Durga Saptashati Chapter 7: Chanda and Munda Slain, the Goddess Becomes Chamunda

In chapter 7 the Goddess's fiercest form, Kali, appears. From this chapter comes the name Chamunda, found in the navarna mantra "Om Aim Hrim Klim Chamundayai Vichche".

Chanda and Munda attack

At Shumbha's command Chanda and Munda set out with a fourfold army, weapons raised. On a golden peak of the Himalaya they saw the Goddess seated on her lion, gently smiling. The asuras advanced to seize her; some drew bows, some drew swords and came close.

Kali appears

Then Ambika grew very angry at her enemies, and her face darkened with rage. From her frowning brow at once sprang a most terrible goddess, with a fearsome face, sword and noose in her hands. She bore a strange skull-topped staff, wore a garland of heads and a tiger skin, her flesh dried, her mouth enormous, her tongue lolling, her red eyes sunken, filling the directions with her roar. This was Kali.

Kali's slaughter

Kali fell upon the asura army with great speed and began to devour it. She lifted elephants with their riders, bells and guards in one hand and threw them into her mouth. She crunched horses with their chariots and charioteers between her teeth. Some she killed by seizing their hair, some by the throat, some she crushed under her feet and some she struck down with her chest. Even the weapons the asuras hurled she took in her mouth and chewed to pieces.

Chanda and Munda are slain

Seeing his army destroyed, Chanda ran at Kali, and Munda covered her with terrible arrows and thousands of discuses. The discuses vanished into her mouth like many images of the sun into clouds. Then, laughing terribly, Kali mounted her great lion, rushed at Chanda, seized his hair and cut off his head with her sword. Seeing Chanda dead, Munda ran at her, and she struck him down too. The rest of the army fled in terror.

The name Chamunda

Then Kali took the heads of Chanda and Munda, went to Ambika and with a fierce laugh said: "I have brought you these two great beasts, Chanda and Munda, as an offering. In the sacrifice of battle you yourself shall slay Shumbha and Nishumbha."

Ambika said sweetly: "Yasmach chandam cha mundam cha grihitva tvam upagata, chamundeti tato loke khyata devi bhavishyasi": "Since you have come bringing Chanda and Munda, O Goddess, you shall be famed in the world as Chamunda."

What this chapter teaches

• Kali's terrible form is terrible not to devotees but to evil; a mother's anger is for her children's protection.
• Chanda (fury) and Munda (inertia, the head of pride) are taken as faults within us, which the Goddess destroys.
• Even the greatest weapon is swallowed by the power of truth.
• Sharing credit after work: Kali offered the victory to Ambika, and Ambika gave Kali her name.