinat
MeaningSeeing his lance broken and fallen, Chamara in anger threw a spear, but she cut that down too with her arrows.
ततः सिंहः समुत्पत्य गजकुम्भान्तरे स्थितः
बाहुयुद्धेन युयुधे तेनोच्चैस्त्रिदशारिणा ॥ ३.१३ ॥
Tatah simhah samutpatya gajakumbhantare sthitah
Bahuyuddhena yuyudhe tenochchaistridasharina
MeaningThen the lion leapt up and, standing between the elephant's temples, fought hand to hand with the enemy of the gods in a loud struggle.
युध्यमानौ ततस्तौ तु तस्मान्नागान्महीं गतौ
युयुधातेऽतिसंरब्धौ प्रहारैरतिदारुणैः ॥ ३.१४ ॥
Yudhyamanau tatastau tu tasmannaganmahim gatau
Yuyudhate'tisamrabdhau praharairatidarunaih
MeaningFighting, the two came down from the elephant to the ground and fought with very violent blows, enraged against each other.
ततो वेगात्खमुत्पत्य निपत्य च मृगारिणा
करप्रहारेण शिरश्चामरस्य पृथक्कृतम् ॥ ३.१५ ॥
Tato vegatkhamutpatya nipatya cha mrigarina
Karapraharena shirashchamarasya prithakkritam
MeaningThen the lion sprang into the air and came down, and with a blow of his paw cut Chamara's head from his body.
उदग्रश्च रणे देव्या शिलावृक्षादिभिर्हतः
दन्तमुष्टितलैश्चैव करालश्च निपातितः ॥ ३.१६ ॥
Udagrashcha rane devya shilavrikshadibhirhatah
Dantamushtitalaishchaiva karalashcha nipatitah
MeaningUdagra was killed in the battle by the goddess with rocks, trees and the like, and Karala was brought down with teeth, fists and palms.
देवी क्रुद्धा गदापातैश्चूर्णयामास चोद्धतम्
वाष्कलं भिन्दिपालेन बाणैस्ताम्रं तथान्धकम् ॥ ३.१७ ॥
Devi kruddha gadapataishchurnayamasa choddhatam
Vashkalam bhindipalena banaistamram tathandhakam
MeaningThe angry goddess crushed the haughty Vaskala with strokes of her club, Tamra and Andhaka with arrows and a spear.
उग्रास्यमुग्रवीर्यञ्च तथैव च महाहनुम्
त्रिनेत्रा च त्रिशूलेन जघान परमेश्वरी ॥ ३.१८ ॥
Ugrasyamugraviryancha tathaiva cha mahahanum
Trinetra cha trishulena jaghana parameshvari
MeaningThe supreme goddess, with three eyes, killed Ugrasya, Ugravirya and Mahahanu with her trident.
बिडालस्यासिना कायात् पातयामास वै शिरः
दुर्धरं दुर्मुखं चोभौ शरैर्निन्ये यमक्षयम् ॥ ३.१९ ॥
Bidalasyasina kayat patayamasa vai shirah
Durdharam durmukham chobhau sharairninye yamakshayam
MeaningWith her sword she cut Bidala's head from his body, and sent Durdhara and Durmukha to the house of Yama with arrows.
Not in the printThe Nirnaya Sagar print does not have this verse. The GRETIL e-text and Sanskrit Wikisource do: उग्रदर्शनमत्युग्रैः खड्गपातैरताडयत्; असिनैवासिलोमानमच्छिदत् सा रणोत्सवे; गणैः सिंहेन देव्या च जयक्ष्वेडाकृतोत्सवैः We keep the verse number so that the numbering of the other verses stays the same as on the rest of this site. For reference, the verse means: She beat Ugradarshana with very fierce sword blows, and in that festival of battle she cut Asiloma with a sword, while her attendants and the lion shouted and made a joyful din of victory.
एवं संक्षीयमाणे तु स्वसैन्ये महिषासुरः
माहिषेण स्वरूपेण त्रासयामास तान् गणान् ॥ ३.२१ ॥
Evam sankshiyamane tu svasainye mahishasurah
Mahishena svarupena trasayamasa tan ganan
MeaningWhen his own army was being destroyed like this, Mahishasura took his buffalo form and began to terrify the goddess's attendants.
