Shloka 36
Atithi’s Direction to the Nāga-sage Padma at Naimiṣa (अतिथ्युपदेशः—नैमिषे पद्मनागोपाख्यानप्रस्तावः)
तान् ब्रह्मोवाच ऋषिर्भार्गवस्तपस्तप्यते दधीच: स याच्यतां वरं स यथा कलेवरं जह्यात् तथा विधीयतां तस्यास्थिभिर्वज्ज॑ क्रियतामिति
tān brahmovāca ṛṣir bhārgavas tapaḥ tapyate dadhīcaḥ sa yācyatāṃ varaṃ sa yathā kalevaraṃ jahyāt tathā vidhīyatāṃ tasyāsthibhir vajraṃ kriyatām iti
Brahmā sprach zu ihnen: „Der Weise aus dem Geschlecht der Bhārgavas übt Askese, und ebenso Dadhīci. Geht zu Dadhīci und erbittet von ihm eine Gabe: richtet es so ein, dass er seinen Leib hingibt; und aus seinen Knochen soll ein Vajra, die Donnerwaffe, geschmiedet werden.“
तास्त्वाष्ट उवाच क्व गमिष्यथास्यतां तावन्मया सह श्रेयो भविष्यन्तीति
Educational Q&A
That extraordinary power meant for protecting order should arise from dharmic means: voluntary renunciation and tapas, not force. The text highlights consent (a boon requested) and the ideal of self-sacrifice directed toward a larger good.
Brahmā advises that the sage Dadhīci be asked for a boon so that he may give up his body, and that his bones be used to craft a vajra (thunderbolt weapon), implying a planned act of self-offering to enable a decisive instrument for restoring balance.