Shloka 11

दधीचाश्रमगमनम् — Viṣṇu’s Disguise and Dadhīca’s Fearlessness

Kṣu’s Request

Devanagari script

विष्णुरुवाच । भयं दधीच सर्वत्र नष्टं च तव सुव्रत । भवार्चनरतो यस्माद्भवान्सर्वज्ञ एव च

Transliteration

viṣṇuruvāca | bhayaṃ dadhīca sarvatra naṣṭaṃ ca tava suvrata | bhavārcanarato yasmādbhavānsarvajña eva ca

Translation

Viṣṇu said: “O Dadhīca, man of noble vow—your fear has been dispelled everywhere. Since you are devoted to the worship of Bhava (Lord Śiva), you are indeed all-knowing.”

Word by Word

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दधीच: has been placed/has settled
• दधीच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘placed/put/held’

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb): ‘everywhere’

• नष्टम्: destroyed/vanished
• नष्टम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘destroyed/gone’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुव्रत: O good-vowed one
• सुव्रत: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘सु + व्रत’ = ‘good-vowed’

• भवार्चनरतः: devoted to worship of Shiva
• भवार्चनरतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ: ‘भवस्य अर्चने रतः’ = devoted to worship of Bhava (Shiva)

• यस्मात्: because (of which)
• यस्मात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; relative pronoun ‘because/from which’

• भवान्: you (hon.)
• भवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; honorific 2nd person pronoun

• सर्वज्ञः: all-knowing
• सर्वज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘सर्वं जानाति’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis): ‘indeed/only’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

Speaker

Vishnu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; it frames Śiva-bhakti (Bhavārcana) as the cause of abhayatva (fearlessness) and jñāna (knowingness).

Significance: Didactic: worship of Bhava yields inner security and clarity; a template for pilgrims that darśana/pūjā should culminate in fearlessness and right discernment.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shiva
• Dadhichi

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

The verse teaches that steadfast devotion to Bhava (Śiva) dissolves fear and ripens the devotee’s spiritual clarity, indicating Śiva’s grace as the root of fearlessness and true knowing.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

“Bhavārcana” points to concrete, Saguna worship—such as honoring Śiva in the Liṅga—through which the mind becomes purified and receptive to Śiva’s grace, culminating in fearless steadiness and insight.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular Śiva-arcana (Liṅga-pūjā), japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and maintaining a suvrata (disciplined vow) are implied as practical means to cultivate fearlessness and inner knowledge.