Chapter 3 · Tṛtīyo’dhyāyaḥ (Third Chapter)
Verse 37–38
देव्युवाच ॥ ३७ ॥ गर्ज गर्ज क्षणं मूढ मधु यावत्पिबाम्यहम्। मया त्वयि हतेऽत्रैव गर्जिष्यन्त्याशु देवताः ॥ ३८ ॥
dēvyuvāca || 37 || garja garja kṣaṇaṁ mūḍha madhu yāvatpibāmyaham | mayā tvayi hatē’traiva garjiṣyantyāśu dēvatāḥ || 38 ||
Translation
The Goddess said: 'Roar, roar for a moment, O fool, while I drink this liquor (of your life). Once I slay you here, the gods will quickly roar (in triumph).'
Word by word
- garja garja
- roar, roar
- kṣaṇam
- for a moment
- mūḍha
- O fool
- madhu
- the liquor (of your life)
- yāvat
- while
- pibāmi
- I drink
- aham
- I
- mayā
- by me
- tvayi
- when you
- hate
- are slain
- atra
- here
- eva
- indeed
- garjiṣyanti
- will roar
- āśu
- quickly
- devatāḥ
- the gods
Meaning
This is the Goddess's iconic declaration of victory. She mockingly tells him to let out his final roars, as they are his last. The 'liquor' she drinks is a metaphor for the intoxicating act of destroying him and absorbing his power. She prophesies her imminent victory, stating that his death will be the cause for the triumphant roars (garjiṣyanti) of the gods, directly contrasting his arrogant roars of defiance.