Vamana Purana — Andhaka's Defeat & Redemption, Shloka 91

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

Devanagari script

समागम्याम्बिकापादौ ववन्दतुरुभावपि अन्धको ऽपि तदा गौरीं भक्तिनम्रो महामुने स्तुतिं चक्रे महापुण्यां पापघ्नीं श्रुतीसंमिताम्

Transliteration

samāgamyāmbikāpādau vavandaturubhāvapi andhako 'pi tadā gaurīṃ bhaktinamro mahāmune stutiṃ cakre mahāpuṇyāṃ pāpaghnīṃ śrutīsaṃmitām

Translation

ଅମ୍ବିକାଙ୍କ ପାଦଦ୍ୱୟ ସମୀପକୁ ଯାଇ ସେମାନେ ଉଭୟେ ପ୍ରଣାମ କଲେ। ତାପରେ ଅନ୍ଧକ ମଧ୍ୟ, ହେ ମହାମୁନେ, ଭକ୍ତିରେ ନମ୍ର ହୋଇ ଗୌରୀଙ୍କୁ ମହାପୁଣ୍ୟମୟ, ପାପନାଶିନୀ, ଶ୍ରୁତିଭାବ-ସମ୍ମତ ସ୍ତୁତି କଲାVamana Purana,46,62,VamP 46.62,te tvāsan maruto brahmaṃstamase devatāgaṇāḥ ye 'bhavan raivate tāṃśca śṛṇuṣva tvaṃ tapodhanaḥ,ते त्वासन् मरुतो ब्रह्मंस्तमसे देवतागणाः ये ऽभवन् रैवते तांश्च शृणुष्व त्वं तपोधनः,Cosmogony and Manvantara Genealogies,Cosmology,Adhyaya 46 (Title uncertain in common recensions; context: classification of Maruts and Raivata-related deva-gaṇas),46.62,te tvāsan maruto brahmaṃstamase devatāgaṇāḥ ye 'bhavan raivate tāṃśca śṛṇuṣva tvaṃ tapodhanaḥ,te tv āsan maruto brahmaṃs tamase devatā-gaṇāḥ ye ’bhavan raivate tāṃś ca śṛṇuṣva tvaṃ tapo-dhanaḥ,Those indeed were the Maruts

Speakers

• Narrator (Pulastya’s narration) describing Nandī and Andhaka approaching Ambikā; the address ‘mahāmune’ indicates the listener-sage within the frame narrative (commonly Nārada).

Primary Deities

• Ambikā (Gaurī/Pārvatī)
• Nandī
• Śiva (implied)

Key Themes

• Devotional humility (bhakti-namratā)
• Power of stuti to purify (pāpaghnī)
• Veda-aligned praise (śruti-saṃmitā)
• Transformation of an antagonist through devotion

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is the hymn described as ‘śruti-saṃmitā’ (Veda-consistent)?

Purāṇas often legitimize hymns by stating they accord with Śruti, meaning the praise expresses orthodox theological principles—divine supremacy, purity, and cosmic order—without contradicting Vedic revelation.

What is the ritual/theological significance of ‘approaching the feet’ (pādau)?

Approaching and bowing at the deity’s feet is a standard marker of surrender and discipleship. It signifies relinquishing ego and seeking grace; in narrative terms it marks Andhaka’s pivot from transgression to repentance.

Does this verse itself name any sacred place relevant to Vāmana Purāṇa’s geography?

No. Despite the text’s broader geographical interests, this verse is purely devotional-narrative and contains no explicit toponyms (rivers, tīrthas, forests, or lakes).