Shloka 17
Hari’s Special Mercy, Śiva’s Quick Boons, and the Deliverance from Vṛkāsura
इत्यादिष्टस्तमसुर उपाधावत् स्वगात्रत: । केदार आत्मक्रव्येण जुह्वानोऽग्निमुखं हरम् ॥ १७ ॥
ity ādiṣṭas tam asura upādhāvat sva-gātrataḥ kedāra ātma-kravyeṇa juhvāno gni-mukhaṁ haram
Thus advised, the demon proceeded to worship Lord Shiva at Kedaranatha by taking pieces of flesh from his own body and offering them as oblations into the sacred fire, which is Lord Shiva’s mouth.
FAQs
This verse describes Hari as agni-mukha—one who receives offerings through fire—showing that yajña ultimately reaches the Supreme Lord when performed properly.
Driven by a perverse, asuric intent, he attempts a horrific ‘sacrifice’ by using his own body as the offering—illustrating how ritual can be distorted when divorced from devotion and dharma.
Spiritual practice should be guided by right intention and devotion; external acts become harmful or meaningless when motivated by ego, hatred, or sensationalism.