Vamana Purana — Andhaka's Defeat & Redemption, Shloka 85

Andhaka’s Defeat, the Bhairava Manifestation, and His Redemption as Bhṛṅgī Gaṇapati

Devanagari script

ददृशे च गिरेः पुत्रीं श्वेतार्ककुसुमस्थिताम् समायातं निरीक्ष्यैव सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम्

Transliteration

dadṛśe ca gireḥ putrīṃ śvetārkakusumasthitām samāyātaṃ nirīkṣyaiva sarvalakṣaṇasaṃyutam

Translation

And he saw the daughter of the mountain, standing amid the blossoms of the white arka plant. Seeing the one who had arrived, endowed with every auspicious mark, [she observed him].

Speakers

• Narratorial voice; the verse reports perception/encounter rather than direct dialogue.

Primary Deities

• Parvati (Girija)
• Shiva (implied by marital/retinue context)

Key Themes

• Appearance of the Goddess (Girijā)
• Auspicious marks (lakṣaṇa)
• Sacred flora in Śaiva settings
• Narrative transition to an encounter

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shringara", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

Who is ‘the daughter of the mountain’ in Purāṇic usage?

‘Gireḥ putrī’ is a standard epithet for Pārvatī (also called Girijā), emphasizing her Himalayan/mountain lineage and her role as Śiva’s śakti in Śaiva narratives.

Why is the ‘white arka’ (śvetārka) mentioned?

Arka (Calotropis) is a ritually significant plant in many Hindu traditions, frequently associated with offerings and liminal, ascetic, or Śaiva contexts. Mentioning śvetārka flowers helps sacralize the scene and locate it in a recognizable ritual-botanical landscape.

What does ‘endowed with every lakṣaṇa’ imply?

It indicates an idealized, auspicious completeness—either of the arriving figure’s divine/heroic qualities or of their visible marks. In Purāṇic narrative, such phrasing signals that the arrival is significant and divinely sanctioned.