Vamana Purana — Andhaka's Defeat & Redemption, Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

भिक्षो भवान् सहानीकस्त्वसहायो ऽस्मि साम्प्रतम् तथापि त्वां विजेष्यामि पश्य मे ऽद्य पराक्रमम्

Transliteration

bhikṣo bhavān sahānīkastvasahāyo 'smi sāmpratam tathāpi tvāṃ vijeṣyāmi paśya me 'dya parākramam

Translation

“You are (like) a mendicant, though attended by an army; but I am now without allies. Even so, I shall conquer you—behold my valor today!”

Speakers

• Daityendra addressing Mahādeva (Śiva) directly.

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Mahadeva)

Key Themes

• Hubris (darpā) before divinity
• Asymmetry of forces (alone vs. army)
• Challenge to Śiva and impending retribution

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "vira", "secondaryRasa": "raudra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

Why does the Daitya call Mahādeva “bhikṣu” (mendicant)?

It is a deliberate insult exploiting Śiva’s ascetic iconography (the renunciant who begs). In Purāṇic rhetoric, such taunts underscore the speaker’s arrogance and foreshadow downfall.

What is the point of contrasting “you with an army” and “I without allies”?

The Daitya frames the fight as a test of personal heroism: despite being alone, he claims superiority. This heightens the narrative tension and magnifies the significance of Śiva’s eventual victory.

Does “bhavān” here indicate respect?

Grammatically it is honorific, but in context it is ironic—used to sharpen the taunt while still addressing a divine opponent in formal second-person usage.