The defeat of Andhakasura

Story: Andhakasura

One day Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were spending a pleasant day in their abode. Goddess Parvati playfully covered Lord Shiva’s eyes with her hands. Suddenly, darkness descended on earth, and her hands started perspiring. The sweat fell on the ground, and a child was born, blind. When Goddess Parvati removed her hands form Lord Shiva’s eyes, light was restored on earth.

The couple decided to give the child to Hiranyaksha, a Daitya king, who was childless and was praying for a son. Hiranyaksha adopted the child as his son and named him, Andhaka. When he grew up, he was crowned the king.

Andhakasura, as he came to be known, performed sever penances to Lord Brahma.

Impressed by his devotion, Lord Brahma asked him, “What do you wish for?” Andhakasura asked him for victories throughout his life and immortality. Lord Brahma granted him the first boon, and added, “I will not be able to grant you immortality as death is inevitable part of life.” He instead blessed him that he will die when he will seek the unattainable.

Andhakasura, armed and protected by the blessing of Lord Brahma, raged a vicious war against the gods. The gods were powerless in front of his powers and sought Lord Shiva’s help. Lord Shiva, after hearing their pleas, decided to intervene and defeat Andhakasura.

When Andhakasura heard that Lord Shiva had decided to fight in the war, he was enraged. He gathered all his trusted and mighty warriors and sent them to the war. Needless to say, Lord Shiva killed all the demons and proceeded to fight Andhakasura.

Andhakasura and Lord Shiva started fighting, but Andhakasura soon realised that he was no match for Lord Shiva. He fled and hid himself in Goddess Parvati’s chambers, with the intention to abduct her and teach Lord Shiva a lesson. This angered Lord Shiva so much that he struck his trident at him.  As soon as the blood flowed out of Andhakasura’s body and fell on the ground, thousand more demons took birth.

Lord Vishnu was watching the war from a distance. When he saw the situation getting out of hands, he intervened and used his sudarshan chakra to kill the demons born out of Andhakasura’s blood. Finally, Lord Shiva struck Andhakasura with his trident, and held him up for thousand years. Lord Shiva collected his blood, so as to avoid the birth of more demons form Andhakasura.

After being suspended on Lord Shiva’s trident for over thousand years, Andhakasura realised his mistake and sought forgiveness form Lord Shiva. Finally, peace reigned again on earth and the heavens.