Vamana Purana — Andhaka's Defeat & Redemption, Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

त्वां नाथ देवाः शिवमीरयन्ति सिद्धा हरं स्थाणुं महर्षयश्च भीमं च यक्षा मनुजा महेश्वरं भूताश्च भूताधिपमामनन्ति

Transliteration

tvāṃ nātha devāḥ śivamīrayanti siddhā haraṃ sthāṇuṃ maharṣayaśca bhīmaṃ ca yakṣā manujā maheśvaraṃ bhūtāśca bhūtādhipamāmananti

Translation

O Lord, the gods proclaim you as Śiva; the Siddhas (proclaim you as) Hara and Sthāṇu; the great seers (do so as well). The Yakṣas and humans call you Bhīma and Maheśvara; and the Bhūtas name you Bhūtādhipa, the Lord of spirits.

Speakers

• A devotee/supplicant addressing Śiva
• enumerating how different classes of beings name him.

Primary Deities

• Śiva

Key Themes

• Many-named Lord (nāma-vaibhava)
• Universality of Śiva’s worship across beings
• Śiva as remover (Hara) and steadfast principle (Sthāṇu)
• Śiva as lord of gaṇas/bhūtas (Bhūtādhipa)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the purpose of listing different names used by different beings?

It asserts that Śiva’s reality is one while his apprehension is many. Different communities—devas, siddhas, ṛṣis, yakṣas, humans, bhūtas—approach the same Lord through names reflecting their experience of his power.

How should ‘Sthāṇu’ be understood in Śaiva theology?

Sthāṇu means ‘immovable/unchanging,’ pointing to Śiva as the stable, unconditioned ground of being—unshaken by cosmic change—while still acting as Lord.

Does ‘Bhūtādhipa’ imply Śiva is only a deity of spirits?

No. The epithet highlights his sovereignty over bhūtas/gaṇas, but within Purāṇic usage it functions to show comprehensive lordship—from the highest devas to liminal beings—rather than a restricted domain.