Andhaka was the son of Daitya Hiranyaaksha of Varaaha Avataara fame of Vishnu Deva; the latter killed the Daitya as he sought to pull down Bhu Devi to Rasatala. In his own right, Andhaka was highly ill-famed having secured the boon of invincibility from Brahma, overthrew Indra and Devas from Swarga and made them shelterless besides tormenting Sages and the Virtuous. Devas, Brahma and Vishnu had all aproached Maha Deva as the atrocites of Andhaka became unbearable. Shiva was present at the battle field and asked Devas to fight but Andhaka became too powerful to Indra and Devas. Playfully, Maha Deva lifted up the Daitya and dangled and suspended him by the Trishula exposing him to the heat and high temperature of Surya Deva on the Sky. The Daitya realised the Supremacy of Maha Deva and commenced his Prayers. Shiva was pleased as Andhaka said: Bhagavan Deva Devesha! Bhaktaarthihara Shankara Twayi Bhaktihvpraseedesha yadi Deyo Varaschamey/ The Daitya was blessed by Maha Deva to secure the unique position of ‘Ganaadhipatya’.
Quite contrary to the occurrence of Andhaka, his father Hiranyaaksha or the Golden-Eyed Demon who also was the brother of the equally notorious Daitya named Hiranyakashipu attempted to forcibly drag and pull down Bhu Devi to Rasatala and Bhagavan Vishnu assumed the Incarnation of Matsya Deva and retrieved the Bhu Devata back to her original position by the might of his ‘damshtras’ and saved the entire Bhu Loka. But the revalation was as follows:
Varaharupamanagham chachaala cha Dharaa punah,
Tasya damshtraa- kraantaam Deva devasya dheematah/
Yadrucchayaa Bhavah Pashyan jagaama Jagadehs -warah,
Damshtraa jagraaha drushtwaa taam bhushanaartyha mathaan manaha/
Dadhaara cha Mahadevam kurchitey vai Mahorasi/
Devaascha tushtavah sendraa Devadevasya Vaibhavam/
Dharaa Pratishthitaa hyovam Deva Devena Leelayaa/
Bhutaanaam samplavey chaapi Vishnoschaiv Kalebaram/
Brahmanascha tathaanyeshaam Devaanaamapi Leelaya Vibhuranga vibhogena
bhushito na yadi Prabhuh/ Katham Vimukti Vipraanaam tasmaaddhamshtri Maheswarah/
(Varaha Rupa Vishnu retrieved Bhu Devi thanks to the enormous might of the ‘Damshtra’ of Varaha Deva, but the Damshtra of Varaha itself was the all- powerful Maha Deva while Vishnu was Vishnu’s body; that was how Vishnu was able to rescue as supportd by the damshtra of Maha Deva).
Suta Maha Muni then referred to the Episode of Hiranyaasha’s brother Hiranyakashipu and of Prahlada The latter was a confirmed Vishnu Bhakta and was always recited the Mantra of Om Namo Narayanaya. But Hiranyakashipu was an arch enemy of Vishnu and pursuant to his deep tapsya, Brahma granted the boon that none shoud be able to secure victory against him by Devas, Maanavas, Yaksha-Rakshasa-Gandharvaas and Kinnaroraga or any other species of Srishti. As the whole world was harassed by the Daitya, Prahlada became the Prime target as he was the Bhakta of Narayana. The Daitya King made all out efforts to deviate Prahlada from the Narayana fold; he utilised Saama-Daana-Bheda-Danda ways of diversion from Vaasudeva by way of persuation, offering valuable gifts including fulfillment of Earthly desires, creating differences of mind against Vishnu and finally took recourse to physical tortures ranging from snake bites, throwing from Mountain tops, exposure to wild animals and so on. Indeed the miraculous escapes of saving Prahlada were the handi-work of Narayana but the creation of a distinctive species of Nrisimha who was neither human nor of animal as per the prescription of Brahma’s boon to the Daitya, was materialised full of Tamasika Guna of cruelty, revenge and extraordinary strength typical of Rudra the Samhaara kaari the epitome of violence and ruthlesseness if need be and a natural and Supreme Annihilator as opposed to Vishnu’s Raajasika Guna of Preservation, flexibility of outlook and peace. No wonder Nrisimha who appeared as the Destroyer was Maha Deva Himself thus proving the Identity of Shiva and Vishnu once again in the context of Hirnya kashipu and Prahlada. As Maha Deva assumed the unique Narasimha Rupa and demolished the Demon, Brahmaadi Devas and Gana Gandharva Siddhaapsaraas extolled him to cool him down from the mood of rage and wrath as follows:
Namastey Kalakaalaaya Namastey Rudra manyavey,
Namah Shivaaya Rudraaya Shankaraaya Shivaayatey/
Ugrosi Sarva Bhutaanaam niyamtaamsi Shivosi nah,
Nanah Shivaaya Sharvaaya Shanakaayarti haariney/
Mayaskaraaya Vishwaaya Vishnavey Brahmaney namah,
Antakaaya Namastubhya mumaayaah patayenamah/
Hiranya baahavey Saakshaadhiranya pataye namah,
