aṃdhaka

aṃdhaka a. [aṃdh-kan] Blind; aṃdhakaḥ kubjakaścaiva Pt. 5. 91.

— kaḥ

1 N. of an Asura, son of Kaśyapa and Diti and killed by Śiva. [He is represented as a demon with 1000 arms and heads, 2000 eyes and feet, and called Andhaka, because he walked like a blind man, though he could see very well; sa vrajatyaṃdhavadyasmādanaṃdhopi hi bhārata . tamaṃdhaṃkoyaṃ nāmneti procustatra nivāsinaḥ .. He was slain by Śiva when he attempted to carry off the Pārijāta tree from heaven; whence Śiva is called Andhakaripu, -ari, -dvish &c. According to the Matsya Purāṇa Andhaka was admitted to the class of Gaṇas by Śiva, at his importunities and humble supplication, when he was about to be killed by the god for having attempted to carry off his wife Pārvatī].

2 N. of a descendant of Yadu and ancestor of Kṛṣṇa and his descendants, a grandson of Kroṣṭu, son of Yudhājit who, together with his brother Vṛṣṇi is the ancestor of the celebrated family of Andhakavṛshṇis; P. IV. 1. 114, VI. 2. 34.

3 N. of a sage, son of Mamatā and of Utathya, elder brother of Bṛhaspati.

Comp.

— ariḥ

— ripuḥ, śatruḥ, ghātī, asuhṛd &c. slayer of Andhaka, epithets of Śiva.

— vartaḥ N. of a mountain.

— vṛṣṇi m. pl. descendants of aṃdhaka and vṛṣṇi.