कांश्चित्तुण्डप्रहारेण खुरक्षेपैस्तथापरान्
लाङ्गूलताडितांश्चान्यान् शृङ्गाभ्याञ्च विदारितान् ॥ ३.२२ ॥
Kamshchittundapraharena khurakshepaistathaparan
Langulataditamshchanyan shringabhyancha vidaritan
MeaningSome he struck with his snout, some with kicks of his hooves, some he lashed with his tail, and others he tore with his horns.
वेगेन कांश्चिदपरान् नादेन भ्रमणेन च
निश्वासपवनेनान्यान् पातयामास भूतले ॥ ३.२३ ॥
Vegena kamshchidaparan nadena bhramanena cha
Nishvasapavanenanyan patayamasa bhutale
MeaningSome he threw to the ground with his speed, some with his bellowing and whirling, and others with the wind of his breath.
निपात्य प्रमथानीकमभ्यधावत सोऽसुरः
सिंहं हन्तुं महादेव्याः कोपं चक्रे ततोऽम्बिका ॥ ३.२४ ॥
Nipatya pramathanikamabhyadhavata so'surah
Simham hantum mahadevyah kopam chakre tato'mbika
MeaningHaving felled that army of attendants, the demon rushed to kill the great goddess's lion. Ambika then grew angry.
सोऽपि कोपान्महावीर्यः खुरक्षुण्णमहीतलः
शृङ्गाभ्यां पर्वतानुच्चैश्चिक्षेप च ननाद च ॥ ३.२५ ॥
So'pi kopanmahaviryah khurakshunnamahitalah
Shringabhyam parvatanuchchaishchikshepa cha nanada cha
MeaningIn his own anger the very strong demon, trampling the earth with his hooves, threw high mountains with his horns and roared.
वेगभ्रमणविक्षुण्णा मही तस्य व्यशीर्यत
लाङ्गूलेनाहतश्चाब्धिः प्लावयामास सर्वतः ॥ ३.२६ ॥
Vegabhramanavikshunna mahi tasya vyashiryata
Langulenahatashchabdhih plavayamasa sarvatah
MeaningThe earth, crushed by the force of his whirling, broke apart. Lashed by his tail, the ocean flooded in every direction.
धुतशृङ्गविभिन्नाश्च खण्डं खण्डं ययुर्घनाः
श्वासानिलास्ताः शतशो निपेतुर्नभसोऽचलाः ॥ ३.२७ ॥
Dhutashringavibhinnashcha khandam khandam yayurghanah
Shvasanilastah shatasho nipeturnabhaso'chalah
MeaningClouds torn by his tossing horns went away in pieces, and mountains, struck by the gusts of his breath, fell in hundreds from the sky.
इति क्रोधसमाध्मातमापतन्तं महासुरम्
दृष्ट्वा सा चण्डिका कोपं तद्वधाय तदाकरोत् ॥ ३.२८ ॥
Iti krodhasamadhmatamapatantam mahasuram
Drishtva sa chandika kopam tadvadhaya tadakarot
MeaningSeeing the great demon rushing at her, swollen with fury, the goddess Chandika grew angry in order to kill him.
सा क्षिप्त्वा तस्य वै पाशं तं बबन्ध महासुरम्
तत्याज माहिषं रूपं सोऽपि बद्धो महामृधे ॥ ३.२९ ॥
Sa kshiptva tasya vai pasham tam babandha mahasuram
Tatyaja mahisham rupam so'pi baddho mahamridhe
MeaningShe threw her noose and bound the great demon. Caught in the great battle, he gave up his buffalo form.
NoteFrom here Mahishasura changes shape. The buffalo is his own form, and he keeps returning to it.
ततः सिंहोऽभवत् सद्यो यावत्तस्याम्बिका शिरः
छिनत्ति तावत्पुरुषः खड्गपाणिरदृश्यत ॥ ३.३० ॥
Tatah simho'bhavat sadyo yavattasyambika shirah
Chhinatti tavatpurushah khadgapaniradrishyata
MeaningThen he suddenly became a lion. As Ambika went to cut off his head, a man with a sword in his hand appeared.
