Durga Saptashati · Chapter 7

Durga Saptashati Chapter 7 (Chanda-Munda Vadha) in Sanskrit with Hindi and English meaning

Chanda and Munda march on the Goddess with a full army. Her face darkens with anger, and from her brow comes Kali, fierce and fearless, who breaks the army and brings down both commanders. When Kali brings them before her, the Goddess gives her a new name: Chamunda.

हिंदी में पढ़ें →

What chapter 7 is about

Chapter 7 continues the uttama charitra, the third part of the Saptashati (chapters 5 to 13), told by the sage Medhas to King Suratha and the merchant Samadhi. In chapter 6 the Goddess turned Shumbha’s commander Dhumralochana to ashes with a single sound, and Shumbha sent the brothers Chanda and Munda to bring her back bound. Now they arrive with an army of elephants, chariots, horses and foot soldiers, and find her smiling gently, seated on her lion on a golden mountain peak (7.3).

When the soldiers close in, the Goddess’s face turns dark as ink with anger, and from between her knitted brows springs Kali (7.5–7.8): gaunt, wide-mouthed, wearing a tiger skin and a garland of heads, carrying a sword, a noose and a skull-topped staff. This is the first appearance of Kali in the Saptashati. The text describes her as frightening, but her terror is aimed at the army that came to drag the Goddess away. She breaks that army (7.9–7.15), and when Chanda and Munda attack her she brings both of them down (7.20–7.21).

Kali brings their heads to the Goddess and says the battle is a sacrifice in which Ambika herself will end Shumbha and Nishumbha (7.24). The Goddess answers with gentle words and a name (7.27): because you have brought Chanda and Munda, you will be known in the world as Chamunda. This is the name in the Navarna mantra, “Om aim hrim klim chamundayai vichche”, which many people recite along with the Saptashati. The chapter has 27 mantras; reciting it in Sanskrit takes about 5 minutes, and reading it with the meanings about 12.

Verses 7.1–7.9: Kali comes forth

Chanda and Munda arrive with an army, and Kali springs from the Goddess’s brow.

Show

Verse 7.1

ॐ ऋषिरुवाच॥

Rishir uvacha

अर्थ: ऋषि (मेधा मुनि) ने कहा:

Meaning: The sage (Medhas) said:

Verse 7.2

आज्ञप्तास्ते ततो दैत्याश्चण्डमुण्डपुरोगमाः।
चतुरङ्गबलोपेता ययुरभ्युद्यतायुधाः॥

Ajnaptas te tato daityash chanda-munda-purogamah,
chaturanga-balopeta yayur abhyudyatayudhah.

अर्थ: शुम्भ की आज्ञा पाकर चण्ड और मुण्ड के नेतृत्व में वे दैत्य चतुरंगिणी सेना (हाथी, रथ, घोड़े और पैदल) के साथ हथियार उठाए चल पड़े।

Meaning: So ordered, the daityas, led by Chanda and Munda, set out with an army of all four kinds (elephants, chariots, horses and foot soldiers), their weapons raised.

Verse 7.3

ददृशुस्ते ततो देवीमीषद्धासां व्यवस्थिताम्।
सिंहस्योपरि शैलेन्द्रशृङ्गे महति काञ्चने॥

Dadrishus te tato devim ishad-dhasam vyavasthitam,
simhasyopari shailendra-shringe mahati kanchane.

अर्थ: वहाँ उन्होंने देवी को देखा, जो पर्वतराज (हिमालय) के एक विशाल सुनहरे शिखर पर सिंह के ऊपर बैठी धीरे-धीरे मुस्कुरा रही थीं।

Meaning: There they saw the Goddess, smiling gently, seated on her lion upon a great golden peak of the king of mountains.

Verse 7.4

ते दृष्ट्वा तां समादातुमुद्यमं चक्रुरुद्यताः।
आकृष्टचापासिधरास्तथान्ये तत्समीपगाः॥

Te drishtva tam samadatum udyamam chakrur udyatah,
akrishta-chapasi-dharas tathanye tat-samipagah.

