The Slaying of Shumbha and Nishumbha - Part 2 of 3

Shumbha nodded and called Durmalochana.

“There is a beautiful woman in our gardens!” Shumbha told Durmalochana. “Take our huge army to fight with her.”

Durmalochana was more than sure that he had heard something wrong. And that was when Shumbha’s fierce expression told Durmalochana that Shumbha indeed wanted an army to bring a woman captive.

Durmalochana honestly felt it was an overkill and was looking stupefied as Shumbha continued, “Kill any person who helps the Lady. Any Deva, any human, any person who sides the Lady during the fight, kill them. I have heard that this Lady has a friend called Kalika. Kill Kalika. But do not harm this Lady. Make sure that you hit her with arrows which are not sharp and bring the Lady to me.”

Durmalochana realized that Shumbha desired this woman and nodded.

Taking a huge army, Durmalochana asked them to wait outside the gardens, as he met the Goddess alone. “My Lady, Shumbha grieves that you are not with him. Please, my Lady reconsider and marry Shumbha!”

Goddess Kalika laughed. It was a wild laughter as Durmalochana watched her, scared, “Words! Is that all you are capable of? Fight or go back to Patala,” The Goddess said as she watched Durmalochana with something less than contempt.

Durmalochana was shocked as he heard Goddess Kalika. He then recovered immediately and sneered he nodded to his men, “Kill this woman!” Durmalochana screeched at his men as he pointed at Goddess Kalika, “... And kill the lion too!” Durmalochana and his men surrounded Kalika from all sides thinking that this was going to be all over in a few seconds.

Durmalochana fired arrows and Kalika broke the arrows before it could reach her. And once Goddess Kalika fell on their army, the asura army was massacred.

Goddess Kalika was fierce, lethal and dangerous and it looked like she was going to decimate the entire Asura army and that was when Durmalochana pulled out his Parigha weapon.

Goddess Ambika saw the Parigha weapon and shouted a syllable. It is said that the power of the syllable was so strong that Durmalochana was reduced to ashes the minute the Goddess spoke the words.

Shumbha and Nishumbha were shocked to find their men running back from the garden looking terrified and gasping for breath.

“Where is Durmalochana? Why are you running?” Shumbha demanded as he saw his men.

Still terrified, the men told Shumbha all that had happened, “Durmalochana is dead. He was killed by the Goddess. She uttered a word and he was burnt to ashes. She is the Mother Goddess!” One of them said panting. “The Goddess of all. I think both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu would come to her aid if she asks for it. Even the Lokapalas would come to her help and fight us! She has come here to help the Devas,” the men continued, “We think that the Goddess does not want the help of the Devas, Lord Shiva or Lord Vishnu because the Goddess knows that she can destroy everything by herself!” The men said looking scared.

And as if that was not enough, a terrifying conch blast could be heard from the garden. It was a terrible sound - almost like a death knell.

The remaining asura warriors bolted from there knowing that it was the conch of the Goddess.

Hearing the terrified words of the men, Shumbha spoke with Nishumbha in private. “What is to be done now?” He asked with troubled eyes.

The wise Nishumbha shook his head. “Fighting is the only way we have!”

Shumbha still looked troubled as Nishumbha continued, “I will fight the woman!”

“No! Wait!” Shumbha said sharply. “I will send Chanda and Munda to fight her!”

Chanda and Munda were both summoned before their king but this time the instructions given to them were different from the ones given to Durmalochana.

“Kill this Kalika! And try to bring the Lady captive, if she does not come willingly. But if the Lady fights, kill her too!” Shumbha said with a sinister look.

Chanda and Munda came to the garden and tried speaking with the beautiful Goddess once more. “The Devas have sent you on an impossible mission, Lady. A mission which could get you killed. You do not need to be friendly with people like these weak Devas! Why do you wish to fight Shumbha, beautiful Lady? Just give up your arms and accept Shumbha as your husband!”

This time the Goddess blazed angrily at the two men, “Fools!” The Goddess shouted. “Why do you think I will want Shumbha as my husband? I have Shiva, Vishnu and other Devas and you think I would choose Shumbha?”

The Goddess looked more and more angry. “Why would I choose anyone as my husband?” The Goddess demanded. “I preserve all the universe with the Gods and the Devas, all inside me.” The Goddess snorted. “Since ancient times, I have always destroyed evil warriors like Shumbha and Nishumbha. Just like what I am about to do right now!”

No sooner had the Goddess spoken Chanda and Goddess Kalika started fighting furiously.

And seeing Munda, Goddess Ambika frowned. From the frown of the Goddess emerged another Goddess as fierce as Goddess Kalika. This was Goddess Kali and wearing a tiger skin and garland of skulls, Goddess Kali looked ferocious. More than ferocious.

The asuras Chanda and Munda were unconscious in no time and Goddess Kalika tied Chanda and Munda in the “Pasa” weapon (A noose like weapon) and killed both the men.

Goddess Ambika watched the two dead asuras and turned to Goddess Kalika, “Because you have killed both Chanda and Munda, you will be called as Chamundi, from now on!”