Parva 2 Chapter 86: andhakavadhaḥ - story of andhakāsura

janamejaya said: O the best among sages! I heard the wonderful story of the slaying of ṣaṭpura (nikumbha). vaiśampāyana! Tell me about the slaying of andhaka, about which you spoke before. bhānumatyāścha haraṇaṁ nikumbhasya vadham tathā | prabrūhi vadatāṁ śreṣṭa paraṁ kautūhalaṁ hi me ||2-86-2 O the best among speakers! Tell me about the abduction of bhānumati as well as the slaying of nikumbha. I am highly curious to hear these incidents. vaiśampāyana uvāca ditirhateṣu putreṣu viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā | tapasā''rādhayāmāsa mārīcaṁ kaśyapaṁ purā ||2-86-3 vaiśampāyana said Long ago, after her sons were slain by viṣṇu, the splendorous viṣṇu, diti worshipped kashyapa, the son of marichi, by doing penance. tapasā kālayuktena tathā śuśrūṣayā muneḥ | ānukūlyena ca tathā mādhuryeṇa ca bhārata ||2-86-4 O the one of bharata race! diti performed penance, appropriate to various times and served, obeyed and treated the sage sweetly. parituṣṭaḥ kashyapastu tāmuvāca tapodhanaḥ | parituṣṭo'smi te bhadre varaṁ varaya suvrate ||2-86-5 Then kashyapa was pleased. The one with the wealth of penance (kashyapa) told her: O good one! I am pleased with you. O the one who is fixed in penance! Ask for a boon. ditiruvāca hataputrāsmi bhagavandevairdharmabhṛtāṁ vara | avadhyaṁ putramicchāmi devairamitavikramam ||2-86-6 diti said: O lord! O the best among those who observe dharma! The deva-s killed my sons. I desire to have a highly valiant son who cannot be killed by the devas. kashyapa uvāca avadhyaste suto devi dākṣāyaṇi bhavediti | devānāṁ saṁśayo nātra kashchitkamalalochane ||2-86-7 kashyapa said: O the daughter of dakṣa! O goddess! You shall have a son who cannot be killed by the devas. O the one having eyes beautiful as lotus! There is no doubt in this, devadevamṛte rudraṁ tasya na prabhavāmyaham | ātmā tataste putreṇa rakṣitavyo hi sarvathā ||2-86-8 but leaving rudra, the true lord of deva-s (except shiva, no other deva will be able to kill him), because I have no power on him. Hence your son shall always protect himself from him (lord shiva). anvālabhata tāṁ devīṁ kaśyapaḥ satyavāgatha | aṅgulyodaradeśe tu sā putraṁ suṣuve tataḥ ||2-86-9 (vaiśampāyana said: O janamejaya!) Saying this, kashyapa, who speaks the truth, touched the belly of goddess (diti ) with his finger. Then she delivered a son. sahasrabāhuṁ kauravya sahasraśirasaṁ tathā | dvisahasrekṣaṇaṁ caiva tāvaccharaṇameva ca ||2-86-10 O the son of kuru! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) He had one thousand arms, one thousand heads, two thousand eyes and that many number of legs. sa vrajatyandhavadyasmādanandho'pi hi bhārata | tamandhako'yaṁ nāmneti prochustatra nivāsinaḥ ||2-86-11 O the one of bharata race! Even though he was not blind, he behaved as if he was blind. Then those who reside there, called him by the name andhaka. avadhyo'smīti lokānsa sarvānbādhati bhārata | haratyapi ca ratnāni sarvāṇyātmabalāśrayāt ||2-86-12 O the one of bharata race! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) Considering himself as one who cannot be killed, he started troubling all people. Based on his own power, he took away all jewels. vāsayatyātmavīryeṇa nigṛhyāpsarasāṁ gaṇān | sa veśmanyūrjito'tyarthaṁ sarvalokabhayaṅkaraḥ ||2-86-13 Based on his own valiancy, the demon, terrifying all the worlds, took away a group of apsarā-s and held them in his own home. paradārāpaharaṇaṁ pararatnavilopanam | cakāra satataṁ mohādandhakaḥ pāpaniśchayaḥ ||2-86-14 andhaka, determined to do sinful acts, due to confusion, was always engaged in taking away of other's wives and stealing other's jewels. trailokyavijayaṁ kartumudyataḥ sa tu bhārata | sahāyairasuraiḥ sārdhaṁ bahubhiḥ sarvadharṣibhiḥ ||2-86-15 O the one of bharata race! