Shloka 18
ऐरावतस्य घण्टे द्वे वैजयन्त्याविति श्रुते । गुहस्य ते स्वयं दत्ते क्रमेणानाय्य धीमता,इन्द्रके ऐरावत हाथीके उपयोगमें आनेवाले जो दो “वैजयन्ती” नामसे विख्यात घण्टे थे, उन्हें बुद्धिमान इन्द्रने क्रमश: ले आकर स्वयं कुमार कार्तिकेयको अर्पण कर दिया
airāvatasya ghaṇṭe dve vaijayantyāv iti śrute | guhasya te svayaṃ datte krameṇānāyya dhīmatā ||
Mārkaṇḍeya said: “It is heard that Airāvata had two bells renowned by the name ‘Vaijayantī’. The wise Indra brought them, one after the other, and personally presented them to Guha (Kārttikeya).”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights reverent generosity: even symbols of royal/divine prestige (Airāvata’s famed bells) are best used as offerings to the worthy, modeling humility and proper honoring of spiritual authority.
Mārkaṇḍeya reports a traditional account: two celebrated bells called ‘Vaijayantī’, associated with Indra’s elephant Airāvata, were brought by Indra and given in sequence to Guha, i.e., Kārttikeya (Skanda).