Chapter 4 · Caturtho’dhyāyaḥ (Fourth Chapter)
Verse 22
केनोपमा भवतु तेऽस्य पराक्रमस्य रूपं च शत्रुभयकार्यतिहारि कुत्र। चित्ते कृपा समरनिष्ठुरता च दृष्टा त्वय्येव देवि वरदे भुवनत्रयेऽपि ॥ २२ ॥
kēnōpamā bhavatu tē’sya parākramasya rūpaṁ ca śatrubhayakāryatihāri kutra | cittē kṛpā samaraniṣṭhuratā ca dṛṣṭā tvayyēva dēvi varadē bhuvanatrayē’pi || 22 ||
Translation
With what can your valor be compared? And where can a form be found that so steals away the capacity of enemies to cause fear? Compassion in the heart and ruthlessness in battle are seen in you alone, O boon-granting Goddess, even in all the three worlds.
Word by word
- kena
- with what
- upamā
- comparison
- bhavatu
- can there be
- te
- your
- asya
- of this
- parākramasya
- valor
- rūpaṁ
- form
- ca
- and
- śatrubhayakāryatihāri
- which steals away the capacity of enemies to cause fear
- kutra
- where
- citte
- in the heart/mind
- kṛpā
- compassion
- samaraniṣṭhuratā
- and ruthlessness in battle
- dṛṣṭā
- are seen
- tvayy
- in you
- eva
- alone
- devi
- O Goddess
- varade
- O boon-giver
- bhuvanatraye
- in the three worlds
- api
- even
Meaning
The gods declare the Goddess's uniqueness. Her valor is incomparable. Her form is uniquely terrifying to enemies. Most significantly, the coexistence of deep compassion (kṛpā) and battlefield ruthlessness (niṣṭhuratā) is a paradox found in her alone in all of creation. This makes her the supreme and singular refuge.