Andhaka's Boon

Verse 1 (skanda.8.74.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । अथ गत्वा स विप्रेन्द्र हिरण्याक्षसुतस्तदा । गङ्गाद्वारं शुभद्वारं तपोवनमनुत्तमम्

sanatkumāra uvāca | atha gatvā sa viprendra hiraṇyākṣasutastadā | gaṅgādvāraṁ śubhadvāraṁ tapovanamanuttamam

Sanatkumara said: Then, O foremost of brahmins, that son of Hiranyaksha went to Gangadvara, the auspicious gateway, the supreme forest of austerity,

Verse 2 (skanda.8.74.2)

दिव्यं कनखलं नाम यत्र हैरण्वती नदी । वृक्षाः कनखला यत्र सर्व एव हि काञ्चनाः

divyaṁ kanakhalaṁ nāma yatra hairaṇvatī nadī | vṛkṣāḥ kanakhalā yatra sarva eva hi kāñcanāḥ

-the divine place called Kanakhala, where the river Hairanvati flows, where all the Kanakhala trees are made of pure gold,

Verse 3 (skanda.8.74.3)

यत्र दक्षः पुरा यज्ञमयजद् दैवतैस्सह । महादेवेन यत्रास्य यज्ञो विनिहतः पुरा

yatra dakṣaḥ purā yajñamayajad daivataissaha | mahādevena yatrāsya yajño vinihataḥ purā

-where Daksha once performed a sacrifice together with the gods, and where his sacrifice was once destroyed by Mahadeva.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.74.4)

तत्रासौ देवमभ्यर्च्य स्नातः प्रयतमानसः । नमस्कृत्वा दैवतेभ्य इदं वचनमब्रवीत्

tatrāsau devamabhyarcya snātaḥ prayatamānasaḥ | namaskṛtvā daivatebhya idaṁ vacanamabravīt

There, having bathed and worshipped the god with disciplined mind, and having bowed to the divinities, he spoke this word:

Verse 5 (skanda.8.74.5)

अन्धक उवाच । येस्मिन् तपोवने देवा भूतानि विविधानि च । सर्वांस्ताञ्छरणं यामि तपःसिद्धिं दिशन्तु मे

andhaka uvāca | yesmin tapovane devā bhūtāni vividhāni ca | sarvāṁstāñcharaṇaṁ yāmi tapaḥsiddhiṁ diśantu me

Andhaka said: 'Whatever gods and various beings dwell in this forest of austerity, to all of them I go for refuge; let them grant me success in austerity.'

Verse 6 (skanda.8.74.6)

अद्यप्रभृति कर्त्तास्मि तप उग्रं सुदुश्चरम् । वरान् येनाप्नुयामिष्टान्मृत्युं वा प्राणनाशनम

adyaprabhṛti karttāsmi tapa ugraṁ suduścaram | varān yenāpnuyāmiṣṭānmṛtyuṁ vā prāṇanāśanama

'From today I shall perform fierce, most difficult austerity, by which I may obtain my desired boons, or death, the destroyer of life.'

Verse 7 (skanda.8.74.7)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । स एवमुक्त्वा तु ततः पाराशर्य महाबलः । संवत्सरं वायुभक्षो बभूव क्लमवर्जितः

sanatkumāra uvāca | sa evamuktvā tu tataḥ pārāśarya mahābalaḥ | saṁvatsaraṁ vāyubhakṣo babhūva klamavarjitaḥ

Sanatkumara said: O son of Parashara, having thus spoken, that mighty one, subsisting on air alone for a year, remained free of fatigue.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.74.8)

तथा त्रिषवण स्नायी जुह्वानोग्नीँस्तथैव च । देवार्चनरतश्चैव जपहोमपरस्तथा

tathā triṣavaṇa snāyī juhvānognī~stathaiva ca | devārcanarataścaiva japahomaparastathā

He bathed three times a day, offered oblations into the sacred fires, remained devoted to worshipping the gods, and intent upon japa and homa.

Verse 9 (skanda.8.74.9)

वर्षे वर्षे तु संपूर्णे स्वाङ्गादुत्कृत्य कार्षिकम् । पिशितस्य तदा भागं जुहावाग्नौ महासुरः

varṣe varṣe tu saṁpūrṇe svāṅgādutkṛtya kārṣikam | piśitasya tadā bhāgaṁ juhāvāgnau mahāsuraḥ

And with each year completed, that great Asura would cut a karsha-weight portion of flesh from his own limbs and offer it into the fire.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.74.10)

एवं तस्यागमद्दिव्यं सहस्रं मुनिसत्तम । जुह्वतः स्वानि मांसानि वर्षाणां प्रत्यहं तदा

evaṁ tasyāgamaddivyaṁ sahasraṁ munisattama | juhvataḥ svāni māṁsāni varṣāṇāṁ pratyahaṁ tadā

Thus, O finest of sages, a thousand divine years passed for him, as he offered his own flesh year after year.

