FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.9.52

स वा अधिगतो दध्यङ्‌ङश्विभ्यां ब्रह्म निष्कलम् । यद्वा अश्वशिरो नाम तयोरमरतां व्यधात् ॥ ५२ ॥
sa vā adhigato dadhyaṅṅ
[sa vaa adhigato dadhyann]
aśvibhyāṁ brahma niṣkalam
[ashvibhyaam brahma nishkalam]
yad vā aśvaśiro nāma
[yad vaa ashvashiro naama]
tayor amaratāṁ vyadhāt
[tayor amarataam vyadhaat]
Word-for-word
saḥ — he vā — certainly adhigataḥ — having obtained dadhyaṅ — Dadhyañca aśvibhyām — to the two Aśvinī-kumāras brahma — spiritual knowledge niṣkalam — pure yat vā — by which aśvaśiraḥ — Aśvaśira nāma — named tayoḥ — of the two amaratām — liberation in one’s life vyadhāt — awarded.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa vā adhigato dadhyaṅṅ
saḥ
he
vā
certainly
adhigataḥ
having obtained
dadhyaṅ
Dadhyañca
aśvibhyāṁ brahma niṣkalam
aśvibhyām
to the two Aśvinī-kumāras
brahma
spiritual knowledge
niṣkalam
pure
yad vā aśvaśiro nāma
yat vā
by which
aśvaśiraḥ
Aśvaśira
nāma
named
tayor amaratāṁ vyadhāt
tayoḥ
of the two
amaratām
liberation in one’s life
vyadhāt
awarded.
That saintly Dadhyañca, who is also known as Dadhīci, personally assimilated the spiritual science and then delivered it to the Aśvinī-kumāras. It is said that Dadhyañca gave them mantras through the head of a horse. Therefore the mantras are called Aśvaśira. After obtaining the mantras of spiritual science from Dadhīci, the Aśvinī-kumāras became jīvan-mukta, liberated even in this life.
Purport

The following story is narrated by many ācāryas in their commentaries:

niśamyātharvaṇaṁ dakṣaṁ pravargya-brahmavidyayoḥ; dadhyañcaṁ samupāgamya tam ūcatur athāśvinau; bhagavan dehi nau vidyām iti śrutvā sa cābravīt; karmaṇy avasthito ’dyāhaṁ paścād vakṣyāmi gacchatam; tayor nirgatayor eva śakra āgatya taṁ munim; uvāca bhiṣajor vidyāṁ mā vādīr aśvinor mune; yadi mad-vākyam ullaṅghya bravīṣi sahasaiva te; śiraś-chindyāṁ na sandeha ity uktvā sa yayau hariḥ; indre gate tathābhyetya nāsatyāv ūcatur dvijam; tan-mukhād indra-gaditaṁ śrutvā tāv ūcatuḥ punaḥ; āvāṁ tava śiraś chittvā pūrvam aśvasya mastakam; sandhāsyāvas tato brūhi tena vidyāṁ ca nau dvija; tasminn indreṇa sañchinne punaḥ sandhāya mastakam; nijaṁ te dakṣiṇāṁ dattvā gamiṣyāvo yathāgatam; etac chrutvā tadovāca dadhyaṅṅ ātharvaṇas tayoḥ pravargyaṁ brahma-vidyāṁ ca sat-kṛto ’satya-śaṅkitaḥ.

The great saint Dadhīci had perfect knowledge of how to perform fruitive activities, and he had advanced spiritual knowledge as well. Knowing this, the Aśvinī-kumāras once approached him and begged him to instruct them in spiritual science ( brahma-vidyā ). Dadhīci Muni replied, “I am now engaged in arranging sacrifices for fruitive activities. Come back some time later.” When the Aśvinī-kumāras left, Indra, the King of heaven, approached Dadhīci and said, “My dear Muni, the Aśvinī-kumāras are only physicians. Please do not instruct them in spiritual science. If you impart the spiritual science to them despite my warning, I shall punish you by cutting off your head.” After warning Dadhīci in this way, Indra returned to heaven. The Aśvinī-kumāras, who understood Indra’s desires, returned and begged Dadhīci for brahma-vidyā. When the great saint Dadhīci informed them of Indra’s threat, the Aśvinī-kumāras replied, “Let us first cut off your head and replace it with the head of a horse. You can instruct brahma-vidyā through the horse’s head, and when Indra returns and cuts off that head, we shall reward you and restore your original head.” Since Dadhīci had promised to impart brahma-vidyā to the Aśvinī-kumāras, he agreed to their proposal. Therefore, because Dadhīci imparted brahma-vidyā through the mouth of a horse, this brahma-vidyā is also known as Aśvaśira.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Dadhīci personally assimilated the spiritual science called Aśvaśira and then delivered it to the Aśvinī-kumāras. The Aśvinī-kumāras then became jīvan-muktas, liberated even in this life. Two verses explain the great knowledge he had. This story is well known. Hearing that Dadhīci was proficient in knowledge of pravargya and brahma-vidya, the Āśvinis approached him and spoke. “O lord! Give us that knowledge!” Hearing that, he said, “Today I am engaged. Later I will tell you. Now go.” When they left, Indra came and said to the sage, “Do not teach this knowledge to them, since they are doctors. If you disobey me and teach them, I will cut off your head. There is no doubt about this.” He then departed. When he had gone, the Aśvinis came there and spoke to the sage. Hearing what Indra had said, they spoke again. “We will cut off your head and replace it with a horse’s head. Speak that knowledge from the horse’s mouth. When Indra cuts off that head, we will replace it with your original head. After giving you a donation we will then leave.” Hearing this, the sage, without fear of doing wrong, spoke to them pravargya and brahma-vidyā. That is the meaning. Dadhyaṅ had understood pure (niṣkalam) Brahman. Another version has niṣkṛtam which means “devoid of temporary objects.” Then he gave that knowledge to the Aśvinis. The verb is in the next verse. That knowledge is called aśva-śiras since it was spoken by the head of a horse. The Aśvinis then achieved the stage of jīvan-muktas. Śruti also says aśvasya śīrṣṇā prayatīm uvāca: he spoke this gift of knowledge through the head of a horse. (Ṛg Veda 116.12)
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Dadhyañca (Dadhīci) assimilated spiritual science and taught it to the Aśvinīs through a horse's head. Real teachers transmit knowledge through whatever vehicle is given — even an unusual one.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'unusual vehicle' of teaching have I dismissed as eccentric?
  • Where might I be the unusual vehicle a teaching requires?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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