Durga Saptashati Chapter 10: The Slaying of Shumbha

Chapter 10 is the final battle. Its deepest moment is when the Goddess reveals that all the powers are her own forms: she is one, appearing as many.

Shumbha's taunt

Seeing his beloved brother Nishumbha dead and his army destroyed, Shumbha said angrily: "Durga, do not be proud of your strength. You are very arrogant, yet you fight relying on the strength of other women (the Mothers)."

Ekaivaham: I alone am

The Goddess replied:

Ekaivaham jagaty atra dvitiya ka mamapara
pashyaita dushta mayy eva vishantyo mad vibhutayah

Meaning: I alone exist in this world; who else is there besides me? See, wicked one, these, my own powers, are entering into me.

At once Brahmani and all the goddesses merged into her body, and Ambika alone remained. She said: "By my power I stood here in many forms; I have withdrawn them. Now I stand alone in battle; you too stand firm."

The final battle

Then, as gods and asuras watched, a terrible battle began between the Goddess and Shumbha. She rained hundreds of arrows, sharp missiles and fearsome weapons, and so did he. As if in play she made his divine weapons powerless with a roar. He covered her with hundreds of arrows, and in anger she cut his bow with hers. With his bow cut he took up a spear, which she cut with her discus. Then he ran at her with a sword and a shield shining like a hundred moons; she cut them with sharp arrows, killed his horses and charioteer and destroyed his chariot.

He came at her with a club, which she cut with arrows. Then he struck her chest with his fist, and she struck his chest with her palm, and he fell to the ground, but rose again.

Battle in the sky

Then Shumbha seized the Goddess, leapt up and fought her in the sky. Such a battle had never been seen, and the siddhas and sages watched in amazement. After fighting long, the Goddess lifted him, whirled him round and dashed him to the ground.

Shumbha is slain

Thrown down, the wicked one rose again and ran at her with fist raised. Seeing him come, the Goddess pierced his chest with her spear and threw him to the earth. Wounded by her spear, the asura fell lifeless, and at his fall the whole earth with its oceans, islands and mountains trembled.

Peace returns

The moment the wicked one died, the whole world became glad and well and the sky clear. The clouds of disaster and the falling meteors ceased, and the rivers flowed in their courses. The gods rejoiced, the gandharvas sang sweetly, the apsaras danced, a pure wind blew, the sun shone brightly, and the sacrificial fires burned peacefully.

What this chapter teaches

• All powers are forms of the one supreme Power; this is unity in diversity.
• Evil taunts and confuses to the end ("you fight with others' strength"), but truth answers calmly.
• When wrong ends, nature too becomes calm and glad; injustice affects the whole environment.
• Patience is needed until final victory; Shumbha rose again and again, but the Goddess did not stop.