Verse 11 (skanda.8.74.11)

सोसुरः शंखहाराम्बुसुधाकुन्देन्दुपाण्डरः । बभूवास्थिसिराशेषः केवलं तपसि स्थितः

sosuraḥ śaṁkhahārāmbusudhākundendupāṇḍaraḥ | babhūvāsthisirāśeṣaḥ kevalaṁ tapasi sthitaḥ

That Asura, pale as a conch, a garland, water, ambrosia, jasmine or the moon, became reduced to bones and sinews alone, established solely in his austerity.

Verse 12 (skanda.8.74.12)

स तेन तपसा युक्तो भास्करं निष्प्रभं तदा १ । सोमं च ग्रहताराभिस्सह चक्रे मितात्मवान्

sa tena tapasā yukto bhāskaraṁ niṣprabhaṁ tadā 1 | somaṁ ca grahatārābhissaha cakre mitātmavān

Endowed with that austerity, that self-disciplined one made the sun lustreless, and the moon together with the planets and stars likewise dimmed.

Verse 13 (skanda.8.74.13)

स एव भास्करो यद्वत् प्रकाशयति तेजसा । अशोषयत् पल्वलानि नदीकूपसरांसि च

sa eva bhāskaro yadvat prakāśayati tejasā | aśoṣayat palvalāni nadīkūpasarāṁsi ca

Just as the sun itself illuminates with its radiance, so his austerity's heat dried up ponds, rivers, wells and lakes.

Verse 14 (skanda.8.74.14)

पवनं स्तम्भयामास सोन्धकस्तपसा तदा । व्योम्नि सिद्धा न गच्छन्ति विमानानि च पेतिरे

pavanaṁ stambhayāmāsa sondhakastapasā tadā | vyomni siddhā na gacchanti vimānāni ca petire

That Andhaka, by his austerity, then paralysed the very wind; the Siddhas could not move through the sky, and their celestial chariots fell.

Verse 15 (skanda.8.74.15)

तस्य तत्तपसो रूपं दृष्टवा विघ्नशतान्युत । अकरोत् सहसा शक्रो विक्रियां न च सोन्वगात्

tasya tattapaso rūpaṁ dṛṣṭavā vighnaśatānyuta | akarot sahasā śakro vikriyāṁ na ca sonvagāt

Seeing the form of that austerity, Indra suddenly created hundreds of obstacles; but none of them could shake him or turn him aside.

Verse 16 (skanda.8.74.16)

ततो ब्रह्मा तमभ्येत्य प्रोवाचान्धकदानवम् । महासुर तपो घोरं त्वया तप्तं महाबल । तुष्टोस्मि ते महाबाहो चक्षुष्मान्भव सुव्रत

tato brahmā tamabhyetya provācāndhakadānavam | mahāsura tapo ghoraṁ tvayā taptaṁ mahābala | tuṣṭosmi te mahābāho cakṣuṣmānbhava suvrata

Then Brahma, approaching, said to the demon Andhaka: 'O great Asura, O mighty one, terrible austerity has been performed by you; I am pleased with you, O mighty-armed one of good vows - become sighted.'

Verse 17 (skanda.8.74.17)

शरीरं प्रकृतिं यातु यथापूर्वञ्च तेसुर । ब्रूहि चान्यं वरं भूयो यस्ते मनसि संस्थितः

śarīraṁ prakṛtiṁ yātu yathāpūrvañca tesura | brūhi cānyaṁ varaṁ bhūyo yaste manasi saṁsthitaḥ

'Let your body, O Asura, return to its natural state as before; and tell me any other boon which is fixed in your mind.'

Verse 18 (skanda.8.74.18)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । स चक्षुष्माँस्तदा भूत्वा शरीरेणाक्षतेन च । उवाच प्रणतः साक्षाद् ब्रह्माणं लोकभावनम्

sanatkumāra uvāca | sa cakṣuṣmā~stadā bhūtvā śarīreṇākṣatena ca | uvāca praṇataḥ sākṣād brahmāṇaṁ lokabhāvanam

Sanatkumara said: Having then become sighted, his body unharmed, he, bowing, spoke directly to Brahma, the sustainer of the worlds:

Verse 19 (skanda.8.74.19)

अन्धक उवाच । भगवन् यदि तुष्टोसि यदि मे चरितं तपः । अप्रतिद्वन्द्वतां संख्ये दैवतेभ्यः पितामह

andhaka uvāca | bhagavan yadi tuṣṭosi yadi me caritaṁ tapaḥ | apratidvandvatāṁ saṁkhye daivatebhyaḥ pitāmaha

