The sweat that oozed out of Parvati's hands, due to touching Shiva's powerful third eye, fell to the ground and created a horrible looking and blind boy.

Parvati was terrified on seeing him, but Shiva rebuked her, claiming that since he was born due to their physical contact, he was their child.

After Hiraṇyākṣa's death by Varaha (avatar of Vishnu), Andhaka became the new king, but was not regarded as an Asura since he was born of the Devas.

The world's most beautiful woman, he explained, was Parvati, who belonged to a matted ascetic who lived on Mount Kailāśa.

One day, when Shiva was performing meditation in forest, Andhaka thought of attacking Mandar mountain.

During his penance he abstained from both water and food while severing his own limbs as an act of desperation to please Brahmā.

Brahmā replied that he could not make him immortal since all that take birth must die, although he could choose the condition of his death.

With his army of Asuras, Andhaka fought Nandi and Shiva's Gaṇas, but were defeated and forced to flee.

Andhaka's general Vighasa swallowed all the gods, to which Shiva retaliated by charging with his bull and plowing into the demon.

Shiva requested the goddess chandi to drink the blood while he took care of the rest of Andhaka's duplicates.

Once he had realised that the woman who he was lusting for was his own mother and her husband was his own father, he felt deeply grieved and ashamed of his actions.

At one point, Mahiṣāsura and Tārakāsura are killed by the gods, a feat which Andhaka thought was impossible.

Andhaka fled back to Pātāla with the intention to recuperate and make another attempt at procuring Parvati.

He revealed to Andhaka his true origins about being born from the sweat of Shiva when Parvati covered his eyes.

The sweat that emanated from Shiva gave rise to a girl and a boy of the colour of charcoal, who proceed to consume Andhaka's blood before it falls onto the ground.

He holds Andhaka impaled on his trident for thousands of years, reducing his body to a mere skeletal appearance.

Shiva takes him to the Mandara mountain where Parvati also blesses the same boon to him and he later becomes famous by the name of Bhṛṅgi.

[5][8] In the Kūrma Purāṇa too, Andhaka is the natural son of Hiraṇyākṣa and becomes the king of the Asuras after the death of Prahlāda.

Shiva had entrusted Nandi to guard his household and the gods including Vishnu, to attend to and protect Parvati.

A battle ensues in the Mahākāla forest and the blood that flows from Andhaka gives rise to a thousand more demons.

Shiva creates numerous divine mothers, the Mātṛkā, who drink the demon's blood every time it issues forth.

When Shiva is about to blow the final strike, Andhaka surrenders and begs for forgiveness by praying to him.

At one time, Andhaka went to the court of Indra, abducted all the Apsaras, and defeated all of the gods in battle.

Nārada tells him that the flowers come from the Mandara forest, protected by guards so that no one may enter without Shiva's permission.

Andhaka conversed with Mount Mandara, informing the mountain of his invulnerability, and asked about the whereabouts of the forest.

[5][6][10] In the Liṅga Purāṇa, Andhaka's story is related as a variation of accounts of Harvamsa and Kurma Purana.

Andhaka was the son of Hiraṇyākṣa and was given immunity to death by Brahmā after he performed a severe penance.

Shiva, on the request of the Devas, challenges Andhaka, destroys his army and impales him on his trident.

Another version of the tale states that Andhaka fought with the Gaṇas and Shiva's sons, but that the gods lost the battle.

The scripture reads that Andhaka was killed by Shiva's third eye in the forest of the sage Śveta.