Vamana Purana — Andhaka's Defeat & Redemption, Shloka 83

Andhaka’s Defeat, the Bhairava Manifestation, and His Redemption as Bhṛṅgī Gaṇapati

Devanagari script

नद्यस्त्वमृतवाहिन्यो ह्रदाः पायसकर्दमाः स्वां स्वां गतिं प्रयातेषु प्रमथेषु महेश्वरः

Transliteration

nadyastvamṛtavāhinyo hradāḥ pāyasakardamāḥ svāṃ svāṃ gatiṃ prayāteṣu pramatheṣu maheśvaraḥ

Translation

Sungai-sungai menjadi aliran pembawa amerta, dan danau-danau dipenuhi lumpur manis dari bubur susu. Ketika para Pramatha berangkat menurut jalan masing-masing, Maheśvara (Śiva) tetap hadir di sana.

Speakers

• Narratorial voice (Purāṇic narrator) describing events in the Andhaka cycle; specific interlocutors not explicit in this śloka.

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Maheśvara)

Key Themes

• Miraculous transformation of nature
• Śaiva mythic landscape
• Ritual imagery (pāyasa as offering)
• Attendants of Śiva (Pramathas)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

Why do rivers ‘flow with nectar’ and lakes become ‘pāyasa-mud’ in this verse?

This is a Purāṇic hyperbolic marker of divine presence: the landscape itself becomes ‘consecrated’ and superabundant, using ritual-food imagery (amṛta, pāyasa) to signal auspiciousness and the sacralization of the site during Śiva’s extraordinary acts.

Who are the Pramathas mentioned here?

Pramathas are Śiva’s fierce, irregular attendants—often portrayed as gaṇa-like beings who accompany him in battles and cosmic disruptions. Their dispersal ‘each to his own course’ indicates the conclusion of a phase of action or a return to assigned stations.

Does this verse identify a specific tirtha or river system?

Not directly. It describes a generalized sacred hydrography (rivers and lakes) rather than naming a particular river (e.g., Sarasvatī) or kṣetra. The verse functions more as mythic topography than as a gazetteer entry.