Sharvaaya Sarva Rupaaya Purushaaya Namo namah/
Sadasdbhakti heenaaya Mahata Kaaranaaya tey,
Nityaaya Vishwa rupaaya Jaayamaanaaya tey Namah/
Jaataaya bahudhaa lokey prabhutaaya namo namah,
Rudraaya Nila Rudraaya Kadrudraaya prachetasey/
Kaalaaya Kaalaupaaya namah Kaalaanga haariney,
Meedhushtamaaya Devaaya Shitikanthaaya tey namah/
Mahiyasey namastubhyam Hantrey Devaarinaam sadaa,
Taaraaya cha Sutaaraaya Taaranaaya namo namah/
Harikeshaaya Devaaya Shambhavey Paramatmaney,
Devaanaam Shambhavey tubhyam Bhutaanaam Shambhavey namah/
Shambhavey Haimavatyaascha manyavey Rudra rupiney,
Kapardiney namastubhyam Kaalakanthaaya tey namah/
Kapadiney namastubhyam Kaalakanthaaya tey namah,
Nama Ugra Trishulaaya Ugraaya cha Namo namah/
Bhimaaya Bhima rupaaya Bhimakarmarataaya tey,
Agnmeyvadhaaya vai Bhutwaa Namo Durey vadhaayacha/
Dhanbviney Shuliney tubhyam Gadiney Haliney namah,
Chakriney Vaarminey nityam Dautyaanaam Karma bhediney/
Sadyaaya Sadya rupaaya Sadyojaataaya tey namah,
Vaamaaya Vaama rupaaya Vaama netraaya tey namah/
Aghora rupaaya Vikataaya vikata shareeraaya tey namah,
Purusha rupaauya Purushaka tatpuru – shaaya vai namah/
Purushaarthapradaanaaya pataye Parameshthiney,
Ishaanaaya Namamastubhymeeshvaraaya Namo Namah/
Brahmaney Brahmmarupaaya namah Saakshaacchivaaya tey,
Sarva Vishnurnrisimhasya rupamasthaaya Vishwakrut/
Hiranyakashipum hatwaa kararjairnakhai swayam,
Daityendreyrbahubhih saardham hitaartham Jagataam Prabhuh/
SaimhimSamaananyaayonim baadhatey nikhilam jagat,
Yatkrutya, atra Devesha tatkurushva bhavaaniha/
Ugresi Sarva dushtaanaam niyamtaasi Shivbisinah,
Kaalakutaadi vapushaa traahi nah sharanaagataan/
Shukram tu vruttam Vishvesha kreedaa vai kevalam vayam,
Tatonmesha nimeshaabhyaamaskaamam pralayodayou/
Unmeelayetthvayi Brahmanvinaashosti na tey
Shiva Samptatasmo vayam Deva Harinaamita tejasaa/
Sarvbaloka hitaayainam tatwam samhartu micchasi/
Evam stutastadaa Devairajagaama sa yathaakramam,
yah patheycchrunuyaadwaaipi samstavam shaarvamutthamam/
Rudralokamanupraapya Rudrena saha modiney/
(As Brahma, Devatas and others extolled Nrisimha Deva as above, the latter cooled down and re-established Dharma and Virtue on Earth since Hiranya kashipu dared to dethrone Indra and Devas, threatened Maharshis to worship him and not Narayana / Mahadeva, completely upset the balance of Universe by breaking the established the age-old Laws of Nature, tormented Brahmanaas to perform Yagnas in his name and the co-Daityas and as the tip of the ice-burg haraassed his own son Prahlada a confirmed Narayana Bhakta even to the extent of murdering him but for the intervention of Vishnu).
Yet another Shiva Leela was in the context of the slaying Daitya Jaalandhra, who was born of water and the resident of water from where his strength got re-doubled from time to time and kept the totality of the Universe under his feet and defeated in a series of battles the Devas and Indra and even Brahma and Vishnu! As there was a furore and scare created among all the Beings and since the Daitya displayed arrogance, immorality, and a huge sense of invincibility, Narayana accompanied by Brahma, Indra and the whole lot of Celestial Beings approached as a last resort. On facing Maha Deva, Jaalandhara bragged a lot that he kept Devas like Surya, Chandra, Varuna, Vayu, Yama, Agni etc. as headed by Indra under his feet, that he ignored the enormous Mahima of Brahma Deva and that lately even the mighty Vishnu was humbled in straight battles. Maha Deva merely smiled and was amused at his ego, self-pride, unbridled insolence and audacity. He pressed his toes to form ever increasing sheets of water and challenged the Daitya to extricate himself from the ever-gushing water if he could! Then Bhavan opened his Third Eye a he was called Bhaga Netra of the Aksouhinis of his mammoth army got instantly got burnt into ashes. His chariot too got burnt off and as he became desperate the Daitya lifted his shoulders to lift his powerful Chakra but Shiva released his Trishula and the daitya’s body was slashed into two halves. As the Daitya was killed there emerged mammoth streams of his blood which right upto Maha Rourava Naraka where he was destined to reach for retribution.
As this unique devastation of Jaalandhara happened, Devas showered flowers from Indra loka, Gandharvas a Kinnaras sang reverberating songs in praise of Parama Shiva, Apsaras who had been in bondage under the Daitya for very many years went berserk with dances and Saptarshis recited Scriptures of Victory with enormous relief and gratitude to the ever merciful Parameshwara.
