Prahlada's Counsel to Andhaka
PrahladaCounselDharma21 Shlokas

Adhyaya 40: Shukra’s Curse on King Danda and Prahlada’s Counsel to Andhaka on Dharma

शुक्रशापः—दण्डविनाशः तथा परदारवर्जनधर्मोपदेशः (Śukraśāpaḥ—Daṇḍavināśaḥ tathā Paradāravarjanadharmopadeśaḥ)

Shukra's Curse Continued

Pulastya, in dialogue with Nārada, narrates a two-part ethical and theologically syncretic episode that foregrounds asura-dharma and the inviolability of divine order. First, Araja (Śukra’s daughter) is violated by King Daṇḍa, prompting Śukra’s return from Pātāla and his juridical curse: within seven nights Daṇḍa, his realm, army, retinue, and vehicles are reduced to ashes by a rain of stones—an exemplary Purāṇic articulation of tapas-backed brahmanical authority. The narrative then pivots to Andhaka’s hubris against Tryambaka (Śiva), where Prahlāda counsels restraint through a didactic discourse attributed to Devarṣi Asita on dharma, especially the categorical prohibition of parādāra (coveting another’s wife). The chapter thus integrates Shaiva supremacy (Śaṅkara’s invincibility) with moral governance, presenting transgression as the cause of political and cosmic collapse rather than mere sectarian rivalry.

Divine Beings

शुक्र (Śukra)शङ्कर/त्र्यम्बक/हर (Śaṅkara/Tryambaka/Hara)भवानी/गिरिकन्या/गिरिसुता (Bhavānī/Girikanyā)इन्द्र/सहस्राक्ष (Indra/Sahasrākṣa)

Sacred Geography

मन्दरपर्वत (Mandara Mountain)पाताल (Pātāla)

Mortal & Asura Figures

पुलस्त्य (Pulastya)नारद (Nārada)प्रह्लाद (Prahlāda)अन्धक (Andhaka)अरजा (Arajā)दण्ड (Daṇḍa)शम्बर (Śambara)दुर्योधन (Duryodhana—an asura figure here)असित (Asita)

Key Content Points

  • Śukra discovers Araja’s dishonor and pronounces a tapas-powered curse that annihilates King Daṇḍa and his entire polity within seven nights via grāvavṛṣṭi (stone-rain), illustrating punitive cosmic jurisprudence.
  • Prahlāda admonishes Andhaka using Asita’s dharma-teaching: parādāra-sevana leads to severe naraka consequences (including Raurava), while self-restraint and śāstra-alignment secure fearlessness and prosperity.
  • Andhaka rejects dharma-counsel, sends Śambara to challenge Śaṅkara at Mandara, and mobilizes a vast asura host—setting the stage for a Shaiva-centered confrontation framed within the Pulastya–Nārada narration.

Shlokas in Adhyaya 40

Verse 1

इति श्रीवामनपुराणे एकोनचत्वारिंशो ऽध्यायः अरजा उवाच नात्मानं तव दास्यामि बुहनोक्तेन किं तव रक्षन्ती भवतः शापादात्मानं च मही पते

Verse 16

श्पत्वेत्थं भगवान् शुक्रो दण्डमिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनम् जगाम शिष्यसहितः पातालं दानवालयम्

So verließ der ehrwürdige Śukra, nachdem er Daṇḍa, die Zierde des Ikṣvāku-Geschlechts, verflucht hatte, zusammen mit seinen Schülern Pātāla, die Wohnstatt der Dānavas, aufsuchend.

Verse 17

दण्डो ऽपि भस्मसाद् भूतः सराष्ट्रबलवाहनः महता ग्राववरषेण सप्तरात्रान्तरे तदा

Then Daṇḍa too was reduced to ashes—along with his kingdom, his troops, and his mounts/vehicles—by a great shower of stones, within the span of seven nights.

