Shloka 22

दधीचाश्रमगमनम् — Viṣṇu’s Disguise and Dadhīca’s Fearlessness

Kṣu’s Request

Devanagari script

चिक्षिपुः स्वानि स्वान्याशु शस्त्राण्यस्त्राणि सर्वतः । दधीचोपरि वेगेन शक्राद्या हरिपाक्षिकाः

Transliteration

cikṣipuḥ svāni svānyāśu śastrāṇyastrāṇi sarvataḥ | dadhīcopari vegena śakrādyā haripākṣikāḥ

Translation

Then Śakra (Indra) and the other gods—aligned with Hari’s side—swiftly hurled their own weapons and missiles from every direction, surging with force toward Dadhīci.

Word by Word

• चिक्षिपुः: threw/cast
• चिक्षिपुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• स्वानि: their own
• स्वानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying शस्त्राणि/अस्त्राणि)

• स्वानि: their own
• स्वानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; पुनरुक्त-विशेषण (emphatic repetition)

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘quickly’

• शस्त्राणि: weapons (hand-held)
• शस्त्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अस्त्राणि: missile-weapons
• अस्त्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सर्वतः: from all sides
• सर्वतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘from all sides/everywhere’

• दधीचि: of Dadhīca
• दधीचि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधीचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन (पाठानुसारं ‘दधीचोपरि’ = दधीचेः उपरि)

• उपरि: upon
• उपरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (preposition/adverb): ‘upon/over’

• वेगेन: with force/speed
• वेगेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental used adverbially

• शक्राद्याः: Śakra and others
• शक्राद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘Śakra and others’ (आदि-समास)

• हरिपाक्षिकाः: supporters of Hari
• हरिपाक्षिकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हरि + पक्षिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘on Hari’s side/partisans of Hari’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Dadhichi
• Indra (Shakra)
• Vishnu (Hari)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how even divine beings can become driven by faction and urgency; from a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, it underscores the need to rise above reactive force and take refuge in Pati (Shiva), the steady Lord beyond conflict.

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

Though the scene is martial, its inner teaching supports Saguna Shiva worship: when the world turns chaotic from competing powers, devotion to Shiva as the stable refuge (āśraya) and the Linga as the symbol of the unshaken Absolute becomes the spiritual anchor.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to steady the mind amid agitation, along with cultivating śānti-bhāva (peaceful disposition); if following Shaiva observance, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa support recollection of Shiva’s protection.