Andhaka said: 'O Lord, if you are pleased, and if my austerity has borne fruit, then, O Grandsire, grant me unrivalled invincibility over the gods in battle,'

Verse 20 (skanda.8.74.20)

महाबलत्वं मायाश्च तथा चामरतामपि । एतदिच्छामि देवेश यदि त्वं वरदो मम

mahābalatvaṁ māyāśca tathā cāmaratāmapi | etadicchāmi deveśa yadi tvaṁ varado mama

'-mighty strength, magical powers, and immortality too; this is what I desire, O Lord of gods, if you are the giver of my boon.'

Verse 21 (skanda.8.74.21)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य भगवान् विभुः । हिरण्याक्षसुतं प्राह पुनरेव वचः शुभम्

sanatkumāra uvāca | tasya tad vacanaṁ śrutvā prahasya bhagavān vibhuḥ | hiraṇyākṣasutaṁ prāha punareva vacaḥ śubham

Sanatkumara said: Hearing his word, the mighty Lord, smiling, spoke once more this auspicious word to the son of Hiranyaksha:

Verse 22 (skanda.8.74.22)

अमरत्वं न दैत्यस्य ददामि दितिनन्दन । सान्तरं तु भवेत्तत्ते स्वयमेवोत्तरं वद

amaratvaṁ na daityasya dadāmi ditinandana | sāntaraṁ tu bhavettatte svayamevottaraṁ vada

'O son of Diti, I do not grant immortality to any Daitya; but this may be granted to you with an exception - state the condition yourself.'

Verse 23 (skanda.8.74.23)

अन्धक उवाच । या स्त्री स्याल्लोकमाता वै प्रणमेयं न तां यदि । तदा स्यान्मम मृत्युस्तु मृत्युहीनोन्यथा ह्यहम्

andhaka uvāca | yā strī syāllokamātā vai praṇameyaṁ na tāṁ yadi | tadā syānmama mṛtyustu mṛtyuhīnonyathā hyaham

Andhaka said: 'Whatever woman is indeed the Mother of the world - if I fail to bow to her, and instead approach her with desire, then let death be mine; otherwise I shall be free from death.'

Verse 24 (skanda.8.74.24)

ब्रह्मोवाच । एवमेतद् भवतु ते त्वया प्रोक्तं यदद्य वै । अन्धको भव नाम्ना त्वं लोके ख्यातिं च यास्यसि

brahmovāca | evametad bhavatu te tvayā proktaṁ yadadya vai | andhako bhava nāmnā tvaṁ loke khyātiṁ ca yāsyasi

Brahma said: 'So be it, just as you have declared it today. You shall remain Andhaka by name, and shall become famed in the world.'

Verse 25 (skanda.8.74.25)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । एवमुक्त्वा स भगवानन्धकं देवकण्टकम् । जगाम स्वं तदावासं विररामान्धकश्च सः

sanatkumāra uvāca | evamuktvā sa bhagavānandhakaṁ devakaṇṭakam | jagāma svaṁ tadāvāsaṁ virarāmāndhakaśca saḥ

Sanatkumara said: Having thus spoken to Andhaka, the thorn of the gods, the Lord went to his own abode; and Andhaka too ceased his austerity.

Verse 26 (skanda.8.74.26)

स गङ्गाम्भोभिराप्लुत्य देवमिष्ट्वा यथाविधि । अग्निं हुत्वा ततो धीमाननुमान्य तपोवनम् । सहायैत्सह दैत्येन्द्रो जगाम पितुरन्तिकम्

sa gaṅgāmbhobhirāplutya devamiṣṭvā yathāvidhi | agniṁ hutvā tato dhīmānanumānya tapovanam | sahāyaitsaha daityendro jagāma piturantikam

That wise demon-lord, bathing in the waters of the Ganga, having duly worshipped the god, offered oblations to the fire, then, taking leave of the forest of austerity, went together with his companions into his father's presence.

Verse 27 (skanda.8.74.27)

स हृष्टचेतास्तपसा महाबलो विवृद्धकामः सुरशत्रुतोषणः । पितुस्सकाशं पुनरेव दीप्तिमानगच्छदुद्धूतबलाहकोपमः

sa hṛṣṭacetāstapasā mahābalo vivṛddhakāmaḥ suraśatrutoṣaṇaḥ | pitussakāśaṁ punareva dīptimānagacchaduddhūtabalāhakopamaḥ

That mighty one, his heart delighted by his austerity, his desires now fulfilled and grown, a pleasure to the enemies of the gods, radiant, went once more into his father's presence, like a wind-driven cloud.