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) He tried to conquer the three worlds, along with many other demons, who oppress all. tacchrutvā bhagavāṣcakraḥ kaśyapaṁ pitaraṁ bravīt | andhakenedamārabdhamīdṛśaṁ munisattama ||2-86-16 Hearing about this, lord indra told his father kashyapa: O the best among sages! andhaka has started doing things in this manner. ājṣāpaya vibho kāryamasmākaṁ samanantaram | yavīyasaḥ kathaṁ nāma soḍhavyaṁ syānmune mayā ||2-86-17 O lord! Order what we shall do. O sage! How can I bear the sinful acts done by the younger brother? iṣṭaputre prahartavyaṁ kathaṁ nāma mayā vibho | ihātrabhavatī kuryānmanyuṁ mayi hate sute ||2-86-18 O lord! How can I strike your dear son? If I kill her son, the lady who is here, (diti) will get angry with me. devendravacanaṁ śrutvā kaśyapo'thābravīnmuniḥ | vārayiṣyāmi devendra sarvathā bhadramastu te ||2-86-19 Hearing the words of indra of deva-s, sage kashyapa said as follows: O indra of deva-s! I shall stop him by all means. Let there be good to you. andhakaṁ vārayāmāsa dityā saha tu kaśyapaḥ | trailokyavijayādvīraṁ kṛcchrakṛcchreṇa bhārata ||2-86-20 O the one of bharata race! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) kashyapa, along with diti, stopped andhaka, with great difficulty, from conquering the three worlds. varito'pi sa duṣṭātmā bādhatyeva divaukasaḥ | taistairupāyairduṣṭātmā pramathya ca tathāmarān ||2-86-21 Even though he was stopped, the wicked soul (andhaka) harassed the devas. The wicked soul oppressed the deva-s in various ways and means. babhaṣja kānane vṛkṣānudyānāni ca durmatiḥ | ucchaiḥśravaḥsutānaśvānbalādapyānayaddivaḥ ||2-86-22 The one with wicked intellect (andhaka) broke the trees in the forest and destroyed gardens. He took away by force, the horses, sons of ucchaiḥśravaḥ (divine horse) from heaven. nāgāndiśāgajasutāndivyānapi ca bhārata | balāddharati devānāṁ paśyatāṁ varadarpitaḥ ||2-86-23 O the one of bharata race! (O janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) (andhaka), proud due to the boon, took away forcefully, the divine elephants, sons of the elephants of directions, as the deva-s were watching. devānāpyāyayante tu ye yajṣaistapasā tathā | teṣāṁ cakāra vighnaṁ sa duṣṭātmā devakaṇṭakaḥ ||2-86-24 The wicked soul, the thorn of deva-s, created obstacles to those who satisfy the deva-s with sacrifices and penance. nejuryajṣaistrayo varṇāstepuścha na tapāṁsyapi | andhakasya bhayādrājanyajṣavighnāni kurvataḥ ||2-86-25 O king! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The three classes (brāhmins, kṣatriya-s and vaishya-s) could not perform sacrifices and do penance, due to the fear of andhaka. tasyecchayā vāti vāyurādityaścha tapatyuta | candramā vā sanakṣatro dṛśyate naiva vā punaḥ ||2-86-26 According to his wish, the wind blew, the sun became hot and the moon along with stars became visible. If he did not wish, these did not happen. na vrajanti vimānāni vihāyasi bhayātprabho | andhakasyātighorasya baladṛptasya durmateḥ ||2-86-27 O lord (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued): The aerial cars stopped roaming in the sky, due to the fear of the terrible andhaka, the wicked soul, who was proud due to his power. niroṅkāravaṣaṭkāraṁ jagadvīra tathābhavat | andhakasyātighorasya bhayātkurukulodvaha ||2-86-28 O valiant! O the son of kuru! