Chapter 2 · Dvitīyo’dhyāyaḥ (Second Chapter)
Verse 68
स च सिंहो महानादमुत्सृजन्धुतकेसरः। शरीरेभ्योऽमरारीणामसूनिव विचिन्वति ॥ ६८ ॥
sa ca siṁhō mahānādamutsṛjandhutakēsaraḥ | śarīrēbhyō’marārīṇāmasūniva vicinvati || 68 ||
Translation
'And that lion, with its mane shaking, uttered a great roar and, as if seeking out the very life breaths from the bodies of the enemies of the gods, ...'
Word by word
- saḥ
- that
- ca
- and
- siṁhaḥ
- lion
- mahānādam
- a great roar
- utsṛjan
- emitting, uttering
- dhutakesaraḥ
- with shaking mane
- śarīrebhyaḥ
- from the bodies
- amarārīṇām
- of the enemies of the gods (demons)
- asūn
- the life breaths
- iva
- as if
- vicinvati
- seeking out, searching for
Meaning
This verse focuses on the fury of the Goddess's divine vehicle. The lion's mighty roar symbolizes the terrifying sound of divine retribution. Its action is described with a powerful metaphor: it attacks the demons with such ferocity that it seems to be tearing out their very life force (asūn) from their bodies, leaving no doubt about the finality of their destruction.