Shloka 2

पिप्पलादावतारकथनम्

Account of the Pippalāda Avatāra

Devanagari script

यः पुरा गदितो विप्रो दधीचिर्मुनिसत्तमः । महाशैवस्सुप्रतापी च्यावनिर्भृगुवंशजः

Transliteration

yaḥ purā gadito vipro dadhīcirmunisattamaḥ | mahāśaivassupratāpī cyāvanirbhṛguvaṃśajaḥ

Translation

He who was spoken of earlier—the brāhmaṇa sage Dadhīci, foremost among seers—was a great devotee of Śiva, mighty in spiritual splendor, and born in the lineage of Bhṛgu through Cyavana.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• गदितः: spoken/mentioned
• गदितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √गद् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• विप्रः: a brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दधीचिः: Dadhīci
• दधीचिः: Apposition/Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधीचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (Dadhīci)

• मुनि-सत्तमः: best of sages
• मुनि-सत्तमः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (best among sages)

• महा-शैवः: a great Śaiva
• महा-शैवः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + शैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (great devotee of Śiva)

• सु-प्रतापी: very powerful
• सु-प्रतापी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + प्रतापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (very mighty)

• च्यावनिः: Cyāvani
• च्यावनिः: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: च्यावनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (Cyāvani/Cyavana-line)

• भृगु-वंश-जः: born in the Bhṛgu lineage
• भृगु-वंश-जः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृगु (प्रातिपदिक) + वंश (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (born in Bhṛgu lineage)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Dadhichi
• Shiva
• Bhrigu
• Cyavana

FAQs

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

It establishes Dadhīci as an exemplary “Mahāśaiva”—a sage whose tapas and purity are fulfilled by devotion to Pati (Śiva), showing that true spiritual brilliance (pratāpa) is grounded in Śiva-bhakti.

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

By calling Dadhīci a Mahāśaiva, the text points to devoted engagement with Śiva’s accessible, worshipful presence (Saguna Śiva), commonly approached through Liṅga-upāsanā, mantra, and ritual devotion within Purāṇic Śaivism.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse implies the path of a Mahāśaiva: steady japa of Śiva-mantra (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with Śiva-oriented tapas such as bhasma-dhāraṇa (Tripuṇḍra) and disciplined worship.