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The world became devoid of the sound of Om and the exclamation of vaṣaṭ (a deity). kurūṁstathottarānpāpo drāvayāmāsa bhārata | bhadrāśvān ketumālāṁścha jambūdvīpāṁstathaiva ca ||2-86-29 O the one of bharata race! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The sinful soul drove away the north kuru-s, bhadrāśva-s, ketumāla-s as well as those residing in the island of jambū. mānayanti ca taṁ devā dānavāścha durāsadāḥ | bhūtāni ca tathānyāni samarthānyapi sarvathā ||2-86-30 The deva-s, the demons, who are dangerous to be approached, as well as all the beings, in spite of being competent by all means, respect andhaka. ṛṣayo vadhyamānāstu sametā brahmavādinaḥ | acintayannandhakasya vadham dharmabhṛtāṁ vara ||2-86-31 O The best among those who observe dharma! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) All the sages, who worship brahma, distressed by andhaka, together thought about slaying him. teṣāṁ bṛhaspatirmadhye dhīmānidamathābravīt | nāsya rudrādṛte mṛtyurvidyate ca kathaṣchana ||2-86-32 Among them, bṛhaspati, the one with intellect said: The death of this demon cannot happen in any way, except by rudra (shiva). tathā vare dīyamāne kaśyapenāpi śabditaḥ | nāhaṁ rudrātparitrātuṁ shakta ityeva dhīmataḥ ||2-86-33 While giving the boon, kashyapa said as follows: I am not capable of protecting him from rudra (shiva). tamupāyaṁ cintayāmaḥ sharvo yena sanātanaḥ | jānīyātsarvabhūtāni pīḍyamānāni śaṅkaraḥ ||2-86-34 Let us think about that way, by which, the eternal sharva (shiva), the auspicious lord will know about the distress caused for all beings. viditārthaṁ hi bhagavānavaśyaṁ jagataḥ prabhuḥ | aśrupramārjanaṁ devaḥ kariṣyati satāṁ gatiḥ ||2-86-35 The lord of the world (shiva), the lord who knows about the distress, the ultimate refuge of the good, will wipe away the tears. vrataṁ hi devadevasya bhavasya jagato guroḥ | santo'sadbhyo rakṣitavyā brāhmaṇāstu viśeṣataḥ ||2-86-36 The lord of deva-s, the preceptor of the world, bhava (shiva) has a pledge to protect the good, especially the brahmins, from the bad. te vayaṁ nāradaṁ sarve prayāma śaraṇaṁ dvijam | upāyaṁ vetsyate tatra vayasyo hi bhavasya saḥ ||2-86-37 Let all of us seek the refuge of nārada, the best among the twice born. He will find a way, since he is the companion of bhava (shiva). bṛhaspativacaḥ śrutvā sarve'pyatha tapodhanāḥ | tāvaddadṛśurākāśe prāptaṁ devarṣisattamam ||2-86-38 (vaiśampāyana said: O janamejaya!) All the sages having wealth of penance, heard the words of bṛhaspati. All of them, together saw the best among the deva sages, who arrived from the sky. pūjayitvā yathānyāyaṁ satkṛtya vidhivanmunim | They offered hospitality and worshipped the sage (nārada) as prescribed. devā ūcuḥ devarṣe bhagavansādho kailāsaṁ vraja satvaram ||2-86-39 vijṣaptumarhase devamandhakasya vadhe haram | devā said O deva sage! O lord! O honourable! Please go to kailāsa quickly and inform lord hara (shiva) regarding the slaying of andhaka. trāṇārthaṁ nāradaṁ prochustāṁstatheti sa choktavān ||2-86-40 (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) They requested nārada for protection (from andhaka). nārada said: let it be so. ṛṣiṣvatha prayāteṣu tatkāryaṁ nārado muniḥ | vicārya manasā vidvāniti kāryaṁ sa dṛṣṭavān ||2-86-41 After the sages left, sage nārada, thought about the matter, in his mind. The knowledgeable sage nārada found a way. sa devadevaṁ bhagavāndraṣṭuṁ munirathāyayau | mandāravanamadhyastho yatra nityo vṛṣadhvajaḥ ||2-86-42 The sage, nārada, went to see the lord of deva-s, lord shiva, to the forest of mandāra (Erythrina Indica), where the eternal lord with bull as his flag resides. sa tatra rajanīmekāmuṣitvā munisattamaḥ | mandārāṇāṁ vane ramye dayitaḥ śūlapāṇinaḥ ||2-86-43 The best among sages, stayed for a night there, in the beautiful forest of mandāra (Erythrina Indica) liked by the one who holds spear (shiva) and his beloved (umaā). ājagāma punaḥ svargaṁ labdhvānujṣāṁ vṛṣadhvajāt | mandārapuṣpaiḥ sukṛtāṁ mālāmābadhya bhārata ||2-86-44 O the one of bharata race! