सनत्कुमारनन्दीशसंवादश्च पुनर्मुने
Again, O sage, the dialogue of Sanatkumāra and Nandīśa.
सूर्यपूजाविधिश्चैव शिवपूजा च मुक्तिदा
The rite of worshipping the Sun, and also the worship of Śiva, which grants liberation.
प्रतिष्ठातं त्रमुदितं ततो ऽघोरस्य कीर्तनम्
The procedure for consecration is described, then the praise of Aghora.
त्र्यंबकस्य च माहात्म्यं पुराणश्रवणस्य च
The greatness of Tryambaka, and also of listening to the Purāṇa.
व्यासेन हि निबद्धस्य रुद्रामाहात्म्यसूचितः
Composed by Vyāsa, it reveals the glory of Rudra.
फआल्गुन्यां पूर्णिमायां यो दद्याद्भक्त्या द्विजातये
Whoever gives it with devotion to a twice-born on the full moon of Phālguna—
यः पटेच्छृणुयाद्वापि लैङ्गं पापापहं नरः
Whoever recites or even listens to the account of the liṅga, which removes sin—
लिङ्गानुक्रमणीमेतां पठेद्यः शृणुयात्तथा
Whoever reads or hears this enumeration of the liṅgas—
जायतां गिरिजाभर्तुः प्रसादान्नात्र संशयः
By the grace of the Lord of Girijā, such a one is born; there is no doubt of this.
भागद्वययुतं शश्वद्विष्णुमाहात्म्यसूचकम्
Endowed with two parts, always indicating the greatness of Viṣṇu—
निबबन्ध पुराणे ऽस्मिंश्चतुर्विंशसहस्रके
This was composed in the Purāṇa containing twenty-four thousand verses.
तत्रादौ शुभसंवादः स्मृतोभूमिवराहयोः
There, at the beginning, is remembered the auspicious dialogue between Bhūmi and Varāha.
दुर्जयस्य च तत्पश्चाच्छ्राद्धकल्प उदीरितः
After that, the Śrāddha rites of Durjaya are described.
विनायकस्य नागानां सेनान्यादित्ययोरपि
The stories of Vināyaka, the Nāgas, the commander of the army, and the Ādityas as well—
आख्यानं सत्यतपसो व्रताख्यानसमन्वितम्
The narrative of Satyatapas, accompanied by accounts of vows—
महिषासुरविध्वंसमाहात्म्यं च त्रिशक्तिजम्
And the glory of the destruction of Mahiṣāsura, born of the three powers—
इत्यादि कृतवृत्तान्तं प्रथमे दर्शितं मया
Thus, such events have been shown by me in the first section.
द्वात्रिंशदपराधानां प्रायश्चित्तं शरीरगम्
Atonement for thirty-two offenses, relating to the body—
मथुराया विशेषेण श्राद्धादीनां विधिस्ततः
Then, especially for Mathurā, the rites of śrāddha and others—
विपाकः कर्मणां चैव विष्णुव्रतनिरूपणम्
The result of actions, and the explanation of Viṣṇu vows—
इत्येवं पूर्वभागो ऽयं पुराणस्य निरूपितः
Thus, this is the first part of the Purāṇa that has been described.
संवादे सर्वतीर्थानां माहात्म्यं विस्तरात्पृथक्
In the dialogue, the greatness of all the sacred fords is explained separately and in detail.
इत्येवं तव वाराहं प्रोक्तं पापविनाशनम्
Thus, O Varāha, your account has been told, which destroys sin.
काञ्चनं गरुड कृत्वा तिलधेनुसमन्वितम्
Having made a golden Garuḍa together with a sesame-cow—
स लभेद्वैष्णवं धाम देवर्षिगणवन्दितः
He attains the Vaishnava abode, honored by hosts of divine sages.
सो ऽपि भक्तिं लभेद्विष्णौ संसारोच्छेदकारिणीम्
He too obtains devotion to Vishnu, which brings about the destruction of worldly existence.
यस्मिन्प्रतिपदं साक्षान्महादेवो व्यवस्थितः
In which, at every step, the great god himself is directly present.
लक्षं तस्यार्थं जातस्य सारो व्यासेन कीर्तितः
The essence of that, which was composed for a purpose, has been proclaimed by Vyasa.
एकाशीतिसहस्रं तु स्कान्दं सर्वोघकृतंनम्
Indeed, the Skanda Purana consists of eighty-one thousand verses, composed for the benefit of all.
यत्र माहेश्वरा धर्माः षण्मुखेन प्रकाशिताः
There, the Shaiva dharmas were revealed by six-faced Skanda.