तत एवाशु पुरुषं देवी चिच्छेद सायकैः
तं खड्गचर्मणा सार्धं ततः सोऽभून्महागजः ॥ ३.३१ ॥
Tata evashu purusham devi chichchheda sayakaih
Tam khadgacharmana sardham tatah so'bhunmahagajah
MeaningThe goddess at once cut that man down with her arrows, along with his sword and shield. Then he became a huge elephant.
करेण च महासिंहं तं चकर्ष जगर्ज च
कर्षतस्तु करं देवी खड्गेन निरकृन्तत ॥ ३.३२ ॥
Karena cha mahasimham tam chakarsha jagarja cha
Karshatastu karam devi khadgena nirakrintata
MeaningWith his trunk he dragged the goddess's great lion and roared, but as he pulled, the goddess cut his trunk off with her sword.
ततो महासुरो भूयो माहिषं वपुरास्थितः
तथैव क्षोभयामास त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् ॥ ३.३३ ॥
Tato mahasuro bhuyo mahisham vapurasthitah
Tathaiva kshobhayamasa trailokyam sacharacharam
MeaningThen the great demon took the buffalo body once more and shook the three worlds with their moving and unmoving beings as before.
ततः क्रुद्धा जगन्माता चण्डिका पानमुत्तमम्
पपौ पुनः पुनश्चैव जहासारुणलोचना ॥ ३.३४ ॥
Tatah kruddha jaganmata chandika panamuttamam
Papau punah punashchaiva jahasarunalochana
MeaningThen the angry Mother of the world, Chandika, drank the best of drinks again and again, and laughed, her eyes red.
ननर्द चासुरः सोऽपि बलवीर्यमदोद्धतः
विषाणाभ्याञ्च चिक्षेप चण्डिकां प्रति भूधरान् ॥ ३.३५ ॥
Nanarda chasurah so'pi balaviryamadoddhatah
Vishanabhyancha chikshepa chandikam prati bhudharan
MeaningThe demon too roared, drunk with strength and pride, and hurled mountains at Chandika with his horns.
सा च तान् प्रहितांस्तेन चूर्णयन्ती शरोत्करैः
उवाच तं मदोद्धूतमुखरागाकुलाक्षरम् ॥ ३.३६ ॥
Sa cha tan prahitamstena churnayanti sharotkaraih
Uvacha tam madoddhutamukharagakulaksharam
MeaningShe crushed them as they came with showers of arrows, and said to him, in words that came out slurred and strained by the flush of wine:
गर्ज गर्ज क्षणं मूढ मधु यावत्पिबाम्यहम्
मया त्वयि हतेऽत्रैव गर्जिष्यन्त्याशु देवताः ॥ ३.३७ ॥
Garja garja kshanam mudha madhu yavatpibamyaham
Maya tvayi hate'traiva garjishyantyashu devatah
MeaningThe goddess says: Roar, roar for a moment, fool, while I drink this wine. When I have killed you here, the gods will soon roar.
NoteThese words are among the most quoted in the chapter. The word translated as wine is madhu, and the passage is read in different ways by different traditions.
एवमुक्त्वा समुत्पत्य सारूढा तं महासुरम्
पादेनाक्रम्य कण्ठे च शूलेनैनमताडयत् ॥ ३.३८ ॥
Evamuktva samutpatya sarudha tam mahasuram
Padenakramya kanthe cha shulenainamatadayat
MeaningHaving said this she leapt up and mounted the great demon, pressed his neck with her foot and struck him with her spear.
ततः सोऽपि पदाक्रान्तस्तया निजमुखात्तदा
अर्धनिष्क्रान्त एवासीद् देव्या वीर्येण संवृतः ॥ ३.३९ ॥
Tatah so'pi padakrantastaya nijamukhattada
Ardhanishkranta evasid devya viryena samvritah
MeaningThen, crushed under her foot, he came halfway out of his own mouth, held back by the goddess's strength.