Verse 23

किं ममासौ रणे योद्धुं शक्तस्त्रिमयनो ऽसुर एकाकी धर्मरहितो भस्मारुणितविग्रहः

„Wie sollte jener Dreiaugige imstande sein, mit mir in der Schlacht zu kämpfen, o Asura? — allein, ohne Dharma, der Leib vom Aschegrau gerötet/mit Asche bedeckt.“

Verse 24

नान्धको बिभियादिन्द्रान्नामरेभ्यः कथञ्चन स कथं वृषपत्राक्षाद् बिभेति स्त्रीमुखेक्षकात्

“Andhaka does not fear Indra, nor the gods, in any way. How then could he fear Vṛṣapatrākṣa—one who merely looks upon women’s faces?”

Verse 41

पुलस्त्य उवाच इत्येवमुक्ते वचने प्रह्लादं प्राह चान्धकः भवान् धर्मपरस्त्वेको नाहं धर्म समाचरे

Pulastya sprach: Nachdem diese Worte so gesprochen waren, sagte Andhaka zu Prahlāda: „Du allein bist dem Dharma ergeben; ich aber übe den Dharma nicht.“

Verse 43

भिक्षो किमर्थं शौलेन्द्रं स्वर्गोपम्यं सकन्दरम् परिभुञ्जसि केनाद्य तव दत्तो वदस्व माम

„O Bettelmönch, aus welchem Grund bewohnst/genießt du diesen herrlichen Berg, himmelsgleich und voller Höhlen? Von wem ist er dir heute verliehen worden? Sage es mir.“

Verse ["Bhakti expressed through service", "Righteous warfare against adharma", "Śaiva martial theology"]

5

śailendraḥ: ‘lord of mountains’, a great mountain (here, Mandara); kriyatām: ‘let it be done’; vacanaṃ mama: ‘my command/word’; patnī: wife/consort; śīghram: quickly; pradīyatām: ‘let (her) be given’ (imperative/passive).

Verse ["apramāda", "giriputrī", "surakṣita geha", "rakṣaṇīyā", "Pārvatī protection", "Andhaka-vadha"]

यच्चाब्रवीद् दीयतां मे गिरिपुत्रीति दानवः तदेषा यातु स्वं कामं नाहं वारयितुं क्षमः

Adhyaya 40 (context: Girisutā instructs Śambara; message to Andhaka)

Verse 51

अहं पताका संग्रामे भवानीशश्च देविनौ प्रामद्यूतं परिस्तीर्य यो जेष्यति स लप्स्यते

„In dieser Schlacht werde ich das Preisbanner sein; und die beiden Göttinnen — Bhavānī und Īśā — sollen der Einsatz sein. Nachdem das ‘prāmadyūta’, ein leidenschaftliches Wettspiel, ausgebreitet ist, wird der Sieger es (den Preis) erlangen.“

Verse 52

इत्येवमुक्तो मतिमान् शम्बरो ऽन्दकमागमत् समागम्याब्रवीद् वाक्यं शर्वगौर्योश्च भाषितम्

So angesprochen, begab sich der verständige Śambara zu Andhaka. Nachdem er ihn getroffen hatte, überbrachte er die Botschaft und wiederholte die Worte, die über Śarva (Śiva) und Gaurī gesprochen worden waren.

Verse 53

तच्छ्रत्वा दानवपतिः क्रोधदीप्तेक्षणः श्वसन् समाहूयाब्रवीद् वाक्यं दुर्योधनमिदं वचः

Als er dies hörte, ließ der Herr der Dānavas, mit vor Zorn flammenden Augen und schwer atmend, (seinen Mann) rufen und sprach dieses harte Wort.

