Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The Rishi said:

The messenger heard the Devi’s words with growing anger. He returned to the Demon King and reported them in detail

Then Shumbha in turn was angered. He summoned Dhumralochana, one of his generals:

“O Dhumralochana! Go with your troops and fetch Her here immediately dragging Her by the hair. Anyone who tries to rescue Her is to be killed at once even if he is a God or a Yaksha or only a Gandharva!”


The Rishi said:

At this command Dhumralochana immediately responded with his sixty thousand troops. Seeing the Devi seated on the snowy mountain. He shouted:

“Come at once to Shumbha and Nishumbha’s presence! If You won’t come sweetly I will take You by the hair and force You to come.”

The Goddess replied:

But you are so strong, surrounded by your mighty army and protected by the Lord of Demons, why threaten Me? What harm do you fear? What can I possibly do?


The Rishi said:

Thus challenged, the Asura Dhumralochana rushed at Her. Then Ambika reduced him to ashes just by saying “Hum”.
This outraged the demon troops. They released showers of arrows, javelins and axes on Ambika.
The lion, vehicle of the Goddess rose in anger, shook his mane, and roaring violently, fell upon the wicked asura army. Some he slaughtered with blows from the fore-paw, some with his jaws and others by his hind legs. He disemboweled some with his claws and beheaded others with a cuff of his forepaws.
He severed heads and arms from some, and shook his mane as he drank the blood of others.
In an instant that whole army was destroyed by that high-spirited lion who bears the Devi. He was exceedingly angry.
When Shumbha the Asura lord heard that Dhumralochana was slain by the Devi and all his army slaughtered by her lion, he was furious. His lower lip quivered as he ordered two mighty Asuras, Chanda and Munda:

“Ho Chanda! Ho Munda! Take multitudes of troops and go and capture Her. Bring Her at once by the hair or bind Her. Failing that let the troops strike Her with their weapons. Kill the lion and when She is wounded seize that Ambika, bind Her and bring Her straight here!”