Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27
अथ तस्य ददौ तुष्टो भगवान्वृषभध्वजः । कुठारं निशितं हस्ते सदा वै श्रेष्ठमायुधम्
atha tasya dadau tuṣṭo bhagavānvṛṣabhadhvajaḥ | kuṭhāraṃ niśitaṃ haste sadā vai śreṣṭhamāyudham
แล้วพระผู้เป็นเจ้า วฤษภธวชะ (พระศิวะ) ทรงพอพระทัย จึงประทานขวานคมให้เขาถือไว้ในมือ—เป็นอาวุธอันประเสริฐยิ่งเสมอมา
Narrator (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Śiva (Vṛṣabhadhvaja) stands serene with Nandin’s emblem, extending a gleaming sharp axe into the devotee’s hands; devas witness; the tīrtha/temple backdrop glows with sacred light.
FAQs
Divine gifts symbolize dharmic power: strength is granted to uphold sacred order and remove obstacles to righteousness.
Not specified in this verse; the focus is on Śiva’s blessing within a tīrtha-māhātmya narrative.
No explicit prescription; it describes a bestowal (dāna) of an āyudha as part of consecration honors.