jijīviṣūṇāṁ jīvānām
ātmā preṣṭha ihepsitaḥ
ka utsaheta taṁ dātuṁ
bhikṣamāṇāya viṣṇave
jijīviṣūṇām - aspiring to remain alive; jīvānām - of all living entities; ātmā - the body; preṣṭhaḥ - very dear; iha - here; īpsitaḥ - desired; kaḥ - who; utsaheta - can bear; tam - that body; dātum - to deliver; bhikṣamāṇāya - begging; viṣṇave - even to Lord Viṣṇu.
It is said, ātmānaṁ sarvato rakṣet tato dharmaṁ tato dhanam: one must protect his body by all means; then he may protect his religious principles and thereafter his possessions. This is the natural desire of all living entities. No one wants to give up his body unless it is forcibly given away. Even though the demigods said that they were demanding Dadhīci’s body for their benefit in accordance with the order of Lord Viṣṇu, Dadhīci superficially refused to give them his body.