Vamana Purana — Ritadhvaja Aids Galava, Shloka 31
Ritadhvaja’s Aid to Galava and Andhaka’s Infatuation with Gauri
ततो ऽन्वधावन् दैतेया यन्त्रमुक्ता इवोपलाः तान् रुरोध बलान्नन्दी वज्रोद्यतकरो ऽव्ययः
tato 'nvadhāvan daiteyā yantramuktā ivopalāḥ tān rurodha balānnandī vajrodyatakaro 'vyayaḥ
Then the Daityas charged after (him), like stones released from a machine. But Nandī, imperishable, with his hand raised like a thunderbolt, forcibly checked them.
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FAQs
Nandī’s intervention signals the Purāṇic motif of Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava interweaving: even within a narrative centered on Viṣṇu’s devotee (Prahlāda) and later Viṣṇu’s avatāra horizon, Śiva’s retinue can act as protectors or stabilizers of cosmic order.
It conveys both speed and inevitability: the Daityas surge forward with the momentum of projectiles, suggesting unthinking violence. The image also evokes organized militarism (yantra), contrasting with Prahlāda’s ethical speech.
The phrase is primarily comparative: Nandī’s raised hand is ‘like a vajra’ in force and decisiveness. It need not imply possession of Indra’s weapon; it marks an irresistible, divinely sanctioned restraint.