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana said) The sage returned to heaven again, with the permission of the one who has the bull as flag (shiva), wearing a specially made garland of the mandara (Erythrina Indica) flowers. grathitāṁ saviśeṣāṁ tāṁ sarvagandhottamottamām | santānamālyadāmaṁ ca taireva kusumaiḥ kṛtam ||2-86-45 That garland was a specially made garland of the best of the best flowers of the divine tree mandāra, having all types of fragrances. taccha kaṇṭhe samāsajya mahāgandhaṁ narādhipa | āyayāvandhako yatra durātmā baladarpitaḥ ||2-86-46 O the ruler of men! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) Wearing that garland of great fragrance on his neck, the sage reached the place, where the wicked soul, andhaka who was proud of his power was present. andhakastvatha taṁ dṛṣṭvā gandhamāghrāya chottamam | santānakānāṁ sraṅmālāṁ mahāgandhāṁ mahāmune ||2-86-47 andhaka saw the sage nārada, and he smelt the best fragrance (of the flowers). andhaka asked the sage about the divine garland (of the flowers of mandāra) having great fragrance: O great sage! kutrāyaṁ puṣpajātirvā kamanīyā tapodhana | gandhānvarṇāṣchubhāṁstānhi bhoḥ puṣyati muhurmuhuḥ | O the one with great wealth of penance! Where are these beautiful flowers, available? These flowers appear to have good fragrance, colour and qualities again and again. svarge santānakusumānyativartati sarvathā ||2-86-48 These flowers are better than the divine flowers of heaven by all means. kaḥ prabhustasya vṛkṣasya śakyaṁ vā''nayituṁ mune | ācakṣva yadyanugrāhyā vayaṁ te devatātithe ||2-86-49 Who is the owner of the tree? O sage! Is it possible to bring the flowers here? O the guest of deva-s! Please tell if we deserve your blessings. tamuvāca muniśreṣṭhaḥ prahasanniva bhārata | ādāya dakṣiṇe haste mahatastapaso nidhiḥ ||2-86-50 O the one of bharata race! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana said) Then the best among sages, the great treasure among those who do penance, holding the right hand of andhaka, said smiling: mandare parvataśreṣṭhe vīra kāmagamaṁ vanam | tatra caivaṁvidhaṁ puṣpaṁ bhoḥ sṛṣṭiḥ śūlapāṇinaḥ ||2-86-51 O valiant! There is a forest, which travels as desired, on the best among mountains, mandara. O! These flowers, created by the one who holds the spear in his hand (shiva) are available there. na tu tatra vanaṁ kaśchidacchandena mahātmanaḥ | praveṣṭuṁ labhate taddhi rakṣanti pravarottamāḥ ||2-86-52 Without the permission of the great soul (shiva), no one can ever enter the forest. The forest is protected by the best of the followers (of shiva). nānāpraharaṇā ghorā nānāveṣā durāsadāḥ | avadhyāḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ mahādevābhirakṣitāḥ ||2-86-53 The followers of shiva are terrible, holding varieties of weapons. They wear different clothes and are difficult to approach. They, protected by the great deva (shiva), cannot be killed by any of the beings. nityaṁ prakrīḍate tatra somaḥ sapravaro haraḥ | mandāradrumakhaṇḍeṣu sarvātmā sarvabhāvanaḥ ||2-86-54 The soul of all, the all producing hara (lord shiva), along with umā and his followers sport there daily, in that part