Shloka 19

अन्धकानुग्रहः—शूलारोपणं, रुद्रस्मरण-फलम्, तथा गाणपत्य-प्रदानम् (अध्याय 93)

Devanagari script

शरणं प्राप्य तिष्ठन्ति तमेव शरणं व्रजेत् एवं संचिन्त्य तुष्टात्मा सो ऽन्धकश् चान्धकार्दनम्

Transliteration

śaraṇaṃ prāpya tiṣṭhanti tameva śaraṇaṃ vrajet evaṃ saṃcintya tuṣṭātmā so 'ndhakaś cāndhakārdanam

Translation

‘ശരണം ലഭിച്ചാൽ ജീവികൾ സുരക്ഷിതമായി നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു; അതിനാൽ അതേ ശരണത്തിലേക്കു പോകണം.’ ഇങ്ങനെ ചിന്തിച്ച് തൃപ്താത്മാവായ അന്ധകൻ, അന്ധകാര്ദനൻ—അന്ധകാരം നീക്കുന്ന ഭഗവാൻ ശിവന്റെ—സന്നിധിയിലേക്കു ചെന്നു.

Word by Word

• शरणम्: refuge, shelter

• प्राप्य: having attained

• तिष्ठन्ति: they remain/abide

• तम् एव: that very (one)

• शरणम्: refuge

• व्रजेत्: one should go/seek

• एवम्: thus

• संचिन्त्य: having reflected/considered

• तुष्टात्मा: one whose inner self is satisfied/settled

• सः: he

• अन्धकः: Andhaka

• च: and/also

• अन्धकार्दनम्: Andhakārdana, ‘destroyer of darkness’ (epithet of Śiva)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the account of Andhaka within the Linga Purana narrative)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Andhaka
• Andhakārdana

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It frames Shiva as the ultimate śaraṇa (refuge): Linga worship is not merely ritual, but a movement of the pashu (individual soul) toward Pati (Lord Shiva) as the sole shelter that removes fear and bondage.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By calling him Andhakārdana, Shiva is presented as the remover of inner darkness (avidyā) and the stabilizing refuge in whom beings can “abide,” aligning with Shaiva Siddhanta’s view of Shiva as Pati who releases the pashu from pāśa.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The key practice is śaraṇāgati grounded in viveka (reflective discernment): contemplating the truth of refuge and then approaching Shiva—an inner movement central to Pashupata-oriented devotion and yogic turning away from darkness toward the Lord.