अर्धनिष्क्रान्त एवासौ युध्यमानो महासुरः
तया महासिना देव्या शिरश्छित्त्वा निपातितः ॥ ३.४० ॥
Ardhanishkranta evasau yudhyamano mahasurah
Taya mahasina devya shirashchhittva nipatitah
MeaningHalf out, still fighting, the great demon had his head cut off and was struck down by the goddess with her great sword.
NoteThe demon is killed as he comes out of his own mouth in his true form, half out of the buffalo body. Printed images of the Mahishasuramardini often show this moment.
Not in the printThe Nirnaya Sagar print does not have this verse. The GRETIL e-text and Sanskrit Wikisource do: एवं स महिषो नाम ससैन्यः ससुहृद्गणः; त्रैलोक्यं मोहयित्वा तु तया देव्या विनाशितः We keep the verse number so that the numbering of the other verses stays the same as on the rest of this site. For reference, the verse means: So Mahishasura, with his army and his friends, who had bewildered the three worlds, was destroyed by the goddess.
Not in the printThe Nirnaya Sagar print does not have this verse. The GRETIL e-text and Sanskrit Wikisource do: त्रैलोक्यस्थैस्तदा भूतैर्महिषे विनिपातिते; जयेत्युक्तं ततः सर्वैः सदेवासुरमानवैः We keep the verse number so that the numbering of the other verses stays the same as on the rest of this site. For reference, the verse means: When Mahishasura was struck down, all the beings of the three worlds, gods, demons and humans, said Victory.
ततो हाहाकृतं सर्वं दैत्यसैन्यं ननाश तत्
प्रहर्षञ्च परं जग्मुः सकला देवतागणाः ॥ ३.४३ ॥
Tato hahakritam sarvam daityasainyam nanasha tat
Praharshancha param jagmuh sakala devataganah
MeaningThen the whole demon army, crying in distress, vanished, and all the hosts of the gods were filled with great joy.
तुष्टुवुस्तां सुरा देवीं सह दिव्यैर्महर्षिभिः
जगुर्गन्धर्वपतयो ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः ॥ ३.४४ ॥
Tushtuvustam sura devim saha divyairmaharshibhih
Jagurgandharvapatayo nanritushchapsaroganah
MeaningThe gods praised the goddess, together with the divine great sages. The lords of the Gandharvas sang and the troops of Apsaras danced.
NoteThe chapter ends with the gods, sages, Gandharvas and Apsaras honouring the goddess. The hymn that the gods then sing is chapter 4.
Chapter summary
Chapter 3 is the battle chapter. Chikshura, Chamara and the other generals fall to the goddess in turn, each to a different weapon, while her lion fights beside her. Mahishasura then takes the field in buffalo form and tries to overwhelm her with his horns, his tail, his breath and a series of changes of shape: lion, man and elephant, and then the buffalo again.
She binds him, drinks and laughs, tells him to roar while he can, and then mounts him, presses her foot on his neck and strikes him with her spear. As he tries to come out of his own mouth she cuts his head off with her sword. The three worlds cry victory, the demon army disappears, and the gods and sages praise her. Chapter 4 is that hymn.
Where the other texts differ from the print
The Sanskrit above is the text of the Nirnaya Sagar print, which we read page by page against the page images. The GRETIL e-text of the Markandeya Purana (the Sansknet entry) and Sanskrit Wikisource are used here as witnesses only. This chapter has 44 verses in the Purana numbering.
In 7 verses (3.9, 3.19, 3.20, 3.28, 3.39, 3.41, 3.42) the print reads differently from the GRETIL e-text in the words, or does not have the verse, beyond the small typing slips listed further down. In each case we follow the print. The other reading is given here so that you can see it. The GRETIL text is quoted with its typing slips already corrected.
- 3.9: the print has दृष्ट्वा तदापतच्छूलं देवी शूलममुञ्चत / तेन तच्छतधानीतं शूलं स च महासुरः. The GRETIL e-text has दृष्ट्वा तदापतच्छूलं देवी शूलममुञ्चत तच्छूलं शतधा तेन नीतं स च महासुरः. Wikisource agrees with GRETIL.
