Shloka 45
Varuṇābhiṣeka–Agni-anveṣaṇa–Kaubera-tīrtha
Varuṇa’s Consecration; Search for Agni; Kaubera Sacred Site
इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत शल्यपर्वके अन्तर्गत गदापव॑में बलरामजीकी तीर्थयात्रा और सारस्वतोपाख्यानके प्रसंगरें स्कन््दका अभिषेकाविषयक पैतालीसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
guhāya rājaśārdūla vināśāya suradviṣām | mahāsvanāṁ mahāghaṇṭāṁ dyotamānāṁ sitaprabhām || nṛpaśreṣṭha! tadanantaraṁ bhagavān pākaśāsano devadrohiṇāṁ vināśāya kumāraṁ kārtikeyaṁ śakti-nāmakaṁ astram pradadau | sahaiva ca mahāsvanāṁ viśālāṁ ghaṇṭāṁ dadau, yā svayā ujjvala-prabhayā dyotamānā sitaprabhā babhūva ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O tiger among kings, for the destruction of the enemies of the gods, the Lord Indra (the chastiser of Pāka) then bestowed upon the youth Kārtikeya a weapon called ‘Śakti’. Along with it he also gave a great bell of tremendous sound, vast in size, shining with a bright, white radiance.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage frames divine power as being granted for the protection of dharma: weapons and authority are justified when directed toward restraining those who threaten the gods’ order (devadrohiṇaḥ), not for personal gain.
After the events connected with Skanda’s consecration, Indra bestows on Kārtikeya (Guha/Skanda) a divine weapon named Śakti and a thunderous, radiant great bell—symbols of martial command and the gods’ readiness to destroy their adversaries.