Vamana Purana — Andhaka's Defeat & Redemption, Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

ततस्तामाह बालार्कप्रभां भैरवमूर्तिमान् शङ्करो वरदो लोके श्रेयोर्ऽथाय वचो महत्

Transliteration

tatastāmāha bālārkaprabhāṃ bhairavamūrtimān śaṅkaro varado loke śreyor'thāya vaco mahat

Translation

Then Śaṅkara—assuming the form of Bhairava, the boon-giver in the world—addressed her, who shone with the radiance of the rising sun, speaking lofty words for (the attainment of) welfare.

Speakers

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• in Bhairava-form
• speaking to the wondrous maiden (kanyā)

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Shankara/Bhairava)

Key Themes

• Bhairava theology within Andhaka-cycle
• Varadāna (boon-bestowal)
• Śiva as both terrible (Bhairava) and beneficent (Śaṅkara)
• Welfare (śreyas) as stated purpose of divine speech

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does the verse juxtapose ‘Bhairava-form’ with the name ‘Śaṅkara’ (the beneficent)?

It signals a core Śaiva Purāṇic idea: the same deity embodies both terrifying and auspicious modes. Bhairava expresses coercive, protective power; Śaṅkara expresses benevolence—here explicitly ‘for welfare’ (śreyo’rthāya).

What does ‘bāla-ārka-prabhā’ imply about the maiden?

The ‘rising-sun radiance’ marks her as a potent, numinous manifestation—bright, forceful, and attention-commanding—often used to denote divine or semi-divine emergence rather than ordinary beauty.

Is this passage a stuti or a dharma instruction?

It is not a stuti (hymn of praise). The verse frames a varadāna/teaching moment: Śiva, as boon-giver, begins a consequential address intended to establish ‘śreyas’ (welfare/auspicious good).