The Slaying of Chanda and Munda
Maharishi Medha said – Obeying the command of the Daitya king, Chanda and Munda set out to fight the Goddess with a vast fourfold army, fully armed for battle. When they reached the Himalayas, they saw the Goddess seated upon Her lion, smiling calmly.
As the Asuras advanced towards Her with swords in their hands, intending to seize Her, Ambika was filled with fierce anger. Her face darkened, Her brows tightened, and from Her forehead emerged a terrifying form of Kali. Her mouth was vast, Her eyes were red, and She carried a sword and a Pasha in Her hands. She wore a tiger-skin garment and a garland of severed heads. Her body was lean, almost skeletal, and Her terrible roar filled every direction.
Kali immediately rushed into the Asura army and began destroying them. She seized guards, elephant riders, mahouts and even elephants with their bells and ornaments, lifting them with a single hand and throwing them into Her mouth.
In the same way, She devoured horses, chariots, charioteers and the warriors seated within them. Some Asuras She seized by the hair, some She crushed beneath Her feet, and others She struck down against Her chest. The mighty weapons hurled at Her by the Daityas were caught in Her mouth and crushed between Her teeth.
She devoured many powerful Asuras, trampled countless others and sent the rest fleeing in terror. Some She killed with Her sword, while others fell beneath the force of Her teeth. In this way, within a very short time, the Goddess destroyed the entire Asura force.
Seeing the destruction of his army, the mighty Chanda rushed towards Kali. Munda too attacked Her, showering Her with terrible arrows and hurling thousands of Chakras. The shining arrows and discs entered the mouth of the Goddess and appeared like countless suns disappearing into dark storm clouds.
Then Kali let out a tremendous roar and burst into a fierce, terrifying laugh. Her dreadful face was almost impossible to behold, while the rows of white teeth within Her mouth shone brightly.
Taking up Her sword, She gave a mighty cry of “Hum!” and charged at Chanda. Seizing him by the hair, She cut off his head with a single stroke. When Munda saw Chanda fall, he rushed towards the Goddess, but Kali turned upon him in fury and struck him down with Her sword as well.
Seeing both Chanda and Munda slain, the remaining Asura soldiers fled the battlefield in fear.
Kali then carried the severed heads of Chanda and Munda to Chandika and, laughing fiercely, said, “O Devi! I have slain these two great Asuras, Chanda and Munda, and brought them before You. Shumbha and Nishumbha still remain — their destruction now awaits You.”
Maharishi Medha said – Seeing the heads of Chanda and Munda brought before Her, the benevolent Chandi spoke gently to Kali:
“O Devi, because You have slain Chanda and Munda and brought them before Me, You shall henceforth be known throughout the world as Chamunda.”