Shloka 6.79.32
मकराक्षवधः (The Slaying of Makarākṣa)
दुरवापम् महच्छूलंरुद्रदत्तंभयङ्करम् ।जाज्वल्यमानमाकाशेसंहारास्त्रमिवापरम् ।।।।यंदृष्टवादेवताःसर्वाभयार्ताविद्रुतादिशः ।
duravāpam mahacchūlaṃ rudradattaṃ bhayaṅkaram | jājvalyamānam ākāśe saṃhārāstram ivāparam || yaṃ dṛṣṭvā devatāḥ sarvā bhayārtā vidrutā diśaḥ |
A mighty pike—hard to withstand, bestowed by Rudra, dreadful—blazed in the sky like yet another weapon of annihilation. Seeing it, all the gods, stricken with fear, fled toward the quarters.
Seeing that pike, which was glowing like flame, by which the quarters were glowing brightly in the sky like the flame, which had been given by Rudra, which caused fear like another weapon of destruction, all gods fled in panic in all directions.
Power divorced from dharma produces fear even among the exalted. The verse teaches that divine gifts (or capabilities) become ethically meaningful only through right use; otherwise they resemble instruments of ruin.
The rākṣasa’s pike is described as Rudra-given and apocalyptic in brilliance; its appearance causes even the gods to panic and scatter.
Implicitly, the coming contrast: true greatness is not terrorizing others but standing firm in righteousness when terror appears.