The Tale of Andhakasura, the King of Demons
Once, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati went to Mount Mandarachal for leisure. In a playful moment of love, Parvati covered Shiva's eyes with both her hands, causing darkness to engulf the universe. Drops of sweat fell from Parvati’s hands, giving birth to a child who was matted-haired, fiercely angry, blind, and grotesque in appearance. As a result, he was named Andhaka (the blind one). Parvati felt pity for the child and decided to keep him with her.
However, Shiva's attendants started troubling Andhaka because of his strange behavior. Sometimes he laughed, sometimes he cried, sometimes he danced, and at other times, he became extremely angry. He preferred being alone, perhaps because he felt out of place in that family. Shiva likely noticed this as well.
Meanwhile, the demon king Hiranyakashipu had five sons, but his brother Hiranyaksha was childless. Hiranyaksha wanted to expand his demon lineage, so he performed intense penance to please Shiva and obtain a son. Shiva granted Andhaka to Hiranyaksha as his son. When Hiranyaksha brought Andhaka home, his stepbrothers began tormenting him, ridiculing him by saying, "How can a blind man ever become the king of the demon clan?"
During this time, Hiranyaksha submerged the earth in the netherworld through the ocean. To restore balance, Lord Vishnu incarnated as Varaha (the boar) and killed Hiranyaksha. After Hiranyaksha's death, Andhaka’s stepbrothers harassed him even more. Enraged, Andhaka left and began performing severe penance to Lord Brahma. He offered his flesh, blood, and everything from his body in devotion until only a skeleton remained with a few breaths of life. For thousands of years, he continued this intense penance.
Pleased with his devotion, Brahma appeared and granted him a boon. Andhaka asked for a blessing that no demon, human, deity, or even Shiva or Vishnu could kill him. However, Brahma explained that death must still be included in the boon for it to be granted. Andhaka then added a condition: "Let my death occur only if I desire to marry the most beautiful woman in the universe, who is unattainable by any man or god, and whom I consider equivalent to my mother." Brahma granted the boon.
Empowered by this boon, Andhaka waged wars and defeated the gods, eventually capturing heaven. He had ministers named Hasti, Duryodhana, and Vaidhya, who helped him in his conquests. Later, driven by divine play, Andhaka became infatuated with Goddess Parvati and sought to claim her as his wife. This act of arrogance led to a battle with Lord Shiva, in which Andhaka was ultimately slain by Shiva's trident.
Thus ended the tale of Andhakasura, whose rise and fall were deeply intertwined with divine will and his own hubris.
ANDHAKA III. AN ASUR
1) Birth. This Asura was the foster son of Hiranyaksha. In reality Shiva was his father. Once when Shiva was absorbed in yoga, his daughter playfully closed his eyes with her hands, and behold! a darkness arose and engulfed the whole place. From that darkness, with a sound like thunderbolt, a demon appeared. Being born from darkness, he was named Andhaka. At that time Hiranyaksha was performing penance to obtain a son. Shiva appeared before him and gave him Andhaka as a foster son, saying thus: "If he (Andhaka) earns the hatred of the world or even desires the mother of the three worlds or kills Brahmanas, I myself will burn him to ashes". Having said this, Shiva disappeared. (Vamana Purana, Chapter 63). 2) Andhaka lustfully desired Parvati. One day, in a fit of lust, Andhaka said to his followers, "He is my true friend who brings Parvati, the better half of Shiva, to me. Yes, he is not only my brother but also my father." Hearing these words of Andhaka, Prahlada went to him and assured him that Parvati, who was actually the mother of Andhaka III, was his mother. But Andhaka did not relent. Then Prahlada explained to him the gravity of the sin of desiring other people's wives. This too had no effect on Andhaka. He sent Sambarasura to Shiva to ask for and bring Parvati. Shiva sent a message to Andhaka that if he defeated him in a game of dice, Parvati would be sent to him. Andhaka became angry and climbed the Mandara mountain and fought with Shiva. Defeated in the encounter, Andhaka begged forgiveness from Shiva. He admitted that Parvati was his mother. He also sought blessings from Shiva to remove his demonhood. Shiva accepted his prayer. Thus the sins and demonhood of Andhaka came to an end. Shiva made him the chief of the demons, naming him Bhrigi. (Vamana Purana, Chapter 63 etc.). de Andhaka (m). A holy pool. A dip in this pool will give all the benefits of the Purushamedha sacrifice. (Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva, Chapter 25, Verses 32, 33). Andhaka (m). A place in the island of Krouncha. (Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva, Chapter 12, Verse 18). Andhakaaram. A mountain in the island of Krouncha. (M.Bh., Bhishma Parva, Chapter 12, Verse 22). Andhakupa (m). In Devi Bhagavata Mahavishnu has described 28 hells to Narada, and Andhakupaam is one of them. (See Hell). Andhakupa is reserved for those who kill Brahmins or devotees of God or Sanyasis (holy people). This hell is populated by ferocious animals like bears and leopards, evil birds like hawks, reptiles like snakes and scorpions, and filthy insects like bedbugs and mosquitoes. The sinner has to endure all these sufferings in hell until the period of his punishment is over. (Devi Bhagavata, Eighth Skandha). Andhatamisra. One of the 28 hells. (See Naraka). This hell is for wives who cheat their husbands and eat. Yama's messengers catch hold of such sinners and push them into Andhatamisra. As soon as the messengers' ropes with which they tie the sinners tighten around their bodies, they fall down unconscious due to unbearable pain. When they regain consciousness and try to run and escape, Yama's messengers tie them up again with the rope. (Devi Bhagavata, Eighth Skandha). Andhra (Andhra). This is Andhra Pradesh of modern India. It must be assumed that this place was very famous at the time when the Mahabharata was composed. (Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva, Chapter 9, 49). Verse Andhra. The warriors of Andhra were called Andhras. (Mahabharata, Drona Parva, Chapter 4, Verse 8). Andharaka I. In verse 24 of chapter 4 of Sabha Parva this king of Andhra country is described as sitting in the assembly hall of the palace built by Maya at Indraprastha for the Pandavas. He was also present at the Rajasuya sacrifice performed by Yudhishthira. (Mahabharata, Sabha Parva, Chapter 34, Verse 11). Andharaka II. The warriors of Andhra country were also called Andhrakas. (Mahabharata, Karna Parva, Chapter 20, Verses 10 and 11). In the Bharata war the Pandya king defeated those warriors. Krishna incited Arjuna to kill the Andhras and Pulindas. (Mahabharata, Karna Parva, Chapter 73, Verses 19 to 21).
