Vamana Purana — Andhaka's Defeat & Redemption, Shloka 92

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

Devanagari script

अन्धक उवाच ॐ नमस्ये भावानीं भूतभव्यप्रियां लोकधात्रीं जनित्रीं स्कन्दमातरं महादेवप्रियां धारिणीं स्यन्दिनीं चेतनां त्रैलोक्यमातरं धरित्रीं देवमातरमथेज्यां स्मृतिं दयां लज्जां कान्तिमग्र्यामसूयां मतिं सदापावनीं दैत्यसैन्यक्षयकरीं महामायां वैजयन्ती सुशुभां कालरात्रिं गोविन्दभगिनीं शैलराजपूत्रीं सर्वदेवार्चितां सर्वभूतार्चितां विद्यां सरस्वतीं त्रिनयनमहिषीं नमस्यामी मृडानीं शरण्यां शरणमुपागतो ऽहं नमो नमस्ते | इत्थं स्तुता सान्धकेन परितुष्टा विभावरी प्राह पुत्र प्रसन्नास्मि वृणुष्व परमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

andhaka uvāca oṃ namasye bhāvānīṃ bhūtabhavyapriyāṃ lokadhātrīṃ janitrīṃ skandamātaraṃ mahādevapriyāṃ dhāriṇīṃ syandinīṃ cetanāṃ trailokyamātaraṃ dharitrīṃ devamātaramathejyāṃ smṛtiṃ dayāṃ lajjāṃ kāntimagryāmasūyāṃ matiṃ sadāpāvanīṃ daityasainyakṣayakarīṃ mahāmāyāṃ vaijayantī suśubhāṃ kālarātriṃ govindabhaginīṃ śailarājapūtrīṃ sarvadevārcitāṃ sarvabhūtārcitāṃ vidyāṃ sarasvatīṃ trinayanamahiṣīṃ namasyāmī mṛḍānīṃ śaraṇyāṃ śaraṇamupāgato 'haṃ namo namaste | itthaṃ stutā sāndhakena parituṣṭā vibhāvarī prāha putra prasannāsmi vṛṇuṣva paramuttamam

Translation

Andhaka said: “Om. I bow to Bhavānī—beloved of beings of the past and the future; the sustainer of the worlds; the progenitrix; the mother of Skanda; dear to Mahādeva; the bearer (of the universe); the flowing one; consciousness itself; the mother of the three worlds; the Earth; the mother of the gods; the one worthy of worship; memory; compassion; modesty; supreme radiance; freedom from malice; intelligence; ever-purifying; the destroyer of the armies of the Daityas; the great Māyā; the victorious one (Vaijayantī); the most auspicious; Kālarātrī; the sister of Govinda; the daughter of the Lord of Mountains; worshipped by all gods and all beings; knowledge; Sarasvatī; the consort of the Three-eyed (Śiva). I bow to Mṛḍānī, the refuge; I have come to you for shelter—salutations, salutations to you.” Thus praised by Andhaka, the radiant Goddess, pleased, said: “Son, I am satisfied; choose the highest boon.”

Speakers

• Andhaka addressing the Goddess (Pārvatī/Durgā); the Goddess replies to Andhaka.

Primary Deities

• Pārvatī/Durgā (Bhavānī, Mṛḍānī, Kālarātrī)
• Śiva (Tri-nayana, Mahādeva)
• Skanda (Kārttikeya)
• Govinda (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)

Key Themes

• Stuti (hymn)
• Śakti theology (Goddess as consciousness, māyā, virtues)
• Shaiva–Vaishnava unity (Govinda-bhaginī; Śiva’s consort praised)
• Refuge and surrender (śaraṇāgati)
• Fierce-protective aspect of the Goddess (Kālarātrī; destroyer of Daitya armies)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does Andhaka call the Goddess ‘Govinda’s sister’ (govinda-bhaginī)?

Purāṇic hymns often express sectarian harmony through kinship language: the Goddess is praised as intimately related to Viṣṇu (Govinda) while also being Śiva’s consort. The epithet signals Shaiva–Vaishnava unity and the all-encompassing status of Śakti beyond single-sect boundaries.

What is the theological range implied by listing ‘smṛti, dayā, lajjā, kānti, mati’ as the Goddess?

The verse identifies the Goddess not only as a personal deity but as the very embodiment of cognitive and ethical powers—memory, compassion, modesty, radiance, discernment—presenting Śakti as the inner faculties that sustain dharma and spiritual life.

Does ‘Kālarātrī’ here indicate a separate deity or an aspect of the same Goddess?

It functions as an aspect-name within a single hymn: the same Bhavānī who grants refuge is also the terrifying ‘Night of Time’ who destroys demonic forces. This is a standard Purāṇic way of holding benevolent and fierce forms together in one divine identity.