Page:The Indian Antiquary Vol 1.pdf/136

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[APRIL 5, 1872.

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.

and his followers emitted, and filled the whole world. It then assumed the shape of a three

cumstance that the goddess jumped on Mahi sh a and pierced him with the trident, and

eyed female, Chand ika-Devi. The gods, select Siva drew a new

similar incidents; but he does not describe the combat with M a h is ha at full length. He contents himself with taking out some of its

trident forth from his own favourite weapon,

most prominent features, and with placing be

Vishnu produced a new Chakra from his Chakra, V a run a gave a conch-shell, Agni a spear, Wäyu a bow and arrows, and Indra a thunder bolt forged out of his own Vajra. The Hima lay a presented a lion to be the Vāhana of the

fore the mind of his hearers, again and again, the final tableau, where the victorious Devi

ed her to do battle with Mahisha and provided her with arms for the combat.

new deity.

When Devi had thus been honour

ed with presents by all the gods, she uttered a great cry which shook the universe. The gods answered it with a shout of victory. Alarmed by the noise the A sur as sallied forth from Heaven and prepared at once to do battle with their newly created foe. After a furious fight the army of the demons was routed with great slaughter by Ch and ika. Next the goddess had to undergo a series of single combats with Chiksh ura, the general of the Asura host and other leaders. When they had all been slain, Mah is h a himself came forward. He assumed his buffalo-shape, attacked the Pra

m at has, who accompanied Ch a n q i kā and routed them.

Emboldened by this success, the

Asura attempted to kill Devi's Vahana, the lion. The goddess met his onslaught by entangling him in her Pás'a, or snare. He then turned himself into a lion.

But De v i cut

off his head, upon which he assumed human shape. Pierced by the arrows of the goddess, the demon assailed her in the shape of an elephant. Punished again by the loss of his trunk, he returned to his buffalo form and tried to bury Ch a n dik fi under the mountains which he up rooted with his horns.

The mountains were

rent to pieces by the arrows of the goddess. But, before attacking him more actively, she rested and refreshed herself by repeated draughts of nectar. Thus fortified, she jumped on the monster, drove her trident into his neck and

finally cut off his head. The remainder of the Daitya army fled, the gods re-obtained posses sion of Swarga, and sang the praises of Ch a n dika, humbly acknowledging her power and supremacy.

It would seem that B an a, when writing his Chandikás'ataka, had this legend, or some very similar story before him.

He

mentions the

flight and helplessness of the gods, the cir

appears standing on the body of her vanquished enemy. This picture gives him repeated op portunities of exalting the miraculous power of Chandiká's feet, and of recommending to his hear ers the adoration of those limbs. A translation of a

few verses will, however, give a better idea of the character and contents of the poem than the

most minute analysis.

I subjoin, therefore,

some of the first Slokas as well as the con

cluding one.— Tert.

Mābhānkshir vibhramam bhrāradhara vidhu rată keyam asyāsya rāgam.

pâne pränyeva nãyam kalayasi kalahaáraddha yā kim trisulam | ityudyatkopaketún prakritim awayawān prä payantyeva devyā nyasto vo milrdhni mushyānmarudasuhrida sún sanāharann anghrir amhah || (1) Humkåre nyakkritodanvati nudati jite Sinji -

tair nüpurasya

Šlishyachchhringakstatātpraksharadasriji” ni jálaktakabhrāntibhāji | skandhe windhyādribuddhyā nikashati mahi shasyahitosúnahārshid ajñānādeva yasyāścharana iti Śivam sá šivă val, karotu || (2)

Jähnavyāyā na jatānunayapariharakshiptayá kshālayantyá

núnam no nüpurena glapitašasiruchā jyot snayå vä nakhānām

tälii Sobhām adadhānā jayati nijam ivālakta kam pidayitvá pādenaiva kshipanti mahisham asurasādāna nishkāryam aryā. (3) Mrityos tulyati trilokim grasitumatirasän nishkritāh kimi nu jihvāh kim vä krishnānghripadmadyutibhirarumitā vishnupadyāh padavyah | prăptăh samdhyāh smarāreh Svayam uta nutibhistisra ityūhyamānā devair devitrišūlāhatamahishajusho rakta (4) dhārājayanti |


 * The MS reads, slishyachhringakshitepi, but I am unable to extract any sense out of this reading.