अर्थ: उन्हें देखकर वे उन्हें पकड़ने के लिए तैयार होकर आगे बढ़े; कुछ धनुष ताने और तलवारें लिए उनके पास तक आ पहुँचे।

Meaning: Seeing her, they made ready and moved to seize her; others, with bows drawn and swords in hand, came close to her.

Verse 7.5

ततः कोपं चकारोच्चैरम्बिका तानरीन् प्रति।
कोपेन चास्या वदनं मषीवर्णमभूत्तदा॥

Tatah kopam chakarochchair ambika tan arin prati,
kopena chasya vadanam mashi-varnam abhut tada.

अर्थ: तब अम्बिका को उन शत्रुओं पर बहुत क्रोध आया, और क्रोध से उनका मुख स्याही की तरह काला हो गया।

Meaning: Then Ambika grew very angry with those enemies, and in her anger her face turned dark as ink.

Verse 7.6

भ्रुकुटीकुटिलात्तस्या ललाटफलकाद्द्रुतम्।
काली करालवदना विनिष्क्रान्तासिपाशिनी॥

Bhrukuti-kutilat tasya lalata-phalakad drutam,
kali karala-vadana vinishkrantasi-pashini.

अर्थ: उनके ललाट से, तनी और टेढ़ी भौंहों के बीच से, तुरंत विकराल मुख वाली काली प्रकट हुईं, जिनके हाथों में तलवार और पाश था।

Meaning: From her forehead, from between her frowning, knitted brows, there swiftly came forth Kali, of fearsome face, holding a sword and a noose.

Verse 7.7

विचित्रखट्वाङ्गधरा नरमालाविभूषणा।
द्वीपिचर्मपरीधाना शुष्कमांसातिभैरवा॥

Vichitra-khatvanga-dhara nara-mala-vibhushana,
dvipi-charma-paridhana shushka-mamsati-bhairava.

अर्थ: वे अनोखा खट्वांग (खोपड़ी लगा दंड) लिए थीं, मनुष्यों के मुंडों की माला पहने थीं, बाघ की खाल ओढ़े थीं, और उनका शरीर सूखा-दुबला था, जिससे वे बहुत भयानक लगती थीं।

Meaning: She carried a strange skull-topped staff and wore a garland of human heads; she was dressed in a tiger skin, and her gaunt, wasted body made her most terrible to see.

Verse 7.8

अतिविस्तारवदना जिह्वाललनभीषणा।
निमग्नारक्तनयना नादापूरितदिङ्मुखा॥

Ativistara-vadana jihva-lalana-bhishana,
nimagnarakta-nayana nadapurita-dinmukha.

अर्थ: उनका मुख बहुत फैला हुआ था, लपलपाती जीभ से वे डरावनी लगती थीं, उनकी आँखें धँसी हुई और लाल थीं, और उनकी गर्जना से सारी दिशाएँ गूँज उठीं।

Meaning: Her mouth was very wide and her lolling tongue fearsome; her eyes were sunken and reddish, and her roar filled every direction.

Verse 7.9

सा वेगेनाभिपतिता घातयन्ती महासुरान्।
सैन्ये तत्र सुरारीणामभक्षयत तद्बलम्॥

Sa veganabhipatita ghatayanti mahasuran,
sainye tatra surarinam abhakshayata tad balam.

अर्थ: वे बड़े वेग से सेना पर टूट पड़ीं और बड़े-बड़े असुरों को मारते हुए देवताओं के शत्रुओं की उस सेना को निगलने लगीं।

Meaning: She fell upon them with great speed, striking down the great asuras, and began to devour that army of the gods’ enemies.

Verses 7.10–7.22: Kali in battle

Kali breaks the army and brings down Chanda and Munda.

Show

Verse 7.10

पार्ष्णिग्राहाङ्कुशग्राहियोधघण्टासमन्वितान्।
समादायैकहस्तेन मुखे चिक्षेप वारणान्॥

Parshni-grahankusha-grahi-yodha-ghanta-samanvitan,
samadayaika-hastena mukhe chikshepa varanan.

