Shloka 5

दधीचाश्रमगमनम् — Viṣṇu’s Disguise and Dadhīca’s Fearlessness

Kṣu’s Request

Devanagari script

दधीच उवाच । ज्ञातं तवेप्सितं विप्र क्षुवकार्यार्थमागतः । भगवान् विप्ररूपेण मायी त्वमसि वै हरिः

Transliteration

dadhīca uvāca | jñātaṃ tavepsitaṃ vipra kṣuvakāryārthamāgataḥ | bhagavān viprarūpeṇa māyī tvamasi vai hariḥ

Translation

ทธีจะกล่าวว่า “โอพราหมณ์ เรารู้ความประสงค์ของท่านแล้ว ท่านมาที่นี่เพื่อกิจของช่างโกนหนวดผม แท้จริงท่านคือพระภควานหริ (วิษณุ) ผู้ทรงมายา ปรากฏในรูปพราหมณ์”

Word by Word

• दधीच: Dadhīca
• दधीच: कर्ता (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधीच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ज्ञातम्: known/understood
• ज्ञातम्: क्रिया/विधेय (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे प्रयोग: 'is known'

• तव: your
• तव: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th), एकवचन

• ईप्सितम्: desired (aim/thing)
• ईप्सितम्: कर्म (Object understood with ज्ञातम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईप्सित (प्रातिपदिक; √आप्/ईप्स् भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'desired thing' (object of desire)

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (8th), एकवचन

• क्षुवकार्यार्थम्: for the purpose of Kṣuva’s task
• क्षुवकार्यार्थम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose; accusative of purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुव + कार्य + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd), एकवचन; समास: क्षुवस्य कार्यस्य अर्थम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• आगतः: has come
• आगतः: कर्ता (Subject predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• विप्ररूपेण: in the form of a brāhmaṇa
• विप्ररूपेण: करण/प्रकार (Instrument/means: 'in the form of')
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd), एकवचन; समास: विप्रस्य रूपम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• मायी: possessing māyā, magical
• मायी: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of त्वम्/हरिः)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• असि: are
• असि: क्रिया (Copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: विधेय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Dadhichi

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hari)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights jñāna-dṛṣṭi (spiritual discernment): a realized sage recognizes the Divine beyond external costume, showing that truth is grasped by inner awareness rather than mere appearance—an outlook harmonious with Shaiva Siddhānta’s emphasis on right knowledge leading toward liberation.

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

By stressing that the Lord may be approached through forms (saguṇa) while remaining deeper than form, the verse supports the devotional principle behind Liṅga worship: the devotee honors a visible symbol while cultivating insight into the indwelling, transcendent Reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is meditative discrimination (viveka) during worship—repeat a Shiva mantra such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while contemplating that the Divine can appear through any form, keeping the mind steady and free from superficial judgments.