Candishataka 53

53

smitvā saṃhṛtāsordaśanarucikṛtākāṇḍakailāsabhāso mahiṣasya pretakāye
marutāṃ nikāye devasamūhe śṛṅgāgrabhūmiṃ śritavati sati . kakuṣkuñjareṣu digga-
jeṣu kuñjautsukyācchrutikuharapuṭaṃ drāk viśatsu satsu . smaramuṣi śive pṛṣṭhā-
dhirūḍhe sati uccahāseva devī vaḥ pāyāt ..
kṛtvā 3pātālapaṅke kṣayarayamilitaikārṇavecchāvagāhaṃ
dāhānnetratrayāgnervilayana4vigalacchṛṅgaśūnyottamāṅgaḥ .
krīḍākroḍābhiśaṅkāṃ vidadhadapihitavyomasīmā mahimnā
vīkṣya kṣuṇṇo yayāristṛṇamiva mahiṣaḥ sāvatāda5mbikā vaḥ 51
yayā mahiṣo'rirvīkṣya tṛṇamiva kṣuṇṇaścūrṇīkṛtaḥ sāmbikā vo'vatāt .
kiṃ kṛtvā . kṣayarayeṇa pralayavegena militaḥ sa cāsāvekārṇavaśca tatrecchayā-
vagāhastaṃ pātālapaṅke kṛtvā . yathādivarāhaḥ pralayaikārṇave'vagāhaṃ kṛtavān,
tathānena pātālapaṅke kṛtamiti bhāvaḥ . kathaṃbhūta . netratrayāgnerdāhādvilayanaṃ
tena vigalantī ye śṛṅge tābhyāṃ śūnyamuttamāṅgaṃ śiro yasya . punaḥ kathaṃbhūtaḥ .
mahimnā mahattvenāpihitavyomasīmācchāditagaganaprāntaḥ . ata eva krīḍākro-
ḍābhiśaṅkāṃ līlāvarāhabhrāntiṃ vidadhatkurvāṇaḥ ..
śūle śailāvikampaṃ na nimiṣitamiṣau paṭṭiśe sāṭṭahāsaṃ
prāse sotyāsamavyākulama6pi kuliśe jātaśaṅkaṃ na śaṅkau .
1. 'tuṅgāḥ śṛṅgāgrabhūmīḥ'. 2. 'protakāye', 3. 'pātālapaḍkeḥ kṣayarayami-
litairarṇavecchā-'. 4. 'vilasat'. 5. 'kālikā vaḥ'. 6. 'iva'.
cakre'1vakraṃ kṛpāṇe na kṛpaṇamasurārātibhiḥ pātyamāne
daityaṃ pādena devī mahiṣitavapuṣaṃ piṃṣatī vaḥ punātu .. 52 ..
mahiṣitavapuṣaṃ daityaṃ pādena piṃṣatī cūrṇayantī devī vaḥ punātu . kiṃbhū-
tam . asurārātibhirdevaiḥ pātyamāne śūle śailavadavikampam . iṣau śare na
nimiṣitaṃ nirnimeṣalocanam . paṭṭiśe sāṭṭahāsam . prāse kunte sotprāsaṃ sama-
nāksirām . kuliśe vajre'pi anyākulam . śaṅkau āyudhaviśeṣe na jāta.
śaṅkam . cakre'vakraṃ saralameva sthitam . kṛpāṇe khar̤age na kṛpaṇaṃ na dīnam .
asurārātibhiḥ pātyamāne iti sarvatra yojyam ..
cakre cakrasya nākhyā na ca khalu paraśorna kṣuraprasya nāse-
ryadvakraṃ kaitavāviṣkṛtamahiṣatanau vidviṣatyājibhāji .
protāprāsena mūrdhnaḥ saghṛṇamabhimukhāyātayā kālarātryā
kalyāṇānyānanābjaṃ sṛjatu tadasṛjo dhārayā vakritaṃ vaḥ ..53..

Having smiled, when the host of the Maruts, the assembly of gods, had resorted to the lofty ground of the tips of the horns upon the dead body of the buffalo whose breath had been taken away and whose teeth's luster produced an unexpected splendor of Kailāsa; when the world-elephants, out of longing for the bowers, quickly entered the cavity of his ear-holes; when the Stealer of Smara, Śiva, had mounted his back, the Goddess as it were laughed aloud—may she protect you!

Having plunged into the mud of Pātāla at will as if into the single ocean joined by the swift flood of dissolution,
His head devoid of horns that melted and slipped away from the burning of the fire of the three eyes,
Casting the apprehension of a play-boar, concealing the bounds of the sky with his immense size,
Having looked upon him, the enemy buffalo whom she crushed like a straw—may that Ambikā protect you! (51)

Ambikā, by whom the enemy buffalo, having been looked upon, was crushed, powdered like a straw—may she protect you! Having done what? Having made an immersion at will into the mud of Pātāla, which was like the single ocean that met with the swiftness of dissolution, the speed of universal destruction. Just as the Primeval Boar plunged into the single ocean of dissolution, so did he plunge into the mud of Pātāla—such is the sense. Of what kind was he? His crest, his head, devoid of the two horns that melted away and fell off from the burning of the fire of the three eyes. Again, of what kind? The boundary of the sky was concealed, the edge of the firmament was covered, by his greatness, his vastness. For that very reason, producing the apprehension of a play-boar, causing the illusion of a sport-boar.

Immovable like a mountain at the trident; unblinking at the arrow; laughing loudly at the paṭṭiśa;
Full of mocking laughter at the spear; undisturbed even at the thunderbolt; feeling no fear at the dart;
Unswerving at the discus; not faint-hearted at the sword, as they were hurled by the foes of the Asuras—
Crushing with her foot that Daitya who had assumed the body of a buffalo, may the Goddess purify you! (52)

Crushing, powdering with her foot the Daitya who had assumed the form of a buffalo, may the Goddess purify you! Of what sort was he? Immovable as a mountain when the trident was cast by the foes of the Asuras, the gods; not blinking, with unwinking eyes, at the arrow; bursting with loud laughter at the *paṭṭiśa*; mocking, raising his head slightly, at the barbed spear; untroubled even at the thunderbolt; not feeling fear at the dart, a particular weapon; unbending, remaining straight, at the discus; not wretched, not despairing, at the sword. The phrase "as they were hurled by the foes of the Asuras" is to be applied everywhere.

When the discus had not made its name, nor indeed the axe, nor the crescent-headed arrow, nor the sword,
Which face, crooked in the enemy who had resorted to battle, bearing the deceitfully revealed body of a buffalo,
Was pierced from the head by the barbed spear of Kālarātri advancing to confront him, and with pity
Made crooked by the stream of his blood—may that lotus-face produce your blessings! (53)