अर्थ: हाथियों को, उनके पीछे बैठे रक्षकों, अंकुश वाले महावतों, योद्धाओं और घंटियों समेत, वे एक हाथ से उठाकर मुँह में डाल लेती थीं।

Meaning: She lifted elephants with one hand, together with their rear guards, their drivers with goads, their warriors and their bells, and threw them into her mouth.

Verse 7.11

तथैव योधं तुरगै रथं सारथिना सह।
निक्षिप्य वक्त्रे दशनैश्चर्वयन्त्यतिभैरवम्॥

Tathaiva yodham turagai ratham sarathina saha,
nikshipya vaktre dashanaish charvayanty atibhairavam.

अर्थ: इसी तरह घोड़ों समेत घुड़सवारों को और सारथियों समेत रथों को मुँह में डालकर वे बड़े भयानक ढंग से दाँतों से चबा डालती थीं।

Meaning: In the same way she put horsemen with their horses and chariots with their drivers into her mouth and ground them between her teeth, a terrible sight.

Verse 7.12

एकं जग्राह केशेषु ग्रीवायामथ चापरम्।
पादेनाक्रम्य चैवान्यमुरसान्यमपोथयत्॥

Ekam jagraha keshesu grivayam atha chaparam,
padenakramya chaivanyam urasanyam apothayat.

अर्थ: किसी को उन्होंने बालों से पकड़ा, किसी को गले से; किसी को पैर से कुचल दिया और किसी को छाती के धक्के से गिरा दिया।

Meaning: One she seized by the hair, another by the neck; one she trampled under her foot, and another she knocked down with her chest.

Verse 7.13

तैर्मुक्तानि च शस्त्राणि महास्त्राणि तथासुरैः।
मुखेन जग्राह रुषा दशनैर्मथितान्यपि॥

Tair muktani cha shastrani mahastrani tathasuraih,
mukhena jagraha rusha dashanair mathitany api.

अर्थ: असुरों के छोड़े हुए शस्त्रों और बड़े-बड़े अस्त्रों को उन्होंने क्रोध में भरकर मुँह से पकड़ लिया और दाँतों से पीस डाला।

Meaning: The weapons and great missiles the asuras hurled at her she caught in her mouth in fury and crushed with her teeth.

Verse 7.14

बलिनां तद्बलं सर्वमसुराणां दुरात्मनाम्।
ममर्दाभक्षयच्चान्यानन्यांश्चाताडयत्तथा॥

Balinam tad balam sarvam asuranam duratmanam,
mamardabhakshayach chanyan anyamsh chatadayat tatha.

अर्थ: बलवान और दुष्ट असुरों की उस सारी सेना को उन्होंने रौंद डाला; कुछ को निगल गईं और कुछ को मार भगाया।

Meaning: That whole army of mighty, evil-minded asuras she crushed; some she devoured, and others she struck down.

Verse 7.15

असिना निहताः केचित्केचित्खट्वाङ्गताडिताः।
जग्मुर्विनाशमसुरा दन्ताग्राभिहतास्तथा॥

Asina nihatah kechit kechit khatvanga-taditah,
jagmur vinasham asura dantagrabhihatas tatha.

अर्थ: कुछ असुर तलवार से मारे गए, कुछ खट्वांग से पीटे गए, और कुछ दाँतों की नोक से घायल होकर नष्ट हो गए।

Meaning: Some asuras were cut down by the sword, some beaten with the skull-staff, and others perished struck by the points of her teeth.

Verse 7.16

क्षणेन तद्बलं सर्वमसुराणां निपातितम्।
दृष्ट्वा चण्डोऽभिदुद्राव तां कालीमतिभीषणाम्॥

Kshanena tad balam sarvam asuranam nipatitam,
drishtva chando 'bhidudrava tam kalim atibhishanam.

