Chapter 3 · Tṛtīyo’dhyāyaḥ (Third Chapter)
Verse 39–40
ऋषिरुवाच ॥ ३९ ॥ एवमुक्त्वा समुत्पत्य साऽऽरूढा तं महासुरम्। पादेनाक्रम्य कण्ठे च शूलेनैनमताडयत् ॥ ४० ॥
ṛṣiruvāca || 39 || ēvamuktvā samutpatya sā’’rūḍhā taṁ mahāsuram | pādēnākramya kaṇṭhē ca śūlēnainamatāḍayat || 40 ||
Translation
The sage said: 'Having said this, she leaped up and mounted that great demon. Pressing down on his neck with her foot, she struck him with her trident.'
Word by word
- evam
- thus
- uktvā
- having said
- samutpatya
- leaping up, springing
- sā
- she
- ārūḍhā
- mounted
- tam
- that
- mahāsuram
- great demon
- pādena
- with her foot
- ākramya
- pressing down, trampling
- kaṇṭhe
- on the neck
- ca
- and
- śūlena
- with her trident
- enam
- him
- atāḍayat
- she struck
Meaning
This is the climax of the epic battle. The Goddess's words are followed by immediate, decisive action. She leaps onto Mahishasura, a powerful symbolic act of domination. Pinning him down with her foot on his neck is the ultimate gesture of subjugation, showing her complete victory over the demon king. The trident (śūla), Shiva's weapon which she bears, delivers the final blow.