Vamana Purana — Ritadhvaja Aids Galava, Shloka 37
Ritadhvaja’s Aid to Galava and Andhaka’s Infatuation with Gauri
न पश्यतीह जात्यन्धो रागान्धो ऽपि न पश्यति न पश्यति मदोन्मत्तो लोभाक्तान्तो न पश्यति सो ऽपश्यमानो गिरिजां पश्यन्नपि तदान्धकः
na paśyatīha jātyandho rāgāndho 'pi na paśyati na paśyati madonmatto lobhāktānto na paśyati so 'paśyamāno girijāṃ paśyannapi tadāndhakaḥ
Di sini, yang buta sejak lahir tidak melihat; yang dibutakan oleh nafsu pun tidak melihat. Yang mabuk oleh kemabukan tidak melihat; yang batinnya terlumuri oleh loba pun tidak melihat. Demikianlah Andhaka, meski memandang Girijā, saat itu sesungguhnya tidak melihatnya.
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FAQs
The verse teaches that ignorance is not only sensory (jātyandha) but also ethical-psychological: passion, intoxication/pride, and greed each function as ‘blindness’ that blocks recognition of truth and propriety—even when the object is directly before one’s eyes.
It distinguishes mere visual contact from true cognition (tattva-jñāna). Andhaka’s perception is distorted by rāga/mada/lobha, so he apprehends Girijā as an object of desire rather than as the Goddess, Śiva’s consort, and a sacred, inviolable presence.
Yes. ‘Andhaka’ evokes andha (‘blind’) and darkness. The narrative leverages this resonance to portray him as one whose inner darkness prevents right recognition, aligning his name with his moral condition.