Chapter 49 - The acquisition of the position of a Gaṇa by Andhaka

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sanatkumāra said:—

Om obeisance to you, the lord of the gods, the one bowed to by the gods and Asuras, the great lord of the beings past and future, the one of green and tawny-coloured eyes, the strength, the intellect-formed, the one having the tiger hide as his covering cloth, the one springing from the flint sticks of sacred fire, the lord of the three worlds, Īśvara, Hara, the bay-eyed, the cause of the dissolution of the Yugas, the fire, the lord of Gaṇas, the protector of the worlds, the one of great arms, of great hands, the trident-bearing, of great fangs, the Kāla, Maheśvara, the imperishable, the Time-formed, the blue-necked, the one of huge belly, the presiding deity of Gaṇas, the soul of all, the purifier of all, the all-pervading, the destroyer of the death, the one observing sacred rites on the Pāriyātra^[1] mountain, the Brahmacarin, the one knowable through Vedānta, the one reaching the limits of austerities, Paśupati, the bodiless, the one armed with trident, the bull-bannered, Hari, the one with matted hair, the tufted, the staff-bearing, the one of great fame, the lord of Bhūtas, the dweller in a mountain-cave, the one beating time to Vīṇā and Paṇava, the deathless, the comely, the one like the early morning sun, the dweller in the cremation ground, the lord consort of Pārvatī, the suppressor of enemies, the one who felled the eyes of Bhaga, the one who broke the tooth of Pūṣan, the one who cuts the cruel ones, the one armed with noose, the hour of dissolution, the meteor-mouthed, the fire-bannered, the sage, the blazing, the lord of subjects, the leader, the father, the fourth one, the most excellent one in the world, Vāmadeva, the chivalrous in speech, the Bhikṣu of the left wing, the Bhikṣu-formed, the one with matted hair, the complicated, the one who benumbed the hand of Indra, the one who benumbed the Vasus, the sacrifice, the performer of sacrifice, Kāla, the intelligent, the bee, the moving one, the one originating from the hedges of the trees, the one adored by the name Vājasana by the people of all stages of life, the creator of the universe, the sustainer of the universe, the eternal Puruṣa, the stable one, the presiding deity of Dharma, the one of three-fold paths, the conceiver of all living beings, the three-eyed, the multi-formed, the one as refulgent as ten thousand suns, the lord, the one sounding all musical instruments, the one who releases from all hindrances, the binding one, the supporter of all, the most excellent of all virtuous ones, the Puṣpadanta, the part, the face, the destroyer of all, the golden-eared, the deity at the door, the terrible, the one of terrible exploit, Om, Obeisance, Obeisance.

Sanatkumāra said:—

1. It is by repeating this mantra that Śukra came out of the belly of Śiva through the penis, like the powerful semen.

2. He was accepted as son by Pārvatī and made unaging and undying by Śiva, the lord of the universe, as glorious as himself and second to him.

3. Śukra the sage, the storehouse of the Vedas, was reborn of lord Śiva when three thousand years elapsed on the earth

4. He saw Andhaka the lord of Dānavas, staked to the trident, performing a penance courageously and meditating on the supreme lord. He was completely dried up.

5-18. He was meditating on the hundred and eight forms of the great Ātman as follows:—the great god, of misformed eyes, the moon-crested, the nectarlike, the permanent, the stable, the blue-necked, the trident-bearing, the bull-eyed, the great unknowable, the Puruṣa, the bestower of all desires, the enemy of Kāma, the destroyer of Kāma, assuming forms at his will, wearing matted hair, the hideous, the Giriśa, the terrible, long-lipped, the red-robed, the Yogin, the destroyer of Kāla, the destroyer of Tripuras, the bearer of skull, the performer of secret rites, the one of secret formulas, the grave, the conceivable, the support of Aṇimā and other qualities, the bestower of riches to the three worlds, the heroic, the destroyer of the heroes, the terrible, the awful, the fleshy, the clever, the consumer of great flesh, the mad, the awful, the great Īśvara, the router of the three worlds, the miserly, the hunter, the destroyer of sacrifice, the one with Kārttikeya, the highly elated, clad in elephant’s hide, covered with hide, the agitated, wearing serpents as ornaments, the lender of support, the spirit, the heroic, worshipped by Śākinī, the Aghora (the gentle), the destroyer of terrible Daityas, sounding awfully, the vegetation-formed, smearing ashes on the body, with matted hair, the pure, served by hundreds of Bheruṇḍas, the lord of Bhūtas, the ruler of Bhūtas, the refuge of the five elements, the sky-sojourning, the furious, the ruthless, the fierce, the lord of Caṇḍī, the beloved of Caṇḍikā, the fearful, the lofty, the Garutmān (the winged one), the permanent, the partaker of spirituous liquor, the serpent-formed, the extremely terrible, the death, deathless, death of death, of great army, residing in the forest of the cremation ground, the attached, the unattached, blind with passion, adored by hundreds of passionless devotees, possessed of the Sattva, Rajas, Tamas attributes, as also of the Dharma, and Adharma, younger brother of Indra, the truth, the untruth, the existent, the non-existent, the uncaused, the lord with half-female form, the sun, as refulgent as crores and hundreds of suns, the sacrifice, the lord of sacrifice, Rudra, Īśāna, the bestower of boons and Śiva. The Dānava Andhaka meditating on these hundred and eight forms of the supreme soul became free from that great fear.

