Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.88.23
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
-
vara-parīkṣā-artham
—
for the sake of testing the boon
Contiguous (vara + parīkṣā + artham). Parīkṣā — same word-root as the King's name (Parīkṣit, 'examined'). The chapter is laced with testing: Vṛka tests Śiva; Hari tests Vṛka; the listener is tested too.
-
śambhoḥ
—
of Lord Śambhu
Śam (auspicious) + bhū — 'source of auspiciousness.' The most beneficent name of Śiva, used right at the moment the boon turns on him. The Bhāgavatam's bitter irony of names.
-
mūrdhni
—
on the head
Locative of mūrdhan. The head — seat of life, of the brahma-randhra. The boon's strike-point is the soul's exit-door. Compare verse 36's vajra-strike on Vṛka's own head.
-
abibhyat
—
became afraid
Imperfect of √bhī — to fear. Mahādeva, who frightens the world's destroyers, fears. The chapter dares to use this verb of him. Gauḍīya reading: even a great īśa is contingent before Hari; only Hari is svayaṁ-rakṣaka.
-
sva-kṛtāt
—
by what he himself had done
Contiguous (sva + kṛtāt). Karma comes home — even for Mahādeva. The verse states what the chapter will spend twenty more ślokas demonstrating: he was endangered by his own deed.
Siva became afraid of the benediction he had given (sva krtat). Abibhyat is an alternative reading for abibhyet.
Kila means “So it is said.” Śiva became afraid of the benediction he had given (sva-kṛtāt). Another version has abhibhet. He then turned around and fled. The word śiva indicates that he desired auspiciousness for himself and all living beings.
None Kila means “So it is said.” Śiva became afraid of the benediction he had given (sva-kṛtāt). Another version has abhibhet. He then turned around and fled. The word śiva indicates that he desired auspiciousness for himself and all living beings.
A child given a loaded gun by an indulgent uncle turns at once to point it at the uncle's chest, just to test if it really works. Vṛka does the same. The chapter shows the inner logic of demoniac receipt: the first thing tested is the giver's own life.
My note
Source: vedabase.io