of the forest where mandāra trees are present. tapoviśeṣairārādhya haraṁ tribhuvaneshavaram | śakyaṁ mandārapuṣpāṇi prāptuṁ kaśyapavaṁśaja ||2-86-55 O the one born in the race of kashyapa! It is possible to get the mandāra flowers only by worshipping hara (shiva), the lord of the three worlds, with special penance. strīratnamaṇiratnāni yāni cānyāni cāpyatha | kāṅkṣitāni phalanti sma te drumā haravallabhāḥ ||2-86-56 These trees, dear to the wife of hara (umā) will provide as fruits, all that is desired, such as the jewels of women (best women) as well as jewels. na tatra sūryaḥ somo'tha tapatyatulavikramaḥ | svayaṁprabhaṁ taruvanaṁ tadbhyo duḥkhavivarjitam ||2-86-57 O the one with incomparable valiance! There the sun and moon do not shine. That forest of trees lights itself, by its splendor. It is devoid of any sorrow. tatra gandhānsravantyanye nīrāṇyanye mahādrumāḥ | vāsāṁsi vividhānyanye sugandhīni mahābala ||2-86-58 O the one with high power! There, some of the great trees emit fragrance. Other trees ooze juices. Yet others provide varieties of clothes. Other trees emit sweet fragrance. bhakṣyaṁ bhojyaṁ ca peyaṁ ca choṣyaṁ lehyaṁ tathaiva ca | tarubhyaḥ sravate tebhyo vividhaṁ manasepsitam ||2-86-59 The trees provide varieties of eatables, drinks, food that may be sucked and lickables and all types of food as liked by one's mind. pipāsā vā bubhukṣā vā glāniścintāpi vānagha | na mandāravane vīra bhavatītyupadhāryatām ||2-86-60 O valiant! O faultless one! Understand that thirst, hunger and exhaustion and even worry are absent from the forest of mandāra. na te varṇayituṁ śakyā guṇā varṣaśatairapi | guṇā ye tatra varddhante svargādbahuguṇottarāḥ ||2-86-61 It is not possible to describe those qualities which increase daily, more than in heaven, even with hundreds of years. atīva hi jayellokānsamahendrānna saṁśayaḥ | ekāhamapi yastatra vaseccha ditijottama ||2-86-62 O the best among those born to diti! The one who stays there even for a day will conquer worlds equal to those won by the great indra. There is no doubt in this. svargasyāpi hi tatsvargaṁ sukhānāmapi tatsukham | babhūva jagataḥ sarvamiti me dhīyate manaḥ ||2-86-63 That (mandāra forest) is the heaven of heavens. That (mandāra forest) is the comfort of all comforts among the world. This is what I believe. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi andhakavadhe ṣaḍaśītitamo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the eightsixth chapter of harivaṁśa, khila of mahābhārata, the story of andhakāsura. nīlakaṇṭha commentary ṣaḍaśītitamemuṣminnathādhyāye hi varṇyate || andhakasya vadhaḥ prokto rājapraśnānusārataḥ || 1 || · 2-86-1 shrutoyamiti || · 2-86-2 nikumbhasya tridehasya vadhaṁ bhānumatyā haraṇe bhagavatā proktam || · 2-86-4 kālayuktena bahukālīnena || · 2-86-16 bravīt abravīt || · 2-86-17 soḍhavyaṁ durvṛttatvamiti śeṣaḥ || · 2-86-18 atrabhavati pūjyā ditiḥ tasyāḥ iṣṭaputre mayā hate sati sā mayi manyuṁ kuryāt || · 2-86-20 kṛcchrakṛcchreṇa atikṛcchreṇa || · 2-86-25 nejuḥ yajṣaṁ na cakruḥ || · 2-86-27 andhakasya bhayāditi śeṣaḥ || · 2-86-35 aśrumārjanaṁ śokāpanayam || · 2-86-38 tapodhanāḥ he śaunakādayaḥ || · 2-86-41 iti vakṣyamānaṁ kāryaṁ kartavyam || · 2-86-44 mandāraḥ suratarustatpuṣpaiḥ || · 2-86-45 santāno'pi devadruma eva ca || · 2-86-47 sraṅmālā puṣpadāma || · 2-86-48 iyamiti vaktavye'yamiti uktirmattatvāt | santānakusumāni ativartati abhibhavati | · 2-86-52 mahātmano mahādevasya pravarottamāḥ gaṇottamāḥ | · 2-86-58 nīrāṇi rasān || · 2-86-61 vardhante prasaranti | iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe ṭīkāyāṁ ṣaḍśītitamo'dhyāyaḥ ||