Sanskrit Encyclopaedia

7. निजहुङ्कृतिमात्रनिराकृतधूम्रविलोचनधूम्रशते

अयि निजहुङ्कृतिमात्रनिराकृतधूम्रविलोचनधूम्रशते
समरविशोषितरोषितशोणितबीजसमुद्भवबीजलते ।
शिवशिवशुम्भनिशुम्भमहाहवतर्पितभूतपिशाचरते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ ४ ॥

अयि (ayi): O!

निजहुङ्कृतिमात्रनिराकृतधूम्रविलोचनधूम्रशते (nija-huṃkṛti-mātra-nirākṛta-dhūmra-vilocana-dhūmra-śate):*

निज (nija): own

हुङ्कृति (huṃkṛti): humkara (the sound ‘hum’), roar, war cry

मात्र (mātra): merely, only

निराकृत (nirākṛta): destroyed, vanquished

धूम्रविलोचन (dhūmra-vilocana): smoke-eyed (dhūmra = smoke, vilocana = eye)

धूम्रशते (dhūmra-śate): hundreds of smoky ones (śata = hundred)

“O you who vanquished hundreds of smoke-eyed demons with just your roar!” - This highlights Durga’s immense power, capable of destroying hordes of demons with a single war cry.

समरविशोषितरोषितशोणितबीजसमुद्भवबीजलते (samara-viśoṣita-roṣita-śoṇita-bīja-samudbhava-bīja-late):*

समर (samara): battle

विशोषित (viśoṣita): dried up

रोषित (roṣita): enraged, furious

शोणित (śoṇita): blood

बीज (bīja): seed

समुद्भव (samudbhava): arisen from, born from

बीजलते (bīja-late): O you who are a creeper of seeds! (lata = creeper, vine)

“O you who are a creeper of seeds, born from the blood of the enraged demons dried up in battle!” - This metaphor is quite complex. It could refer to Durga’s power to create new life even from the destruction of demons, or it could symbolize her ability to regenerate and emerge stronger from every battle.

शिवशिवशुम्भनिशुम्भमहाहवतर्पितभूतपिशाचरते (śiva-śiva-śumbha-niśumbha-mahāhava-tarpita-bhūta-piśāca-rate):

शिव शिव (śiva śiva): hail, hail (an exclamation of praise)

शुम्भ (śumbha): (name of a demon)

निशुम्भ (niśumbha): (name of a demon)

महाहव (mahāhava): great battle

तर्पित (tarpita): satisfied, satiated

भूत (bhūta): ghost, spirit

पिशाच (piśāca): demon, evil spirit

रते (rate): one who delights in

“Hail, hail! O you who delight in the ghosts and demons satisfied by the great battle against Shumbha and Nishumbha!” - This highlights Durga’s victory over the powerful demons Shumbha and Nishumbha and her role as the protector of the universe.

जय जय (jaya jaya): victory, victory

हे (he): O!

महिषासुरमर्दिनि (mahiṣāsura-mardini): slayer of Mahishasura (the buffalo demon) (mahishasura = buffalo demon, mardini = slayer)

रम्यकपर्दिनि (ramya-kapardini): with beautiful hair (ramya = beautiful, kapardini = having braided hair)

शैलसुते (shailasute): daughter of the mountain (shaila = mountain, sute = daughter)