Vamana Purana — Andhaka's Defeat & Redemption, Shloka 14
Andhaka’s Defeat, the Bhairava Manifestation, and His Redemption as Bhṛṅgī Gaṇapati
इतेयवमुक्ताः प्रमथा वासुदेवेन सामराः चक्रुर्वेगं सहेन्द्रेण समं चक्रधरेण च
iteyavamuktāḥ pramathā vāsudevena sāmarāḥ cakrurvegaṃ sahendreṇa samaṃ cakradhareṇa ca
[{"question": "What is the significance of mentioning garbhādhāna here?", "answer": "Garbhādhāna is the dharmic saṃskāra that frames conception as a regulated, sanctified act. The text emphasizes that even extraordinary (and potentially world-disrupting) progeny arise through ritual order, not mere impulse."}, {"question": "Where is Udaya-parvata in Purāṇic geography?", "answer": "Udaya-parvata is a mytho-geographical mountain associated with the east and sunrise, often functioning as a cosmographic marker at the world’s eastern boundary or horizon-region in Purāṇic descriptions."}, {"question": "Why does the sage ‘go to Udaya-parvata’ immediately after the rite?", "answer": "Such movements often signal a transition to austerity, seclusion, or cosmic duties. In Purāṇic narrative technique, relocating a ṛṣi to a charged landmark (like Udaya) can indicate the unfolding of time, the safeguarding of vows, or the staging of subsequent events."}]
{ "primaryRasa": "vira", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
FAQs
Pramathas are Śiva’s attendant gaṇas, often depicted as fierce, irregular troops. In Andhaka-related narratives, they function as Śiva’s battlefield host, executing tactical strikes and supporting the devas.
‘Vāsudeva’ identifies Viṣṇu in a personal, heroic register, while ‘Cakradhara’ highlights his signature weapon (Sudarśana). Together they mark Viṣṇu’s active martial participation rather than a distant cosmic role.
Yes: it exemplifies Shaiva–Vaishnava unity—Śiva’s gaṇas (Pramathas) and Viṣṇu (Cakradhara) acting in concert with Indra and the devas to restore dharma.