Story of Śambara

An asura.

General.

Various Purāṇas refer to this leader of the asuras as having played a prominent part in the devāsura war. After many such wars he was killed by Śiva.

Śambara’s magic power.

He possessed marvellous magic powers. Once while fighting with him, the Devas were non-plussed by his magical powers, and they hid themselves in a forest. Śambara was pleased and he roamed about freely without any fear and burnt the palaces of the protectors of the world. The Devas left their homes and disappeared in disguise. The Devas began killing those whom Śambara had appointed as army-chieftains. To counter this attack by the Devas, he created three powerful asuras by his powers of magic. The three asuras called Dama, Vyāla and Ghaṭa began killing the warriors of the Devas, and the Devas told Brahmā at Satyaloka about the depredations of the asura. Brahmā encouraged them for further fighting, and the three asuras were killed and Śambara ran away and hid himself. (Jñānavāsiṣṭha Sthitiprakaraṇam).

Śambara in Ṛgveda.

There are various references to Śambara in the Ṛgveda. He was King of the Dasyus. He had mastery over hundred cities. The forts and trenches in those cities were very strong. The forts are referred to as Aśvamayī, Āyasī, Śatabhujī etc. in the Ṛgveda. The chief enemies of the Aryans were the race of people called Paṇis in the city. There is a hint about the killing of Śambara in Sūkta 17, Anuvāka 8, Maṇḍala 1 of the Ṛgveda.

Other information.

(i) Śambara was Kaśyapaprajāpati’s son by his wife Danu.

(ii) Daśaratha had, at the request of the Devas defeated Śambara in a war fought in Devaloka. (See under Daśaratha, Para 5).

(iii) Indra, on another occasion, defeated Śambara. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 137, Verse 43).