Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c5.22

c5.22

DADHYAṄ.¹ A hermit. Once Indra taught this hermit Madhuvidyā (the art of mead) Indra told the hermit that his head would be cut off if he taught anybody this art. The Aśvinīdevas approached Dadhyaṅ to learn this art. Fearing Indra the hermit refused to teach the art. Aśvinīdevas cut off his head and buried it in a place. Then they cut off the head of a horse and fixed it on the neck of Dadhyaṅ. Having the head of the horse he fixed his own head in place. (Ṛgveda, Maṇḍala 1, Anuvāka, 17, Sūkta 166).