Dhyanam ॥

Om Dhyayeyam Ratnapithe Shukakala pathitam Shrinvatim Shyamalangim

Nyastai kanghrim Saroje Shashi shakala dharam Vallakim Vadayantim।
Kahlarabaddhamalam Niyamita vilasachcholikam Raktavastram
Matangim Shankhapatram Madhura madhumadam Chitrakodbhasibhalam॥

ṛṣir uvāca
7.1 The seer said:

ājñap tāste tato daityāś caṇḍamuṇḍapurogamāḥ

caturaṅgabalopetā yayur abhyudya tā yudhāḥ

7.2 “Headed by Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa, the daityas’ fourfold army of elephants,
charioteers, cavalry, and infantry went forth at Śumbha’s command, brandishing
weapons.

dadṛśus te tato Devīm īṣaddhāsāṁ vyavasthitām

simhasyopari śailendraśṛṅge mahati kāñcane

7.3 They saw The Devī Smiling Gently, Seated Upon Her Lion Atop the great, golden
peak of the highest mountain.

te dṛṣtvā tāṁ samādātum udyam añcakrur udyatāḥ

ākṛṣṭa cāpa ̄sidharās tathānye tat samīpagāḥ

7.4 Seeing Her, they contrived to Carry Her Off. While some approached with swords
drawn and bows poised in readiness,

tataḥ kopaṁ cakāroccair Ambikā tān arīm prati

kopena cāsyā vadanaṁ maṣīvarṇam abhūt tadā

7.5 Ambikā cried out angrily against those foes, and In Wrath Her Face Turned As
Black As Ink.

bhrukuṭīkuṭilāt tasyā lalāṭa phalakād drutam

Kālī karālavadanā viniṣ krāntā sipāśinī

7.6 From Her Scowling Brow, Kālī Sprang Forth, Frightful Of Countenance And Armed
With Sword And Noose,

vicitra khaṭvāṅ gadharā nara māla ̄vibhūṣaṇā

dvīpi carmaparīdhānā śuṣka ṁāmsā tibhairavā

7.7 Bearing A Strange Skull-Topped Staff, Adorned With A Garland Of Skulls, And
Clad In A Tiger’s Skin. Her Emaciated Flesh Appalling,

ati vistāravadanā jihvāla lanabhīṣaṇā

nimag nārakta nayanā nādāpūritadiṅmukhā

7.8 Her Mouth Gaping, Her Lolling Tongue Horrifying, Her Sunken Eyes Glowing red,
She Filled the four quarters of the sky With Her Roars.

sā vegenā bhipatitā ghātayantī mahāsurān

sainye tatra surāriṇām abhak ṣayata tad balam
7.9 Swiftly Falling Upon the great asuras in that army, She Slew And Devoured Those
hosts of the Gods’ foes.

pārṣṇi grāhāṅ kuśagrāhi yodhaghaṇṭā samanvitān

samādāyaika hastena mukhe cikṣepa vāraṇān

7.10 Attacking the rear guard and Seizing the elephants with their drivers,
warriors, and bells, She Flung them Into Her Mouth With A Single Hand.

tathaiva yodhaṁ turagai rathaṁ sārathinā saha

nikṣipya vaktre daśanaiś carvayantya tibhairavam

7.11 In like Manner, She Tossed the cavalry with its horses and the charioteers
with their chariots Into Her Mouth and Ground them Furiously Between Her Teeth.

ekaṁ jagrāha keśeṣu grivāyām atha cāparam

pādenākramya caivānyam urasānyam apothayat

7.12 She Seized one asura by the hair and another by the throat. Crushing another
Underfoot, She Slammed yet another Against Her breast.