अर्थ: असुरों की सारी सेना को पल भर में गिरा हुआ देखकर चण्ड उन अत्यंत भयानक काली की ओर दौड़ा।

Meaning: Seeing the whole asura army brought down in a moment, Chanda rushed at Kali, most terrible to behold.

Verse 7.17

शरवर्षैर्महाभीमैर्भीमाक्षीं तां महासुरः।
छादयामास चक्रैश्च मुण्डः क्षिप्तैः सहस्रशः॥

Shara-varshair maha-bhimair bhimakshim tam mahasurah,
chhadayamasa chakraish cha mundah kshiptaih sahasrashah.

अर्थ: महादैत्य मुण्ड ने भी बहुत भयंकर बाणों की वर्षा से और हज़ारों की संख्या में फेंके गए चक्रों से उन भयानक नेत्रों वाली देवी को ढक दिया। (कुछ टीकाकार बाणों की वर्षा चण्ड की और चक्र मुण्ड के मानते हैं।)

Meaning: The great asura Munda covered the fierce-eyed goddess with showers of dreadful arrows and with discs hurled by the thousand. (Some commentators take the arrows as Chanda’s and the discs as Munda’s.)

Verse 7.18

तानि चक्राण्यनेकानि विशमानानि तन्मुखम्।
बभुर्यथार्कबिम्बानि सुबहूनि घनोदरम्॥

Tani chakrany anekani vishamanani tan-mukham,
babhur yatharka-bimbani subahuni ghanodaram.

अर्थ: वे अनेक चक्र उनके मुख में समाते हुए ऐसे लगे, मानो बहुत से सूर्य-मंडल बादल के भीतर समा रहे हों।

Meaning: Those many discs, vanishing into her mouth, looked like many orbs of the sun disappearing into the depths of a cloud.

Verse 7.19

ततो जहासातिरुषा भीमं भैरवनादिनी।
काली करालवक्त्रान्तर्दुर्दर्शदशनोज्ज्वला॥

Tato jahasatirusha bhimam bhairava-nadini,
kali karala-vaktrantar-durdarsha-dashanojjvala.

अर्थ: तब भयंकर गर्जना करने वाली काली अत्यंत क्रोध में भरकर भयानक हँसी हँसीं; उनके विकराल मुख के भीतर ऐसे दाँत चमक रहे थे जिन्हें देखना भी कठिन था।

Meaning: Then Kali, roaring dreadfully, laughed a terrible laugh in her great fury; within her fearsome mouth her teeth gleamed, hard even to look upon.

Verse 7.20

उत्थाय च महासिं हं देवी चण्डमधावत।
गृहीत्वा चास्य केशेषु शिरस्तेनासिनाच्छिनत्॥

Utthaya cha mahasim ham devi chandam adhavata,
grihitva chasya keshesu shiras tenasinachchhinat.

अर्थ: देवी (काली) ने विशाल तलवार उठाई और “हं” की ध्वनि करते हुए चण्ड पर धावा किया; उसके बाल पकड़कर उसी तलवार से उसका सिर काट दिया। (कुछ प्रतियों में “महासिंहं” पाठ है, जिसे कुछ लोग “महान सिंह पर चढ़कर” समझते हैं।)

Meaning: Raising her great sword and crying “ham”, the goddess (Kali) rushed at Chanda, seized him by the hair and cut off his head with that sword. (Some copies read “mahasimham”, which some take as “mounting the great lion”.)

Verse 7.21

अथ मुण्डोऽभ्यधावत्तां दृष्ट्वा चण्डं निपातितम्।
तमप्यपातयद्भूमौ सा खड्गाभिहतं रुषा॥

Atha mundo 'bhyadhavat tam drishtva chandam nipatitam,
tam apy apatayad bhumau sa khadgabhihatam rusha.

अर्थ: चण्ड को गिरा हुआ देखकर मुण्ड उनकी ओर दौड़ा; उन्होंने क्रोध में भरकर उसे भी तलवार से मारकर धरती पर गिरा दिया।

Meaning: Seeing Chanda fallen, Munda rushed at her; and she, in her fury, struck him with her sword and brought him to the ground as well.

