Shloka 3

Andhakeśvara-liṅga Māhātmya and Śiva’s Subjugation of Andhaka (अन्धकेश्वरलिङ्गमाहात्म्य तथा अन्धकवध-प्रसङ्ग)

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । पुराब्धिगर्तमाश्रित्य वसन्दैत्योऽन्धकासुरः । स्ववशं कारयामास त्रैलोक्यं सुरसूदनः

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | purābdhigartamāśritya vasandaityo'ndhakāsuraḥ | svavaśaṃ kārayāmāsa trailokyaṃ surasūdanaḥ

Translation

Sūta said: “In ancient times, the Daitya Andhakāsura dwelt, taking refuge in a cavern of the primordial ocean; that slayer of the gods brought the three worlds under his own control.”

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta (the narrator)
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly, once
• पुरा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• अब्दि-गर्तम्: the ocean-pit (pit in/like the ocean)
• अब्दि-गर्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्दि (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अब्देः गर्तः)

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to
• आश्रित्य: Kriyā-samānādhikaraṇa (पूर्वक्रिया/Having done)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• वसन्: dwelling, residing
• वसन्: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दैत्यः: the demon (Daitya)
• दैत्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अन्धकासुरः: Andhaka the asura
• अन्धकासुरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अन्धकः असुरः)

• स्व-वशम्: under his own control
• स्व-वशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य वशः)

• कारयामास: made (them) do; brought under control
• कारयामास: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (Causative), लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• त्रैलोक्यम्: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रयः लोकाः)

• सुर-सूदनः: slayer of the gods
• सुर-सूदनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + सूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (सुरान् सूदयति इति)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Sets the narrative ground for Andhakeśvara-liṅga: Andhaka’s rise and oppression of the three worlds precipitates Śiva’s intervention and the eventual sanctification of a liṅga/kṣetra.

Significance: Mythic backdrop explaining why a site/liṅga becomes spiritually potent: divine response to adharma and restoration of cosmic order.

Characters & Entities

• Andhaka
• Devas

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It sets the karmic and moral backdrop: when adharma rises through asuric pride and domination, the cosmos becomes imbalanced, preparing the ground for Shiva’s restoring grace and the re-establishment of dharma.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

By portraying cosmic disorder under Andhaka, the text implicitly points to Saguna Shiva as the accessible divine protector who intervenes in history; Linga-worship aligns the devotee with that stabilizing, dharma-restoring presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is protective Shaiva devotion: steady japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with humility, along with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders to restrain ego—the root of asuric domination.