Shraap aur Vardan ki Kahaniyan: Rakshas Raj Andhakasur ki Kahani
Ek baar, Bhagwan Shiv aur Devi Parvati Manoranjan ke liye Mount Mandarachal gaye. Prem ke ek shringar bhare khel mein, Parvati ne Shiv ke dono aankhon ko apne haathon se dhak diya, jisse saara vishwa andhkar mein doob gaya. Parvati ke haathon se paseene ke boondein tapki, jisme se ek bachche ka janm hua. Uska roop bhayanak, baal jataon se bharpoor aur aankhon se andha tha. Is wajah se uska naam Andhaka rakha gaya. Parvati ko us bachche par daya aayi aur unhone usse apne paas rakhne ka faisla kiya.
Lekin Shiv ke gan Andhaka ko uske ajeeb vyavhar ke karan pareshaan karne lage. Kabhi woh hans padta, kabhi rota, kabhi naachta, aur kabhi atyant krodhit ho jata. Andhaka akela rehna pasand karta tha, shayad isliye kyunki woh us parivaar mein apne aap ko alag mehsoos karta tha. Shiv ne bhi shayad is baat ko samjha.
Isi beech, Rakshas Raj Hiranyakashipu ke paanch putra the, lekin uske bhai Hiranyaksha nishkantan the. Hiranyaksha ne apni rakshas vansh ko aage badhane ke liye Shiv ki kathin tapasya ki aur unse ek putra ki ichha ki. Shiv ne Andhaka ko Hiranyaksha ko de diya. Jab Hiranyaksha Andhaka ko ghar laya, to uske sautelay bhai uska mazaak udhane lage. Ve kehte, “Ek andha vyakti kabhi rakshas vansh ka raja kaise banega?”
Isi samay Hiranyaksha ne prithvi ko samudra ke madhyam se paatal mein doob diya. Santulan banane ke liye Bhagwan Vishnu ne Varaha avtaar dharan kiya aur Hiranyaksha ka vadh kiya. Hiranyaksha ke nidhan ke baad, Andhaka ke sautelay bhai usse aur zyada pareshan karne lage. Gusse se bhara Andhaka ghar chhod kar Brahma ki kathin tapasya karne laga. Usne apne sharir ka maans, khoon, sab kuch Brahma ko samarpit kar diya jab tak uska shareer kewal ek kaal ke pinjre jaisa reh gaya. Hazaron varsh tak usne atyant kathor tapasya ki.
Andhaka ki bhakti se prasann hoke Brahma uske samaksh prakat hue aur var maanga. Andhaka ne vardan maanga ki “Mujhe aisa ashirwad dein ki na koi rakshas, na manushya, na devta, aur na Shiv ya Vishnu mujhe maar sakein.” Brahma ne samjhaya ki mrityu ka yog to hona hi chahiye, tabhi vardan pradaan ho sakta hai. Ispar Andhaka ne ek shart rakhi: “Meri mrityu tabhi ho, jab mai duniya ki sabse sundar stree, jo kisi purush ya devta ke liye aprapt ho, aur jise mai apni maa ke samaksh maanu, usse vivah karne ki ichha karoon.” Brahma ne yeh vardan de diya.
Is vardan se shaktishali ban kar Andhaka ne devtaon par chadhai karke swarg par kabza kar liya. Uske mantri Hasti, Duryodhana, aur Vaidhya uski jeet mein saath the. Parantu, divine leela ke karan Andhaka ko Devi Parvati se vivah karne ki ichha hui. Is ahankar ke karan uska Shiv se yuddh hua. Ant mein Shiv ne apne trishul se Andhaka ka vadh kiya.
Is prakaar Andhakasur ki kahani samapt hoti hai, jismein uska uday aur patan dono divine ichha aur uske svayam ke ahankar se jude the.
