The Slaying of Nishumbha
The King said – O Rishiraj, you have told me the story of the destruction of Raktabeeja. Now I wish to hear what Shumbha and Nishumbha did after Raktabeeja was slain and they were filled with rage.
Maharishi Medha said – When Raktabeeja was killed, Shumbha and Nishumbha were overcome with fury. Seeing such a vast part of their army destroyed, Nishumbha rushed forward to attack the Goddess. Many mighty Asuras charged alongside him, determined to kill Her, while the immensely powerful Shumbha also advanced with his army against Chandika.
A fierce battle then began between the Goddess and the two brothers. Shumbha and Nishumbha showered arrows upon Her like rain pouring from heavy clouds. But the Goddess cut down their arrows with Her own and struck both Daityas with a relentless storm of weapons.
Nishumbha took up a sharp sword and a shining shield and attacked the lion of the Goddess. Seeing Her Vahana struck, the Goddess released a razor-edged Kshurapra arrow and cut through both Nishumbha’s sword and shield.
With his sword and shield destroyed, Nishumbha hurled a Shakti weapon at the Goddess, but She split it in two with Her Chakra. Furious, he then threw a Shula at Her, but the Goddess shattered it with a blow of Her fist. He attacked again with a Gada, which She destroyed with Her Trishul. Then, taking up an axe, he rushed towards Her, but the Goddess struck him with Her sharp arrows and brought him crashing to the ground.
Seeing his mighty brother fall in this way, Shumbha became enraged and rushed forward to kill the Goddess. Seated upon his chariot, he appeared magnificent and terrifying, his eight powerful arms spreading across the sky and each adorned with formidable weapons.
As Shumbha approached, the Goddess blew Her Shankha and drew Her bow, producing a thunderous sound that was almost unbearable to hear. At the same time, She rang Her bell, whose sound weakened the strength and spirit of the Daitya army and filled every direction.
Then the lion of the Goddess let out a tremendous roar, a sound powerful enough to shatter the pride of even the strongest warriors. Its roar filled the sky, the Earth and all ten directions. Kali then leapt into the air and struck the ground with Her hands and teeth, producing such a terrible sound that all the earlier sounds seemed to disappear before it.
After this, Shivaduti burst into a terrifying laugh that filled the Asuras with fear. Hearing it, the Daityas trembled, while Shumbha became even more furious. Ambika called out to him, “O wicked one! Stand your ground! Stand your ground!” At once, the Devas in the heavens cried out, “Victory! Victory!”
Shumbha then released a terrible blazing Shakti weapon towards the Goddess. Seeing it rush towards Her, She destroyed it with Her own weapon known as Maholka.
O King, Shumbha then let out a mighty roar that filled all three worlds. Its echo produced such a terrible sound that it seemed to overpower everything heard before it. Shumbha cut down the arrows released by the Goddess, while the Goddess shattered his arrows in return, reducing them to hundreds and thousands of pieces.
Then Chandika, filled with anger, struck Shumbha with Her Trishul. He lost consciousness and fell to the ground. When he recovered, he took up his bow again and wounded the Goddess, Kali and the lion with a shower of arrows.
The Rakshasa then assumed a form with ten thousand arms and covered the Goddess with Chakras and other weapons. Bhagavati Durga, enraged by the attack, cut through those Chakras and arrows with Her own arrows.
At that moment, Nishumbha rushed towards Chandika once again, carrying a Gada. As he approached, the Goddess cut his Gada apart with Her sharp Khadga.
He then took up a Trishul. Seeing Nishumbha, the tormentor of the Devas, coming towards Her with the weapon in his hand, Chandika struck him in the chest with Her Shula and tore open his heart.
As his chest was pierced, another immensely powerful Asura, exactly like him, emerged from within and cried out, “Stop! Stop!” Seeing him, the Goddess laughed loudly. Before he could fully emerge, She cut off his head with Her sword. The moment his head was severed, he fell to the ground.
Then the lion began roaring and devouring the remaining Asuras. Kali and Shivaduti drank the blood of the Rakshasas. Many mighty Daityas were destroyed by the Shakti of Kaumari, while others were overcome by the sacred water from Brahma’s Kamandalu.
Many Asuras were pierced by the Trishul of Maheshwari and fell to the ground. Others were torn apart by the attacks of Varahi. Vaishnavi crushed powerful Daityas with Her Chakra and sent them to Yamaloka, while Aindri destroyed many mighty Rakshasas.
Some of the Daityas were slain, some fled from the battlefield, and many others were devoured by Kali, Shivaduti and the lion of the Goddess.