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Shloka 47

दधीच-शाप-हेतु-वर्णनम् / The Cause of Dadhīca’s Curse

Explaining Viṣṇu’s Role at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

क्षुवो दधीचं वज्रेण जघानोरस्यथो नृपः । क्रोधं कृत्वा विशेषेण विष्णुगौरवगर्वितः

kṣuvo dadhīcaṃ vajreṇa jaghānorasyatho nṛpaḥ | krodhaṃ kṛtvā viśeṣeṇa viṣṇugauravagarvitaḥ

O King, then Kṣuva—swollen with pride in Viṣṇu’s greatness—became especially enraged and struck the sage Dadhīca on the chest with a thunderbolt.

क्षुवः(he) sneezed / made a snorting sound (uncertain reading)
क्षुवः:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootक्षु (धातु)
Formलिट्/लुङ्-पाठभेदसम्भवः; सामान्यतः ‘क्षु’ धातोः रूपं; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; (पाठदोष/दुर्लभ-रूप)
दधीचम्Dadhīca
दधीचम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदधीचि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; proper noun
वज्रेणwith the thunderbolt
वज्रेण:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootवज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन
जघानstruck/killed
जघान:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootहन् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
उरस्यon the chest
उरस्य:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootउरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; ‘on the chest’ (locative)
अथthen
अथ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formक्रम/अनन्तरबोधक-अव्यय (particle: then/now)
नृपःthe king
नृपः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनृप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन
क्रोधम्anger
क्रोधम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootक्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन
कृत्वाhaving become / having made (anger)
कृत्वा:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having done/made’
विशेषेणespecially
विशेषेण:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootविशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial instrumental): ‘especially’
विष्णुगौरवगर्वितःproud of Viṣṇu’s greatness
विष्णुगौरवगर्वितः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootविष्णु + गौरव + गर्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘proud due to the prestige of Viṣṇu’

Suta Goswami

Tattva Level: pasha

D
Dadhichi
V
Vishnu

FAQs

The verse highlights how anger fueled by pride becomes a binding pāśa (bondage) that drives adharma—violence even toward a sage—showing the need for humility and inner restraint on the path toward Shiva-realization.

By portraying the downfall of egoistic “party-pride,” the narrative implicitly supports Shaiva teaching that devotion to Saguna Shiva (Linga worship) must be accompanied by purification of the heart—otherwise outer religiosity becomes a cause of conflict rather than grace.

A practical takeaway is daily japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a vow of ahiṃsā and anger-restraint, supported by Shaiva disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders to subdue pride and cultivate devotion.