Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 25
अन्धक-प्रश्नः — Inquiry into Andhaka
Genealogy and Nature
महेश उवाच । शृण्वंबिके ह्यद्भुतवृत्तकारे उत्पन्न एषोऽद्भुतचण्डवीर्यः । निमीलिते चक्षुषि मे भवत्या स स्वेदजो मेंधकनामधेयः
maheśa uvāca | śṛṇvaṃbike hyadbhutavṛttakāre utpanna eṣo'dbhutacaṇḍavīryaḥ | nimīlite cakṣuṣi me bhavatyā sa svedajo meṃdhakanāmadheyaḥ
Mahesha nói: “Hãy lắng nghe, hỡi Ambikā, đấng làm nên những biến chuyển kỳ diệu. Kẻ này đã sinh khởi—thật lạ lùng và dữ dội về uy lực. Khi nàng khiến mắt ta khép lại, hắn sinh từ mồ hôi của ta; tên hắn là Meṇḍhaka.”
Lord Shiva (Mahesha)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Shakti Form: Ambikā
Role: creative
FAQs
The verse highlights Shiva’s supreme lordship (Pati-tattva): beings can manifest through His will in astonishing ways, showing that creation and protection operate under His conscious sovereignty, not mere material causality.
It supports Saguna Shiva devotion by portraying Mahesha as personally present and active in līlā—speaking to Ambikā and revealing the origin and name of a manifested being—encouraging devotees to approach Shiva as the compassionate, responsive Lord worshiped in the Linga.
A practical takeaway is to cultivate remembrance (smaraṇa) of Shiva’s all-governing presence during japa—especially the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—seeing all events as held within His śakti and guided toward dharma and liberation.