19. He was drenched with the divine shower of nectar by lord Śiva who was perfectly satisfied. He was brought from the top of the trident and released.

20. He spoke to the Asura Andhaka, the great Daitya. The great lord forgave what the demon had done before.

The great lord said:—

21. O lord of Daityas, I am pleased by your restraints and observances, your valour and courage. O you of good rites, choose a boon.

22. Propitiated by you I grant the boons. Free from sins you deserve a boon, O excellent Daitya.

23. For the merits you have acquired by retaining your life for three thousand years you shall attain happiness.

Sanatkumāra said:—

24. On hearing this, Andhaka joined his palms in reverence. He knelt on the ground and spoke to the lord consort of Pārvatī trembling with awe.

Andhaka said:—

25-26. O lord, what you had been told by me before was done with the words choked by excess of pleasure. You the greater than the greatest were addressed as an ordinary poor person. What had been done by me in the battlefield due to delusion was the most despicable in the world. It was because I did not realise you then. O lord, please do not keep that in mind.

27. O great lord, the wicked thing I committed towards Pārvatī was due to my base lust. It may kindly be forgiven. I am the most miserable and unhappy.

28. A miserable person shall be pitied. If he be in a pitiable plight, he shall be all the more treated kindly. I am miserable but always devoted to you.

29. I am miserable and devoted. I have sought refuge in you. I shall be saved. I have joined my palms in reverence.

30. May this goddess, the mother of the universe, be pleased with me. Let her leave off her anger entirely and glance at me delightedly.

31. O moon-crested lord, where is her anger and where am I a pitiable Daitya? O crescent-crested lord, O Śiva, O supreme lord, I cannot bear it.

32. Where are you, the most liberal? Where am I the wretched, rendered helpless by passion, fury and faults by old age and death?

33. Let not your son Vīraka, a powerful fighter and warrior, be angry on seeing me the miserable creature.

34. Let me see Pārvatī always as mother with reverence due to elders, O lord who are as white as snow, necklace, moon, conch and the Kunda flower.

35. Let me be always devoted to you both. Let me be free from enmity towards the gods. Let me be calm in heart and think of Yogic ways. Let me thus stay with your Gaṇas.

36. Let me not remember again the adverse qualities of the Dānavas, thanks to your mercy, O lord. Please grant me this excellent boon.

Sanatkumāra said:—

37. After saying this, the lord of the Daityas became quiet meditating on the three-eyed lord and seeing Pārvatī as mother.

38. Then glanced at by Śiva, with delighted eyes, he remembered the entire story of his previous wonderful birth.

39. When he remembered the incident his ambition was fulfilled. Bowing to his mother and father—Śiva and Pārvatī—he became contented.

40. He was kissed and sniffed on the head by Pārvatī and Śiva. From the crescent-crested lord Śiva he secured everything he desired.

41. Thus I have narrated to you everything connected with the early story of Andhaka and his acquisition of the lordship of Gaṇas by lord Śiva’s grace, yielding the greatest happiness.

42. The mantra of Mṛtyuñjaya that bestows immortality has also been mentioned to you. It yields the fruits of cherished desire. It should be strenuously read and recited.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

For Pāriyātra or Pāripātra, see Note 77 P. 629.