Andhaka’s Mṛtyuñjaya Dhyāna
The Andhaka Mṛtyuñjaya Dhyāna is the meditation that Andhaka made while he hung on the triśūla (trident) of Bhagavān Śiva. He meditated on 108 names of Bhagavān Śiva in his form as Mṛtyuñjaya, the conqueror of death. It is told in Chapter 49 of the Yuddha Khaṇḍa of the Rudra Saṃhitā of the Śiva Purāṇa.
This meditation cleared away all of Andhaka’s pāpa (sin) and his nature as an asura. It moved Bhagavān Śiva to come down, free Andhaka from the triśūla, bathe him in amṛta (the nectar of immortality) and make him gaṇādhyaksha, the chief of his gaṇas.
The setting
There had been a long and terrible war. Bhagavān Śiva pierced Andhaka with his triśūla, but he did not strike a killing blow. Andhaka hung there. He did not die, because the puṇya (merit) of his great tapas held even death away. But he burned in the cleansing fire of Bhagavān Śiva’s weapon, held between life and death.
In this state Andhaka changed completely within. Before this he had wanted Pārvatī and had been the enemy of Bhagavān Śiva. Now he was held on Bhagavān Śiva’s own weapon, and he chose to make that very weapon the object of his adoration.
The dhyāna
Andhaka meditated on the Mṛtyuñjaya form of Bhagavān Śiva. Bhagavān Śiva in this form is the conqueror of death, the Mahāmṛtyuñjaya, who overcomes all the limits of mortal life. Andhaka recited and meditated on 108 names of Bhagavān Śiva in this form. The dhyāna was a total surrender.
The effect of the dhyāna
The meditation on 108 names of Mṛtyuñjaya burned away all of Andhaka’s past pāpa: his birth as an asura, his war against Bhagavān Śiva, and his desire for Pārvatī. It changed him completely.
Bhagavān Śiva sees the heart of every being. He saw the change in Andhaka and came down from his high place. He took Andhaka off the triśūla and bathed him in amṛta. He gave him the high rank of gaṇādhyaksha, the chief of his gaṇas.
Then Andhaka spoke from his heart. He named Pārvatī as the Mother of all, whom he had wrongly desired. He asked her forgiveness. He spoke of his new place as a devotee of Bhagavān Śiva. Devī Pārvatī blessed him warmly.
What the account teaches
The Śiva Purāṇa shows that the Mṛtyuñjaya mantra and dhyāna can cleanse even the greatest pāpa, and can bring moksha even to those who were enemies of Bhagavān Śiva. Here the triśūla works to cleanse, not only to destroy.
Sources
- Śiva Purāṇa, Rudra Saṃhitā, Yuddha Khaṇḍa, Chapter 49