Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 6

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

Explaining Viṣṇu’s Role at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

दधीचस्य मुनेः शापाद्भ्रष्टज्ञानो हरिः पुरा । सामरो दक्षयज्ञं वै गतः क्षुवसहायकृत्

Transliteration

dadhīcasya muneḥ śāpādbhraṣṭajñāno hariḥ purā | sāmaro dakṣayajñaṃ vai gataḥ kṣuvasahāyakṛt

Translation

កាលពីបុរាណ ដោយសារព្រះសាបរបស់មុនីដធីចិ ហរិ (ព្រះវិស្ណុ) បានបាត់បង់ប្រាជ្ញាច្បាស់លាស់។ ហើយព្រះអង្គបានទៅកាន់យជ្ញៈរបស់ទក្ខ ដោយមានទេវតាជាមួយ និងយកក្សុវៈជាជំនួយការ។

Word by Word

• दधीचस्य: of Dadhīca
• दधीचस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधीचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचन

• मुनेः: of the sage
• मुनेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचन

• शापात्: from the curse
• शापात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (अपादान) विभक्ति; एकवचन (Ablative singular)

• भ्रष्टज्ञानः: one whose knowledge was lost
• भ्रष्टज्ञानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रष्ट + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मधारय (भ्रष्टं ज्ञानं यस्य/भ्रष्ट-ज्ञानः) विशेषणम् (हरिः)

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण-कालय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time: formerly)

• सामरः: along with the gods
• सामरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अमरैः सह = with the gods) विशेषणम् (हरिः)

• दक्षयज्ञम्: Dakṣa’s sacrifice
• दक्षयज्ञम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दक्षस्य यज्ञः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/उपपादक (particle: indeed)

• गतः: went / having gone
• गतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे (gone)

• क्षुवसहायकृत्: one who made Kṣuva his helper / made (someone) Kṣuva’s helper
• क्षुवसहायकृत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुव + सहायक + कृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (क्षुवस्य सहायकं करोति इति) विशेषणम् (हरिः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hari)
• Dadhichi
• Daksha
• Devas (Amaras)

FAQs

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

It highlights how even exalted beings can be veiled by a karmic/ṛṣi-śāpa influence, losing right discernment and moving with the crowd into ego-driven ritualism—contrasting with the Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis that true auspiciousness arises from Shiva’s grace and clear knowledge (jñāna).

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

Daksha’s yajña represents ritual performed without honoring Shiva, the supreme Pati; Linga/Saguna Shiva worship restores right orientation—placing devotion, surrender, and reverence to Shiva above mere external sacrifice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to pair any ritual with Shiva-bhakti and japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), supported by Shaiva marks like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa—so action is guided by discernment and humility, not pride.