Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16
दधीच-शाप-हेतु-वर्णनम् / The Cause of Dadhīca’s Curse
Explaining Viṣṇu’s Role at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice
अथ क्रुद्धो महातेजा गौरवाच्चात्मनो मुने । अताडयत्क्षुवं मूर्ध्नि दधीचो वाममुष्टितः
atha kruddho mahātejā gauravāccātmano mune | atāḍayatkṣuvaṃ mūrdhni dadhīco vāmamuṣṭitaḥ
ثم، أيها الحكيم، إن دَذِيتشا المتلألئ بعظمة التجلّي الروحي غضب؛ ومن ثِقَل اعتزازه بنفسه ضرب كْشُوَفا على رأسه بقبضته اليسرى.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Rudra
FAQs
The verse highlights how even a great tapasvī like Dadhīca can display righteous anger when dharma and personal dignity are violated—serving as a caution that spiritual power (tejas) must be governed by discernment and inner discipline on the path toward Shiva’s grace.
Though the verse is narrative, it supports Saguna Shiva devotion indirectly: devotees are reminded that Shiva’s worship (pujā, japa, and vrata) is meant to refine impulses like anger and pride, aligning the devotee’s conduct with dharma as an offering to Shiva.
A practical takeaway is to stabilize the mind through Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and to adopt simple Shaiva disciplines like bhasma-dhāraṇa (Tripuṇḍra) and daily self-examination, so that strong emotions are transmuted into devotion rather than harm.