Chapter 4 · Caturtho’dhyāyaḥ (Fourth Chapter)
Verse 13
दृष्ट्वा तु देवि कुपितं भ्रुकुटीकराल- मुद्यच्छशाङ्कसदृशच्छवि यन्न सद्यः। प्राणान्मुमोच महिषस्तदतीव चित्रं कैर्जीव्यते हि कुपितान्तकदर्शनेन ॥ १३ ॥
dṛṣṭvā tu dēvi kupitaṁ bhrukuṭīkarāla- mudyacchaśāṅkasadṛśacchavi yanna sadyaḥ | prāṇānmumōca mahiṣastadatīva citraṁ kairjīvyatē hi kupitāntakadarśanēna || 13 ||
Translation
...but, O Goddess, having seen (your other) angry face, fierce with frowning brows and with a splendour like the rising moon, Mahishasura immediately gave up his life. That is very strange indeed, for who can live after seeing the angry face of the Destroyer (Yama)?
Word by word
- dṛṣṭvā
- having seen
- tu
- and
- devi
- O Goddess
- kupitam
- angry
- bhrukuṭīkarālam
- fierce with frowning brows
- udyacchaśāṅkasadṛśacchavi
- having a splendour like the rising moon
- yat
- which
- na
- not
- sadyaḥ
- immediately
- prāṇān
- life breaths
- mumoca
- gave up, lost
- mahiṣaḥ
- Mahisha (the demon)
- tat
- that
- atīva
- very
- citram
- strange, wonderful
- kaiḥ
- by whom
- jīvyate
- can one live
- hi
- for
- kupitāntakadarśanena
- by seeing the angry face of the Destroyer (Yama)
Meaning
This verse reveals the cause of Mahishasura's death. He was not just killed by a weapon; the mere sight of the Goddess's fully wrathful aspect was enough to make him surrender his life. The gods express awe at this, noting that it is a wonder (citram) he didn't die instantly upon seeing her angry face, which is as terrifying as seeing the face of Death (Antaka) itself.