Verse 54

गच्छ शीघ्रं महाबाहो भेरीं सान्नाहिकीं दृढाम् ताडयस्व सुविश्रब्धं दुःशीलामिव योषितम्

„Geh schnell, du Großarmiger. Schlage die feste Kriegstrommel, die sānnāhikī, mit voller Zuversicht—(schlage sie) wie man eine Frau von schlechtem Wandel schlüge.“

Verse 55

समादिष्टो ऽन्धकेनाथ भेरीं दुर्योधनो बलात् ताडयामास वेगेन यथाप्राणेन भूयसा

„So von Andhaka angewiesen, schlug Duryodhana daraufhin aus bloßer Kraft die Trommel mit Geschwindigkeit und legte so viel Lebenshauch (Anstrengung) hinein, wie nur möglich—ja, noch mehr.“

Verse 56

सा ताडिता बलवता भेरी दुर्योधनेन हि सत्वरं भैरवं रावं रुराव सुरभी यथा

["Shiva"]

Verse 58

याथातथ्यं च तान् सर्वानाह सेनापतिर्बली ते चापि बलिनां श्रेष्ठाः सन्नद्धा युद्धकाङ्क्षिणः

„Und der Heerführer Bali berichtete ihnen allen den Sachverhalt, wie er in Wahrheit war; und jene, die Besten unter den Starken, vollständig gerüstet, verlangten nach der Schlacht.“

Verse 59

सहान्धका निर्ययुस्ते गजैरुष्ट्रैर्हयै रथैः अन्धको रथमास्थाय पञ्चनल्वप्रणमाणतः

Zusammen mit Andhaka brachen sie auf—auf Elefanten, Kamelen, Pferden und Streitwagen. Andhaka bestieg seinen Wagen und rückte nach dem Maß vor, das «pañcanalva» genannt wird (eine besondere Maßeinheit/Erstreckung).

Verse 60

त्र्यम्बकं स पराजेतुं कृतबुद्धिर्विनिर्ययौ जम्भः कुजम्भो हुण्डश्च तुहुण्डः शम्बरो बलिः

Entschlossen, Tryambaka (Śiva) zu besiegen, zog er aus. (Mit ihm gingen die Daityas:) Jambha, Kujambha, Huṇḍa, Tuhuṇḍa, Śambara und Bali.

Verse 61

बाणाः कार्तस्वरो हस्ती सूर्यशत्रुर्महोदरः अयःशुङ्कुः शिबिः शाल्वो वृषपर्वा विरोचनः

Saṃhlāda

Verse 62

हयग्रीवः कालनेमिः संह्लादः कालनाशनः शरभः शलभश्चैव विप्रचित्तिश्च वीर्यवान्

bhāvyasya naiva nāśo 'sti nanmā tyākṣīḥ kalevaram | bhaviṣyati pitā tubhyaṃ bhūyayo 'py amaravarddhakiḥ ||

Verse 64

इत्थं दुरात्मा दनुसैन्यपालस्तदान्धको योद्धुमना हरेण महाचलं मन्दरमभ्युपेयिवान् स कालपाशावसितो हि मन्दधीः

Thus, that evil-souled Andhaka, commander of the Dānu host, intent on fighting with Hara, approached the great mountain Mandara—indeed, dull-witted, he was already ensnared by the noose of Time (Death).

Frequently Asked Questions

Within Pulastya’s narration to Nārada, the chapter advances a syncretic theology by treating dharma—not sectarian identity—as the governing principle: Śukra’s brahmanical tapas enforces cosmic justice, while Śaṅkara (Tryambaka) is presented as invincible even to sura–asura forces. Prahlāda’s counsel functions as an asura-dharma corrective, aligning political power with śāstra and restraint, thereby harmonizing divine authority across traditions.

This Adhyāya is not primarily a tīrtha-māhātmya unit; it contains minimal topographical sanctification. The explicit locations are Mandara Mountain (as Śiva’s residence with Bhavānī in this narrative context) and Pātāla (Śukra’s return-point). No Kurukṣetra/Sarasvatī-basin sites, rivers, sarovaras, or ritual prescriptions are specified in the received passage.

The core teaching is parādāra-varjana (renunciation of another’s spouse) as a universal dharma for all varṇas. It is illustrated by two linked consequences: Daṇḍa’s sexual transgression triggers Śukra’s curse and total political annihilation, while Andhaka’s refusal to heed Prahlāda’s dharma-counsel leads him to escalate toward conflict with Tryambaka, framed as self-destructive hubris.