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
ബ്രഹ്മാവ് അവരോട് പറഞ്ഞു— “ഭാർഗവ വംശത്തിലെ ഋഷി തപസ്സിലാണ്; ദധീചിയും തപസ്സിലാണ്. ദധീചിയെ സമീപിച്ച് ഒരു വരം അപേക്ഷിക്കൂ—അവൻ തന്റെ ദേഹം ഉപേക്ഷിക്കുമാറാക്കുക; അവന്റെ അസ്ഥികളാൽ വജ്രം നിർമ്മിക്കപ്പെടട്ടെ।”
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.