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

marutaḥ: the Maruts; brahman: O Brahmin (vocative address to the listener); tamase: pertaining to Tāmasa (a named manvantara/epoch or its presiding context); devatāgaṇāḥ: hosts/companies of deities; raivate: pertaining to Raivata (a named manvantara/epoch or its presiding context); śṛṇuṣva: listen (imperative); tapodhana: ‘wealth of tapas’, an epithet for an ascetic sage.

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).