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
Ao ouvir isso, o Senhor Rudra pareceu um tanto perturbado, ó descendente de Bharata. Ainda assim, vibrou “Om” em sinal de assentimento e, com um sorriso irônico, concedeu a Vṛka a bênção, como quem dá leite a uma serpente venenosa.
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.