Verse 7.22

हतशेषं ततः सैन्यं दृष्ट्वा चण्डं निपातितम्।
मुण्डं च सुमहावीर्यं दिशो भेजे भयातुरम्॥

Hata-shesham tatah sainyam drishtva chandam nipatitam,
mundam cha sumaha-viryam disho bheje bhayaturam.

अर्थ: चण्ड को और महापराक्रमी मुण्ड को भी गिरा हुआ देखकर बची हुई सेना डर से व्याकुल होकर चारों दिशाओं में भाग गई।

Meaning: Seeing Chanda fallen, and mighty Munda too, what was left of the army fled in every direction, stricken with fear.

Verses 7.23–7.27: the name Chamunda

Kali brings the two commanders to the Goddess, who names her Chamunda.

Show

Verse 7.23

शिरश्चण्डस्य काली च गृहीत्वा मुण्डमेव च।
प्राह प्रचण्डाट्टहासमिश्रमभ्येत्य चण्डिकाम्॥

Shirash chandasya kali cha grihitva mundam eva cha,
praha prachandatta-hasa-mishram abhyetya chandikam.

अर्थ: तब काली चण्ड और मुण्ड के सिर लेकर चण्डिका के पास आईं और प्रचंड अट्टहास के साथ बोलीं:

Meaning: Then Kali took the heads of Chanda and Munda, came to Chandika and, with a great booming laugh, said:

Verse 7.24

मया तवात्रोपहृतौ चण्डमुण्डौ महापशू।
युद्धयज्ञे स्वयं शुम्भं निशुम्भं च हनिष्यसि॥

Maya tavatropahritau chanda-mundau maha-pashu,
yuddha-yajne svayam shumbham nishumbham cha hanishyasi.

अर्थ: “मैंने चण्ड और मुण्ड नाम के इन दो महापशुओं को यहाँ आपको भेंट कर दिया है। अब युद्ध रूपी यज्ञ में शुम्भ और निशुम्भ का अंत आप स्वयं करेंगी।”

Meaning: “Here I have brought you Chanda and Munda, two great beasts for the offering. In the sacrifice of battle you yourself will slay Shumbha and Nishumbha.”

Verse 7.25

ऋषिरुवाच॥

Rishir uvacha

अर्थ: ऋषि ने कहा:

Meaning: The sage said:

Verse 7.26

तावानीतौ ततो दृष्ट्वा चण्डमुण्डौ महासुरौ।
उवाच कालीं कल्याणी ललितं चण्डिका वचः॥

Tav anitau tato drishtva chanda-mundau mahasurau,
uvacha kalim kalyani lalitam chandika vachah.

अर्थ: वहाँ लाए गए उन दोनों महादैत्यों चण्ड और मुण्ड को देखकर कल्याणमयी चण्डिका ने काली से मधुर वचन कहे:

Meaning: Seeing the two great asuras Chanda and Munda brought before her, the gracious Chandika spoke sweet words to Kali:

Verse 7.27

यस्माच्चण्डं च मुण्डं च गृहीत्वा त्वमुपागता।
चामुण्डेति ततो लोके ख्याता देवि भविष्यसि॥

Yasmach chandam cha mundam cha grihitva tvam upagata,
chamundeti tato loke khyata devi bhavishyasi.

अर्थ: “हे देवी, क्योंकि तुम चण्ड और मुण्ड को लेकर मेरे पास आई हो, इसलिए संसार में तुम “चामुण्डा” नाम से प्रसिद्ध होगी।”

Meaning: “Goddess, because you have come to me bringing Chanda and Munda, you will be known in the world as Chamunda.”

Chapter colophon

इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे सावर्णिके मन्वन्तरे देवीमाहात्म्ये
चण्डमुण्डवधो नाम सप्तमोऽध्यायः॥

Iti shri-markandeya-purane savarnike manvantare devi-mahatmye
chanda-munda-vadho nama saptamo 'dhyayah.

