Shumbh aur Nishumbh ke mahaayuddh mein devi ke viruddh chadhi daanav-senaaon mein ek yoddha khada tha jiska uphaar kisi bhi sena se adhik bhayaanak tha: Raktabeej, jiske naam ka arth hai rakt-beej. Ghor tapasya se usne Brahma se duhsvapn-tark ka vardaan paaya tha: uske rakt ki pratyek boond jo bhoomi ko chhuegi, usse uska poorna vikasit pratiroop ugega, samaan sashastra, samaan bhayaanak, yuddh ka samaan pyaasa. Use ek baar ghaayal karo aur tumhein uske do ka saamna hoga; use gehra kaato aur tumhein sena ka saamna hoga. Daanav-swaami use apne samast senaapatiyon se adhik moolyavaan maante the, kyonki vah swayam-gunit sena tha, aur unhone use garv se yuddh mein bheja, nishchint ki koi devi us shatru ke samaksh nahin tik sakti jo pratyek prahaar se balvaan hota jaaye.
Raktabeej swayam daanav-panktiyon mein raaja ki bhaanti vicharta tha, aur anya daanav vismay aur bhay ke mishran se use maarg dete the, kyonki jab uska rakt behne lage to koi uske nikat nahin rehna chaahta tha. Vah devi ki patli bhujaaon par hansa aur unke sinh ka uphaas kiya, deeng maarte hue ki vah saagar ka saamna karne ke liye shikaari billi laayi hai. Uska ahankaar swayam ek astra tha, aur use sunkar devta hato tsaahit hue, kyonki unhein uske shaap ke ganit ka koi uttar nahin dikhta tha. Manch saj gaya tha us vichitratam dvandva ke liye jo teenon lokon ne kabhi dekha tha.
Jab devi Durga ne yuddh mein pehli baar Raktabeej par prahaar kiya, to vardaan ka bhayaavah roop prakat hua. Uske ghaayal kandhe se rakt ki ek boond prithvi par giri, aur us boond se ek aur Raktabeej utha, hansta hua, haath mein khadg. Devi ne punah prahaar kiya, aur ab ve chaar the, phir aath, phir unka garjana karta samooh, rakt ki pratyek boond shatru ko gunit karti hui. Ranbhoomi saikadon Raktabeejon se bhar gayi, phir hazaaron se, khadgon ka van aur yuddh-ghoshon ki garjana, aur devi ka pratyek ghaav keval unki sankhya badhaata tha. Swarg se dekh rahe devta niraash ho gaye, kyonki unhone bhayaanak ganit dekha: pratyek prahaar daanav ko balvaan banaata tha, aur koi saahas us shatru ko nahin hara sakta tha jo aahat hokar pusht hota tha.
Tab devi ne vah kiya jo devi sada karti hain: unhone bhayaavahata ka uttar chaaturya se diya. Unhone apne prachandatam roop Chamunda ka aahvaan kiya, laplapaati jihva aur mundmala vaali shyaam devi ka, Chand-Mund ki sanhaarika ka, aur unhein ek hi aadesh diya. Chamunda ne apna mukh asambhavatah vishaal khola aur apni viraat jihva ranbhoomi par phaila di jaise aakaash par jaal daala ho. Ab yuddh ne apna swaroop badal diya. Jab bhi Durga ke astra Raktabeej par padte, Chamunda usi kshan vahaan hotin, rakt ki pratyek boond ko bhoomi chhoone se pehle apni jihva par pakadkar pee jaatin. Boond-dar-boond shyaam devi ke mukh mein vileen ho gayin; koi boond nahin giri, to koi pratiroop nahin janma.
Daanav ki sena gunit hona band ho gayi. Raktabeej hataash krodh se ladta raha, kintu pratyek ghaav ab use keval durbal karta tha, kyonki uska rakt bhoomi ke bajaay devi ko pusht karta tha. Devi ne use baar-baar dharaashaayi kiya, Chamunda pratyek prahaar se use sukhaati rahin, jab tak uska rakt chuk nahin gaya aur uski shakti ksheen nahin hui, aur antatah vah rankshetra mein dher ho gaya, apne vansh ka antim. Raktabeej ke naash se daanav-sena tootkar bhaag khadi hui, aur swarg devtaon ke vijay-ghosh se goonj utha.
Jab antim pratiroop vileen ho gaya aur keval sachche Raktabeej ka shareer shesh raha, to devi neeravta ke beech shaant khadi thin, ek bhi kesh ast-vyast nahin, jabki Chamunda ne bhoj se uthe bhoji ki bhaanti mukh ponchha. Dekhne vaale daanav senaapatiyon ne astra phenk diye aur chillaate hue paataal mein bhaag gaye, aur apne mahal mein samaachaar sunkar Shumbh ne krodh mein madira-paatra tod diya, kyonki uska shaktishaalitam astra khilaune ki bhaanti toot gaya tha.
Yah katha pramaan ke roop mein smaran ki jaati hai ki dhoortatam buraai ko samaan chaaturya se maat di jaa sakti hai. Paashvik bal ne daanav ko keval pusht kiya tha; shaap ki sachchi prakriti samajhne vaale mastishk ne shaap ko usi ke viruddh mod diya. Jab samasyaaen pratyek prahaar se gunit hon, to buddhimaan adhik zor se nahin, adhik chaturaai se prahaar karte hain, aur ve us jihva ko khoj lete hain jo rakt ko bhoomi beejne se pehle pee le.
Is katha ke paatra
- Chamunda
- Raktabija