- 3.19: the print has बिडालस्यासिना कायात् पातयामास वै शिरः / दुर्धरं दुर्मुखं चोभौ शरैर्निन्ये यमक्षयम्. The GRETIL e-text has बिडालस्यासिना कायात् पातयामास वै शिरः दुर्धरं दुर्मुखं चोभौ शरैर्निन्ये यमक्षयम् कालं च कालदण्डेन कालरात्रिरपातयत्. Wikisource agrees with GRETIL.
- 3.20: the print does not have this verse. The GRETIL e-text has उग्रदर्शनमत्युग्रैः खड्गपातैरताडयत् असिनैवासिलोमानमच्छिदत् सा रणोत्सवे गणैः सिंहेन देव्या च जयक्ष्वेडाकृतोत्सवैः.
- 3.28: the print has इति क्रोधसमाध्मातमापतन्तं महासुरम् / दृष्ट्वा सा चण्डिका कोपं तद्वधाय तदाकरोत्. The GRETIL e-text has इति क्रोधसमाध्मातमापतान्तं महासुरम् दृष्ट्वा सा चण्डिका कोपं तद्वधाय तदाकरोत्. Wikisource agrees with GRETIL.
- 3.39: the print has ततः सोऽपि पदाक्रान्तस्तया निजमुखात्तदा / अर्धनिष्क्रान्त एवासीद् देव्या वीर्येण संवृतः. The GRETIL e-text has ततः सोऽपि पदाक्रान्तस्तया निजमुखात्ततः अर्धनिष्क्रान्त एवासीद् देव्या वीर्येण संवृतः. Wikisource agrees with GRETIL.
- 3.41: the print does not have this verse. The GRETIL e-text has एवं स महिषो नाम ससैन्यः ससुहृद्गणः त्रैलोक्यं मोहयित्वा तु तया देव्या विनाशितः. Wikisource agrees.
- 3.42: the print does not have this verse. The GRETIL e-text has त्रैलोक्यस्थैस्तदा भूतैर्महिषे विनिपातिते जयेत्युक्तं ततः सर्वैः सदेवासुरमानवैः. Wikisource agrees.
Typing slips in the GRETIL e-text, so that you can see exactly what was changed (the print has the corrected form in each):
- 3.1: the GRETIL e-text has तत्सैन्यमवलाक्य, a typing slip; the print has तत्सैन्यमवलोक्य, which we print.
- 3.14: the GRETIL e-text has युधायमानो, a typing slip shared with Wikisource; the print has युध्यमानौ, which we print.
- 3.20: the GRETIL e-text has अग्रदर्शनमत्युग्रैः, a typing slip shared with Wikisource; the print has उग्रदर्शनमत्युग्रैः, which we print.
- 3.22: the GRETIL e-text has कांश्चित्तुण्डप्रिहारेण, a typing slip shared with Wikisource; the print has कांश्चित्तुण्डप्रहारेण, which we print.
- 3.27: the GRETIL e-text has ययुर्घना, a typing slip shared with Wikisource; the print has ययुर्घनाः, which we print.
- 3.35: the GRETIL e-text has विषाणाब्याञ्च, a typing slip shared with Wikisource; the print has विषाणाभ्याञ्च, which we print.
Wikisource also has a speaker name or an editor’s note written into the verse text in 1 verse (3.37); these are not part of the text and are left out.
Source of the text on this page. The Sanskrit is the text of the Nirnaya Sagar Press edition of the Saptashati (Bombay, Shaka 1839, which is 1917 CE, edited by Vasudev Laxman Shastri Panshikar and published by Tukaram Javaji), read page by page from the scan on archive.org (identifier SaptashatiNirnayaSagarPress, scan pages 141 to 150 for this chapter). We follow the print's readings. We space the words and write the nasals in the usual style of this site, and we do not count that as a difference. The GRETIL e-text of the Markandeya Purana (where this chapter is chapter 83) and Sanskrit Wikisource are used as witnesses only: where they read differently from the print, their readings are listed under the heading above. The print numbers its speaker lines, and its own running count reaches 217 at the end of this chapter; this page keeps the Markandeya Purana numbering, so the verse numbers differ. The transliteration is a simple guide to sound and the meanings are our own wording. See the Devi Mahatmya hub for the full note on sources.