अर्थ: इस प्रकार श्री मार्कण्डेय पुराण में, सावर्णिक मन्वंतर की कथा के अंतर्गत देवी माहात्म्य में “चण्ड-मुण्ड वध” नाम का सातवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ।

Meaning: Thus ends the seventh chapter, called “the slaying of Chanda and Munda”, in the Devi Mahatmya, part of the account of the Savarni Manvantara in the Shri Markandeya Purana.

Questions

How does Kali appear in Durga Saptashati chapter 7?

When Chanda and Munda’s soldiers come to seize the Goddess, her face turns dark with anger, and Kali springs from her forehead, from between her frowning brows (7.5–7.6). She is not a separate goddess called in from outside: she comes out of Ambika herself, as her own fierce power. This is the first time Kali appears in the Saptashati.

Why is the Goddess called Chamunda?

Verse 7.27 gives the reason: because Kali brought Chanda and Munda before the Goddess, she said, “you will be known in the world as Chamunda” (Cha-munda, from Chanda and Munda). The name is at the heart of the Navarna mantra, “Om aim hrim klim chamundayai vichche”, which is traditionally recited before and after the Saptashati, and many temples of Chamunda Devi across India honour this form.

Why is Kali described in such a frightening way?

The text paints her as fierce on purpose: gaunt, wide-mouthed, with a garland of heads, swallowing an army (7.7–7.13). Her fierceness is turned against an army that came to drag the Goddess away by force. For her devotees she is a protecting mother, and the fearsome images are read as the destruction of whatever harms: in the Shakta reading, ego, fear and wrongdoing. To the Goddess, Kali speaks with a laugh, and the Goddess answers her with gentle words (7.26).

What does “the sacrifice of battle” in 7.24 mean?

Kali calls Chanda and Munda “two great beasts” brought for an offering, and the battle a yajna, a sacrifice, in which the Goddess herself will end Shumbha and Nishumbha. It is a picture drawn from the old Vedic rite: the war against the asuras is seen as a sacred act that restores order, not as mere fighting. It also looks ahead: the two brothers are left for the Goddess herself, in chapters 9 and 10.

Text and sources

The Sanskrit text is public domain. We checked all 27 mantras and the colophon one by one against texts fetched on 1 November 2026: the complete Saptashati (“durga700”) on sanskritdocuments.org and chapter 87 of the Markandeya Purana on Sanskrit Wikisource (the Devi Mahatmya is adhyayas 81–93 there), comparing them by program after normalising punctuation and spelling conventions, and against two archive.org scans of Gita Press editions of the “Shri Durga Saptashati” (the mula bhaga and the illustrated edition with Hindi translation), read by hand. We follow the Gita Press reading and numbering, which counts the speaker lines 7.1 and 7.25 as mantras, giving 27. Readings chosen with Gita Press and Wikisource against sanskritdocuments: “parshni-grahankusha-grahi” (7.10, sanskritdocuments “-graha-”), “chatadayat tatha” (7.14, “tada”), “karala-vaktrantar-durdarsha-” (7.19, “karala-vadana durdarsha-”) and the vocative “khyata devi” (7.27). In 7.20 Gita Press prints “mahasim ham” (“the great sword, crying ham”), where the other two have “mahasimham”. In 7.24 we read “upahritau” (“brought as an offering”) with sanskritdocuments, Wikisource and the Gita Press Hindi translation, although both Gita Press scans print “upahatau”. Wikisource reads “dantagrabhihata rane” in 7.15, a variant Gita Press also notes, and after 7.20 it adds the line “chhinne shirasi daityendrash chakre nadam subhairavam …”, which Gita Press gives in a footnote as an extra verse accepted by the Shantanavi commentary; we do not count it. Gita Press prints “Om” before 7.1 and a meditation verse (dhyana, “dhyayeyam ratna-pithe…”) at the head of the chapter; on these pages the dhyana verses are given only at the head of the three parts of the text (chapters 1, 2 and 5), and the dhyana is not counted among the 700 mantras. The transliteration and meanings are our own.

Spotted a mistake in the text or the audio? Tell us →