Skanda Purana

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्

Having bowed to Nārāyaṇa and also to Nara, the best among men,

त्रिकालज्ञा महात्मानो नैमिषारण्यवासिनः

The great souls dwelling in Naimiṣāraṇya, who know the three times,

येऽर्बुदारण्यनिरता दण्डकारण्यवासिनः

Those devoted to the Arbudā forest, and those dwelling in the Daṇḍaka forest,

जंबूवनरता ये च ये गोदावरिवासिनः

Those who delight in the Jambū forest, and those who dwell by the Godāvarī,

उज्जयिन्यां रता ये च प्रथमाश्रमवासिनः

Those who delight in Ujjayinī, and those who dwell in the first hermitage,

मायापुरीश्रिता ये च ये च कान्तीनिवासिनः

Those who have taken refuge in Māyāpurī, and those who reside in Kāntīnī,

कुरुक्षेत्रे महाक्षेत्रे सत्रे द्वादशवार्षिके समागताः समाहूताः सर्वे ते मुनयोऽमलाः

All those pure sages, assembled and invited, at Kurukṣetra, the great field, during the twelve-year sacrifice,

सर्वे ते शुद्धमनसो वेदवेदांगपारगाः

All of them, pure in mind, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches,

भारद्वाजं पुरस्कृत्य वेदवेदांगपारगम् 2.8.1.

Having placed Bhāradvāja, master of the Vedas and their branches, at the forefront,

उपविष्टाः कथाश्चक्रुर्नानातीर्थाश्रितास्तदा

They sat down and engaged in discussions, each having taken refuge in various sacred places,

कथांतेषु ततस्तेषां मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम्

At the end of their discussions, among those sages of purified souls,

व्यासशिष्यः पुराणज्ञो समः हर्षणसंज्ञकः उपविष्टो यथान्यायं मुनीनां वचनेन सः

There sat, as was proper and at the sages’ request, Harṣaṇa—Vyāsa’s disciple, knower of the Purāṇas,

व्यासशिष्यं मुनिवरं सूतं वै रोमहर्षणम्

That best of sages, the disciple of Vyāsa, Sūta by name, Romaharṣaṇa,

सरहस्यानि सर्वाणि पुराणानि महामते

O wise one, all the Purāṇas, with all their secrets,

सांप्रतं श्रोतुमिच्छामः सरहस्यं सनातनम्

We now wish to hear the eternal secret in its entirety,

कीदृशी सा सदा मेध्याऽयोध्या विष्णुप्रियापुरी

What is Ayodhyā, the ever-pure city dear to Viṣṇu, truly like?

संस्थानं कीदृशं तस्यास्तस्यां के च महीभुजः

What is its form, and who are the rulers in that city?

अयोध्यासेवनान्नृणां फलं स्यात्सूत कीदृशम्

O Sūta, what kind of fruit do people obtain from serving Ayodhyā?

तत्र स्नानेन किं पुण्यं दानेन च महामते 2.8.1.

What merit arises there from bathing and from giving gifts, O wise one?

एतत्सर्वं क्रमेणैव तथ्यं त्वं वेत्थ सांप्रतम्

You truly know all this in detail and with accuracy at this very moment.

सेतिहासानि सर्वाणि सरहस्यानि तत्त्वतः

All the histories, and all the secrets in their true essence—

तं प्रणम्य प्रवक्ष्यामि माहात्म्यं भवदग्रतः

Having bowed to him, I shall declare the greatness before you.

विद्यावन्तं विपुलमतिदं वेदवेदांगवेद्यं श्रेष्ठं शान्तं शमितविषयं शुद्धतेजोविशालम्

To that learned one, vast in intellect, foremost knower of Veda and Vedāṅga, tranquil, restrained in the senses, of pure and expansive brilliance—

ॐ नमो भगवते तस्मै व्यासायामिततेजसे

Om, I bow to that blessed Vyāsa, of boundless splendor.

शृण्वन्तु मुनयः सर्वे सावधानाः सशिष्यकाः

Let all the sages, attentive and with their disciples, listen.

उदीरितमगस्त्याय स्कन्देनाश्रावि नारदात्

What was spoken to Agastya, was heard from Skanda by Nārada.

कृष्णद्वैपायनाच्चैतन्मया प्राप्तं तपोधनाः

This I have received from Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, O ascetics.

नमामि परमात्मानं रामं राजीवलोचनम्

I bow to the Supreme Self, to Rāma, lotus-eyed.

अयोध्या सा परा मेध्या पुरी दुष्कृतिदुर्ल्लभा 2.8.1.

That Ayodhyā is supreme, pure, a city difficult for wrongdoers to attain.