Shloka 22
Hari’s Special Mercy, Śiva’s Quick Boons, and the Deliverance from Vṛkāsura
तच्छ्रुत्वा भगवान् रुद्रो दुर्मना इव भारत । ॐ इति प्रहसंस्तस्मै ददेऽहेरमृतं यथा ॥ २२ ॥
tac chrutvā bhagavān rudro durmanā iva bhārata om iti prahasaṁs tasmai dade ’her amṛtaṁ yathā
Mendengar hal itu, Bhagavān Rudra kelihatan agak terganggu, wahai keturunan Bharata. Namun baginda melafazkan “Om” sebagai tanda persetujuan dan, dengan senyuman sinis, mengurniakan anugerah kepada Vṛka—seumpama memberi susu kepada ular berbisa.
FAQs
This verse depicts Rudra granting a boon while smiling, implying that boons may be given even when they are spiritually risky—like offering nectar to a serpent—highlighting the need for wise desires and devotion.
“Om” marks a sacred, authoritative assent; Śiva grants the request, yet the comparison to giving nectar to a serpent suggests he knows the boon may empower harmful tendencies, making it a grave, cautionary moment in the narrative.
Ask for devotion, purity, and service rather than power or revenge; even if a wish is fulfilled, it can become dangerous without dharma and bhakti guiding one’s intention.