Durga Saptashati Chapter 9: The Slaying of Nishumbha

In chapter 9 Shumbha's younger brother Nishumbha enters the battle. The chapter shows that however often the power of wrong rises, it falls in the end before dharma.

King Suratha's question

King Suratha said to the sage Medha: "Lord, you have told the wondrous story of Raktabija's death; now I wish to hear what the enraged Shumbha and Nishumbha did next."

Nishumbha fights

The sage said: with Raktabija and the other asuras slain, Shumbha and Nishumbha were furious. Nishumbha advanced with his army and the chief asuras, great asuras before, behind and on both sides of him. Shumbha too came with his army to fight the Mothers.

Shumbha and Nishumbha rained arrows like clouds. The Goddess cut their arrows with her own and struck their limbs with her weapons.

Nishumbha, with sword and gleaming shield, struck the head of the Goddess's lion. With a razor-edged arrow she cut his sword and shield. He hurled a spear, which she cut with her discus; he threw a lance, which she shattered with her fist; he whirled and threw a mace, which turned to ash against her trident. Then she wounded him with an axe and he fell to the ground.

Shumbha attacks

Seeing his brother fall, Shumbha rushed in fury to kill the Goddess. Standing in his chariot, holding the finest weapons in eight long arms, he seemed to fill the whole sky. As he came, the Goddess blew her conch and twanged her bow with a terrible sound, and the ringing of her bell filled all directions, destroying the asuras' vigour.

Shumbha hurled a blazing spear, which the Goddess stopped with a great firebrand. His lion-like roar echoed through the three worlds. They shot thousands of arrows at each other. The Goddess struck him with her spear, and he fell senseless to the ground.

Nishumbha rises again

Meanwhile Nishumbha regained consciousness, seized his bow and wounded the Goddess, Kali and the lion with arrows. Then he made himself ten thousand arms and covered the Goddess with ten thousand discuses. Durga in anger cut those discuses and arrows with her own. Nishumbha ran at her with a mace; she cut it with her sword, and he took up a spear.

Nishumbha is slain

As Nishumbha came with his spear, the Goddess swiftly hurled hers and pierced his chest. From his torn heart another mighty figure sprang out, crying "Stop!" As it emerged the Goddess laughed loudly and cut off its head with her sword, and it fell to the ground.

Then the lion crushed the necks of asuras with its sharp fangs, and Kali and Shivaduti devoured others. Asuras perished by Kaumari's spear, Brahmani's charmed water, Maheshvari's trident, Varahi's blows, Vaishnavi's discus and Aindri's thunderbolt. Some fled; others became food for Kali, Shivaduti and the lion.

What this chapter teaches

• Evil falls and rises again, sometimes larger (ten thousand arms); so there should be no slackness in practice.
• The figure that sprang from Nishumbha's heart stands for the pride hidden within; until it is cut the fight is not over.
• The sound of conch, bell and bow sapped the asuras' strength; this is the spirit behind conch and bell in worship.
• The forces of good (the Mothers, the lion, Kali) work together, each with its own role.