tair muktāni ca śastrāṇi mahātrāṇi tathāsuraiḥ

mukhena jagrāh aruṣā daśanair mathitāny api

7.13 The weapons and great missiles the asuras hurled She Caught In Her Mouth and
Ground Angrily Between Her Teeth.

balināṁ tad balaṁ sarvam asurāṇāṁ durātmanām

mamarda ̄bhakṣa yaccānyān anyāṁś cātāḍayat tathā

7.14 All that army of mighty and evil-natured asuras She Ravaged, Devouring some
and Beating others Severely.

asinā nihatāḥ kecit kecit khaṭvāṅgatā ḍitāḥ

jagmur vināśam asurā dantāgrābhihatās tathā

7.15 She Struck Down some With Her Sword and Battered others with Her Skull-Topped
Staff. Other asuras met their destruction Between Her Gnashing Teeth.

kṣaṇena tad balaṁ sarvam asurāṇāṁ nipātitam

dṛṣṭvā caṇḍo ’bhidudrāva tāṁ Kālīm atibhīṣaṇām

7.16 When Caṇḍa saw the entire army of asuras swiftly struck down, he rushed at The
Terrifying Kālī.

śaravarṣair mahābhīmair bhīmākṣīm tāṁ mahāsuraḥ

chādayāmāsa cakraiś ca muṇḍaḥ kṣiptaiḥ sahasraśaḥ

7.17 With a formidable deluge of arrows, that great asura engulfed The Glowering
Kālī while Muṇḍa hurled discuses at Her by the thousands,
Tani Chakrany anekani Vishamanani Tanmukham।
Babhuryatharka bimbani Subahuni Ghanodaram॥18॥

7.18 myriad discuses That Entered Her Mouth as so many solar orbs vanishing into
the denseness of a cloud.

tato jahāsā tiruṣā bhīmaṁ bhairavanādinī

Kālī karāla vaktrāntar durdarśa daśanojjvalā

7.19 With A Terrifying Roar, Kālī Laughed In Fury, Her Fearsome Teeth Gleaming
Within Her Ghastly Mouth.

utthāya ca mahāsimhaṁ Devī Daṇḍam adhāvata

gṛhītvā cāsya keśeṣu śiras tenāsinācchinat

7.20 Mounting Her Great Lion, The Devī Rushed at Caṇḍa, seized him by the hair, and
Severed his head With Her Sword.

Atha Mundoabhya dhavattam Drishtva Chandam Nipatitam।

Tamapya pata yadbhumau Sa Khadga bhihatam Rusha॥21॥

7.21 Seeing Caṇḍa slain, Muṇḍa attacked Her. She Pushed him to the ground and
Struck him In Fury With Her Sword.

hataśeṣam tataḥ sainyaṁ dṛṣṭvā caṇḍaṁ nipātitam

muṇḍaṁ ca sumahāvīryaṁ diśo bheje bhayāturam

7.22 Seeing Caṇḍa and also the most valorous Muṇḍa slain, the remaining army
panicked and fled in all directions.

śiraś caṇḍasya Kālī ca gṛhītvā muṇḍam eva ca

prāha pracaṇd āṭṭa hasa miśram abhyetya Caṇḍikām

7.23 And Kālī, Grasping the heads of Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa, Approached Caṇḍikā. Mingling
Fierce, Loud Laughter With Her Words, She Said:

mayā tavātro pahṛtau caṇḍamuṇḍau mahāpaśū

yuddhayajñe Svayaṁ śumbhaṁ niśumbhaṁ ca haniṣyasi

7.24 ‘I Here Present To You Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa As Two Great Offerings in the sacrifice
of battle. You Yourself Shall Slay Śumbha and Niśumbha.’”

ṛṣir uvāca

7.25 The seer said:

tāvā nītau tato dṛṣṭvā caṇḍamuṇḍau mahāsurau

uvāca Kālīṁ kalyāṇī lalitaṁ Caṇḍikā vacaḥ

7.26 “When She Saw Those two great asuras, Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa, Brought Before Her, The
Auspicious Caṇḍikā Spoke These Playful Words To Kālī:
yasmāc caṇḍaṁ ca muṇḍaṁ ca gṛhītvā Tvam upāgatā
Cāmuṇḍeti tato loke khyātā Devi bhaviṣyasi

7.27 ‘Because You Have Overpowered Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa And Delivered Them To Me, You, O
Devī, Will Henceforth Be Known In The World As Cāmuṇḍā.’”