Devi maahaathmyam 5

Devi maahaathmyam -5

(Chapters six and seven)

Sixth chapter describes the elimination of Dhoomralochana, one of the important assistants of Sumbha and Nisumbha.

Sumbha Nisumbha decided to send their powerful assistant, the red eyed Dhoomralochana to defeat Her, along with a big army of Asuraas. But Devi effortlessly killed him with an exhalation sound Huum or Huumkaaram. Her lion frightened the army of Asuraas, some were killed and the rest of them ran for their life.

When Sumbha and Nisumbha heard about the death of Dhoomralochana, Sumbha became very angry and ordered Chanda  and Munda to go and fight with Her. Sumbha told them: 

"Even though She is a woman, She is showing extraordinary arrogance and courage. Please do not hesitate to kill her thinking that She is a woman. Just defeat her with the help of our mighty army, grab Her by Her hair, drag Her here. She deserves no compassion !!." 

Sixth chapter ends there.

Chapter seven explains how Chanda and Munda fight with Devi and get killed by Her divine weapons.

Sumedhas continued the story telling to King Suratha and the business-man Samaadhi. 

Chanda and Munda (representing lust and cunning nature) set out with a huge army of soldiers to fight and win Devi. Seeing them coming and knowing their mean nature, Devi decided to face them with anger and manifested as Kaali, her angry form. Devi had a sword in one hand,  a rope called Varuna Paasham in another and a skull resting on a wooden staff in another hand. Her form was terrifying and she made loud noises which resembled thunder. When the demon army advanced towards her, Mahaa Kaali retaliated by grabbing them, throwing them, twisting them in Her hands, chewing the whole chariots with the charioteer and the horses that draw the chariot. Devi caught the weapons like sword, spear and arrows, hurled by them, with her wide mouth, chewed them and spit them. Seeing Her crushing their army, Chanda and Munda charged towards Her. Devi killed Chanda with her sword and Munda with Her staff decorated by a skull. Rest of the Asuraas escaped from the battle field to safety.

Because this form of Devi killed Chanda and Munda, She is also known as Chaamundi

Sumbha and Nisumbha represent the wild thoughts and actions of a mind deprived of the power of discrimination or vivekam. Wealth accumulated by crooked and adhaarmic ways and power acquired by cruel an unjust actions welcome Sumbha and Nisumbha to the minds of the doers. Fed by the lack of humility and arrogance Sumbha and Nisumbha grows with in us to thicken the veil of Maaya. Sumbha and Nisumbha breaks the thread of divinity which connects us to Bhagavan and His devotees and creates disharmony in the society in which we live. Entry of Sumbha and Nisumbha makes us selfish and inconsiderate. Only by invoking Mahaamaaya in our mind  we can get back our power of discrimination because Mahaamaaya will destroy our vanity and arrogance..

Dhoomralochana or the red-eyed asura represents anger born out of that mind deprived of humility. Also red is symbolic of raajasic qualities promoting continuous result-oriented actions. 

Chanda and Munda are symbolic of lust and cunning nature born out of  a mind deprived of the power of discrimination and ruled by lack of humility and arrogance. Devi's strong and divine presence removes them mercilessly to free us from the bond of the repeated cycle of birth and death. 

Shri Mhaathripurasundaryai nama:

Samsthaaparaadham kshamaswa.