Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 33
अन्धक-प्रश्नः — Inquiry into Andhaka
Genealogy and Nature
हिरण्याक्ष उवाच । पुत्रस्तु मे चन्द्रललाट नास्ति सुवीर्यवान्दैत्यकुलानुरूपी । तदर्थमेतद्व्रतमास्थितोऽहं तं देहि देवेश सुवीर्यवंतम्
hiraṇyākṣa uvāca | putrastu me candralalāṭa nāsti suvīryavāndaityakulānurūpī | tadarthametadvratamāsthito'haṃ taṃ dehi deveśa suvīryavaṃtam
Hiraṇyākṣa sprach: „O Herr mit dem Mond auf der Stirn, ich habe keinen Sohn von großer Kraft, der dem Geschlecht der Dāityas entspricht. Eben darum habe ich dieses heilige Gelübde auf mich genommen. So gewähre mir, o Herr der Devas, einen Sohn, erfüllt von großer Tapferkeit.“
Hiraṇyākṣa
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Role: creative
FAQs
The verse shows how a vow (vrata) directed to Śiva as the supreme Lord can yield worldly results, while implicitly affirming that all powers and outcomes ultimately depend on Pati (Śiva), the giver of fruits of karma.
Hiraṇyākṣa addresses Śiva personally as Candralalāṭa and Deveśa, reflecting Saguna devotion; in Shiva Purana narrative, such petitionary worship commonly occurs before the Linga or a manifest form of Śiva who bestows boons.
The key practice implied is vrata—disciplined observance with worship of Śiva; a Shaiva takeaway is to pair such observance with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and regular offerings (bilva, water) to the Śiva-liṅga.