Shloka 38

दधीचाश्रमगमनम् — Viṣṇu’s Disguise and Dadhīca’s Fearlessness

Kṣu’s Request

Devanagari script

ददाह विष्णुं देवेशं दधीचश्शैवसत्तमः । संस्मरञ् शंकरं चित्ते विहसन् विभयस्सुधीः

Transliteration

dadāha viṣṇuṃ deveśaṃ dadhīcaśśaivasattamaḥ | saṃsmarañ śaṃkaraṃ citte vihasan vibhayassudhīḥ

Translation

ดธีจิฤๅษี ผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่ศैวะ ระลึกถึงศังกรไว้ในดวงใจ แล้วหัวเราะอย่างไร้ความหวาดหวั่น ถึงกับเผาแม้พระวิษณุผู้เป็นจอมเทพ

Word by Word

• ददाह: burned
• ददाह: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• देवेशम्: lord of the gods
• देवेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: देवानाम् ईशः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दधीचः: Dadhīca
• दधीचः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधीच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• शैवसत्तमः: the best among Śaivas
• शैवसत्तमः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैव + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (शैवः सत्तमः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) दधीचः-विशेषण

• संस्मरन्: remembering
• संस्मरन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चित्ते: in (his) mind
• चित्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• विहसन्: smiling/laughing
• विहसन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + हस् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• विभयः: fearless
• विभयः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) सुधीः-विशेषण; अर्थः ‘निर्भयः’ (fearless)

• सुधीः: the wise man
• सुधीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (सु-धीः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Dadhichi
• Shankara

FAQs

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

It highlights that steadfast inner remembrance of Pati (Śiva/Śaṅkara) grants fearlessness and extraordinary spiritual power; devotion and one-pointed awareness of Shiva eclipse worldly hierarchies.

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

Although the verse speaks of inner remembrance, it aligns with Saguna Shiva worship where the mind is anchored in Śaṅkara’s form and presence—Linga-pūjā and japa culminate in continuous smaraṇa (heart-centered recollection).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Citta-smaraṇa (meditative recollection) of Śaṅkara—supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), and traditionally strengthened with bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as aids to steady devotion and fearlessness.