Vamana Purana — Andhaka's Defeat & Redemption, Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

ज्ञात्वा स सर्वेश्वरमीशमव्ययं त्रैलोक्यनाथं वरदं वरेण्यम् सर्वैः सुराद्यैर्नतमीड्यमाद्यं ततो ऽन्धकः स्तोत्रमिदं चकार

Transliteration

jñātvā sa sarveśvaramīśamavyayaṃ trailokyanāthaṃ varadaṃ vareṇyam sarvaiḥ surādyairnatamīḍyamādyaṃ tato 'ndhakaḥ stotramidaṃ cakāra

Translation

स सर्वेश्वरमीशमव्ययं त्रैलोक्यनाथं वरदं वरेण्यं सर्वैः सुराद्यैर्नतमीड्यमाद्यं ज्ञात्वा, ततो ऽन्धकः स्तोत्रमिदं चकार।

Speakers

• Narrator voice introducing Andhaka’s act of praise; Andhaka is about to speak to Śiva/Bhairava.

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Isha/Hara/Bhairava)

Key Themes

• Conversion through realization (jñāna)
• Supreme lordship across the three worlds
• Legitimization of stuti as a devotional response
• Divine accessibility as Varada (boon-giver)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the narrative function of this verse before the stotra?

It serves as a hinge: after purification and release from sin, Andhaka’s inner stance changes from hostility to recognition (jñātvā). The verse authorizes the hymn as a theologically valid response to encountering the supreme Lord.

Does ‘surādyaiḥ’ imply only devas?

Not strictly. The compound often includes devas plus other divine/celestial classes (gandharvas, siddhas, etc.). The point is universal reverence: the Lord is bowed to by all higher beings, not merely one faction.

Why emphasize ‘varada’ (boon-giver) in a context of punishment?

Purāṇic theology frequently pairs severity with grace: the same Lord who chastises to remove impurity is also the giver of boons once the devotee is corrected and aligned with dharma.