Shloka 7

अन्धकानुग्रहः—शूलारोपणं, रुद्रस्मरण-फलम्, तथा गाणपत्य-प्रदानम् (अध्याय 93)

Devanagari script

एवं संपीड्य वै देवान् अन्धको ऽपि महासुरः यदृच्छया गिरिं प्राप्तो मन्दरं चारुकन्दरम्

Transliteration

evaṃ saṃpīḍya vai devān andhako 'pi mahāsuraḥ yadṛcchayā giriṃ prāpto mandaraṃ cārukandaram

Translation

So gelangte Andhaka, der große Asura, nachdem er die Devas schwer bedrängt hatte, durch bloßen Zufall zum Berge Mandara, berühmt für seine lieblichen Höhlen.

Word by Word

• एवं: thus

• संपीड्य: having oppressed/pressed down, having afflicted

• वै: indeed

• देवान्: the Devas (gods)

• अन्धकः अपि: Andhaka also

• महासुरः: the great Asura (demonic lord)

• यदृच्छया: by chance, unexpectedly

• गिरिम्: to the mountain

• प्राप्तः: arrived, reached

• मन्दरम्: Mandara (name of the mountain)

• चारु-कन्दरम्: having beautiful caves/ravines

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Andhaka
• Devas
• Mandara

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

By showing the Devas being crushed by Asuric force and the narrative moving toward a sacred mountain, the verse sets the stage for seeking Pati (Shiva) as refuge—an underlying Purāṇic impulse behind Linga-upāsanā as protection from Pāśa (bondage) and भय (fear).

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Indirectly: when Devas are overpowered, the story turns toward a sacred locus (Mandara), implying that worldly powers fluctuate, while the Devas ultimately depend on the transcendent Pati—Shiva-tattva—as the stable ground beyond Asuric dominance.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No explicit rite is stated in this line; it functions as narrative preparation for turning toward a kṣetra (sacred place) where Shiva-oriented worship, austerity, or Pāśupata-aligned seeking of refuge is typically undertaken.