Shloka 25

दधीचाश्रमगमनम् — Viṣṇu’s Disguise and Dadhīca’s Fearlessness

Kṣu’s Request

Devanagari script

दग्धुं देवान् मतिं चक्रे सायुधं सशिखं च तत् । प्रज्वलत्सर्वतश्शैवं युगांताग्र्यधिकप्रभम्

Transliteration

dagdhuṃ devān matiṃ cakre sāyudhaṃ saśikhaṃ ca tat | prajvalatsarvataśśaivaṃ yugāṃtāgryadhikaprabham

Translation

He resolved to burn the gods. That Śaiva power then became armed and flame-crested, blazing on every side with a radiance surpassing even the foremost fire at the end of the age.

Word by Word

• दग्धुम्: to burn
• दग्धुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), अव्ययभाव

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• मतिम्: intention/mind
• मतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चक्रे: made/formed
• चक्रे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• स-आयुधम्: armed/with weapons
• स-आयुधम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (आयुधेन सह यत्)

• स-शिखम्: with a flame/crest
• स-शिखम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय) + शिख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (शिखया सह)

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

• तत्: that (weapon/form)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रज्वलत्: blazing
• प्रज्वलत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-√ज्वल् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सर्वतः: everywhere/from all sides
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb): ‘on all sides’

• शैवम्: Śaiva, of Śiva
• शैवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• युग-अन्त-अग्र्य-अधिक-प्रभम्: having splendor surpassing the foremost (fire) at the end of an age
• युग-अन्त-अग्र्य-अधिक-प्रभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (युगान्ते अग्र्यतया अधिका प्रभा यस्य)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: yugānta/pralaya-imagery (end-of-age fire as simile)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

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

It portrays Śiva-tattva as the supreme, all-pervading power whose light can exceed even pralaya-fire; it warns that ego-driven hostility toward dharma is consumed by the higher Shaiva radiance, while devotion aligns one with that transcendent protection.

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

The verse emphasizes a manifest (saguṇa) expression of Shaiva power—flame-crested and armed—yet its radiance points to the deeper truth of Śiva as the ultimate Light (often symbolized by the Liṅga as jyoti), before whom even cosmic forces are subordinate.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as the inner jyoti (light) and recite the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to purify anger and fear; applying tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and wearing rudrākṣa are traditional Shaiva supports for steadiness in such contemplation.