Killing of Hiranyaksha

Narada said

I have heard of the moon-crested one's deeds and of the killing of Shankhachuda, but like someone who has drunk amrita I am not yet satisfied. Brahma, the great Mahesha uses maya to play and to delight his devotees. Please tell me more of what he did.

Brahma replied

After hearing of Jalandhara's slaying, Vyasa, Satyavati's son, asked Brahma's son the very same question, and Sanatkumara answered Vyasa by describing Mahesha's praiseworthy deeds.

Sanatkumara said

Hear, Vyasa, of Mahesha's auspicious deeds, and of how Shambhu made Andhaka a ganapati. Before that, Andhaka fought a great battle, then won Mahesha's grace and came to sattvic feelings. Shambhu's greatness is wonderful. He protects those who take refuge in him and is very kind to devotees, delighting in many kinds of play. The sage, Gandhavati's son, had heard of Vrishadhvaja's greatness. He bowed with devotion to Brahma's son and spoke deep words.

Vyasa said

Lord among sages, who was Andhaka? In which brave family on earth was this powerful great soul born, and why was he important? Whose son was he? Please grace me and tell me this great secret. Mahesha's son Skanda, infinite in intelligence, has already told me about it. How did he become a ganapati through Shambhu? Becoming a leader of ganas, Andhaka was blessed. I would like to hear of Maheshvara's deeds, for they bring great prosperity to the listener.

Sanatkumara said

Once, showing affection to his devotees, the emperor of the immortals left his own mountain Kailasa and went to Kashi. He wanted to play there, with the mountain's daughter and the foremost ganas, and he built a capital there that brought great happiness. He appointed the brave Bhairava as its outer guardian and enjoyed himself with the mountain's daughter. One day he went to the mountain called Mandara to see its supreme powers, and played a great deal there with Shivaa and the leading ganas.

While they were on Mandara's eastern slopes, Parvati, in play, covered the eyes of the fearsome Kapardin. Her hands, the colour of coral and golden lotuses, closed over his eyes, and at once great darkness arose. As she touched Maheshvara, many drops of intoxicating moisture seeped from her hands and were heated at once by the fire on Shambhu's forehead, and a terrible conception resulted. The being had a cruel face and was ungrateful, angry, blind and disfigured, dark, with matted hair and misshapen body hair, a different sort of man. He sang, laughed, wept and danced, his tongue flickering like a snake's, his croaking voice thundering. As soon as he was born Bhava smiled and said to Gouri that she had covered his eyes, so why was she afraid now. Gouri smiled and uncovered the lord's eyes. When light returned, the blind one born of darkness looked even more fearsome. Seeing what had been born, Gouri asked Mahesha who this disfigured being was, standing before them terrible and fearful, why he had been made, who made him and whose son he was.

Hara heard his beloved. The mother of the three worlds had, in her own play, herself made this blind being, and Bhagavan, engaged in his own play, smiled and answered. He said Ambika did extraordinary things, and this being was wonderful and terrible in valour. When she closed his eyes the being was born from his sweat, and his name was Andhaka. She was his maker, though not in the usual way, so she, her friends and the ganas should protect him; there was nothing to worry about, and she should use her judgement. Hearing her husband, she was filled with compassion, and with her friends she protected the blind being by many means as though he were her own son.

At that time, in winter, Hiranyanetra went off desiring a son. He saw that his elder brother had sons and his wife urged him. The asura, Kashyapa's son, went into the forest wanting sons and performed austerities, wishing to see Mahesha, still as a log, having conquered anger and faults. The wielder of the Pinaka was pleased and came to grant him a fitting boon. Vrishadhvaja Mahesha stood there and told the great daitya not to torment his senses, asking why he had taken this vow and what he wanted, since he gives boons and would give everything he wished. Hearing these pleasant words, the golden-eyed daitya was glad, folded his hands, bowed his head and praised Girisha in many ways.

Hiranyaksha said he had no brave son fit for a daitya line, which was why he had taken the vow, and asked the lord of the gods for an exceedingly brave son. His brother had five sons of boundless prowess, Prahlada the eldest, while he had no one to follow him and no one to adorn the kingdom after him. A son, he said, is one who enjoys the kingdom left by his father or wins another's by his own strength, and one who has such a son is a true father. The learned who uphold dharma say a person gains an upward destination only if he has such a son, which is why even animals strive for one. People without sons cannot hope for the gods' worlds, and those who want a son always worship the three divinities with lotuses.

Full of compassion, Shiva was content with the daitya king's words. He said he would not have a son born of his own seed, but Shiva would give him a son, named Andhaka, the equal of any in valour and never defeated. He should drop all his grief and take Andhaka as his son. So saying, he gladly gave the son to Hiranyanetra. Great-souled Hara, original lord of beings and destroyer of Tripura, left with Gouri. Having received the son, the daitya bowed and circled Hara in order, worshipped Rudra with many hymns, and the satisfied lord returned to his own realm.

Having a son from Girisha, the daitya, fearsome in valour, conquered all the dwellers of heaven and took the earth down to his realm in Rasatala. The devas, sages and siddhas worshipped Vishnu, infinite in valour, who took the form of a huge, fierce boar. He is in all selves and all sacrifices are in him. With his snout he struck and broke the earth and entered Patala, and with his snout and fierce tusks crushed hundreds of daityas. His kicks were like lightning and crushed the soldiers of the night-roamers. His wonderful Sudarshana discus, terrible in energy and bright as a crore suns, cut off Hiranyanetra's shining head and burned the wicked daityas. Delighted, he then installed Andhaka, the daitya lord's son. The great one lifted the earth out of Patala on his tusks and set it where it had been, and returned to his own abode. The delighted gods and sages and the lotus-born one praised him. Hiranyanetra, lord of asuras, was killed by the lord of gods in boar form, and all the gods, sages and other beings were glad.