तदा मुक्ता मया देवि गंगा त्रिपथगामिनी
At that time, O goddess, I released the Ganga, the river that flows in three paths.
समुद्रमहिषी जाता प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयसी स तया सहितो रेमे समुद्रः सरितांपतिः
She became the queen of the ocean, greater even than life itself; with her, the Ocean, lord of rivers, rejoiced.
ततः कदाचिद्ब्रह्माणमुपासांचक्रिरे सुराः गंगया सहितो देवि दर्शनार्थं महोत्सवे
Then once, the gods, together with Ganga, worshipped Brahma, O goddess, desiring to see him at a great festival.
अथ गंगा सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा समुपायात्पितामहम्
Then Ganga, the foremost of rivers, approached the Grandsire.
ततोऽभवन्सुरगणाः सहसाऽवाङ्मुखास्तदा
At that moment, the hosts of gods suddenly turned their faces downward.
तस्य भावं विदित्वाऽथ ब्रह्मणा स तिरस्कृतः
Knowing their state, Brahma then concealed her.
गंगा शप्ताथ क्रुद्धेन समुद्रेण यशस्विनि
Then Ganga, illustrious one, was cursed by the angry Ocean.
लोकमल्पायुषं दीना तत्र दुःखमवाप्स्यसि 5.2.42.
There you will experience suffering among people of short lives and misery.
विनापराधाच्छप्ताहं कस्माद्वै देवसंसदि
Without any fault, why have I been cursed in the assembly of the gods?
प्रमादाद्वस्त्रमुद्धूतं वायुना व्यापकेन तु
Through carelessness, my garment was blown away by the pervasive wind.
वसूनां कारणाद्देवि शप्ता यस्मान्महानदि
O goddess, because of the Vasus, O great river, you have been cursed.
महाकालवने रम्ये सिद्धगंधर्वसेविते
In the delightful great forest of Time, attended by perfected beings and gandharvas,
सर्वसिद्धिकरं पुण्यं सर्वपातकनाशनम्
It is holy, bestowing all accomplishments, and destroys all sins.
पितामहवचः श्रुत्वा तुष्टा त्रिपथगामिनी शिप्रापि मे प्रिया पुण्या महापातकनाशिनी
Hearing the words of the Grandsire, the Ganga, who traverses three worlds, was pleased; the Sipra too is dear to me, holy, and destroyer of great sins.
इति संचिंत्य मनसा दिव्या देवनदी तदा
Thus reflecting in her mind, that divine river of the gods at that time
पूजयामास पयसा दिव्येन विधिना तदा
Then worshipped with divine water according to the proper rite.
ततः प्रभृति संजाता सा शिप्रा पूर्ववाहिनी गंगयाराधितो यस्मात्समीहितफलप्रदः
From that time onward, that river Śiprā began to flow eastward, for she was worshipped by Gaṅgā and grants the desired fruits.
संस्तुता देवगंधर्वैर्गंगा देवनदी तदा 5.2.42.
Then Gaṅgā, the divine river, was praised by the gods and Gandharvas.
समुद्रस्तत्र संप्राप्तो मानिता सा महानदी
There, the ocean arrived, and that great river was honored.
तत्समीपे महापुण्ये यावत्तिष्ठति मेदिनी
Near that place of great merit, the earth remains as long as it endures.
एवमुक्त्वा गता गंगा कलया तत्र संस्थिता
Having spoken thus, Gaṅgā departed and remained there in subtle form.
गोसहस्रफलं तस्य जायते नात्र संशयः
The merit of donating a thousand cows arises there—of this there is no doubt.
सर्वयज्ञफलं सम्यक्सर्वदानफलं तथा
One attains the full fruit of all sacrifices and all gifts there as well.
तत्र तीर्थानि सुभगे पृथिव्यां यानि कानिचित्
O fortunate one, all the sacred fords that exist on earth are present there.
प्रयागं च कुरुक्षेत्रं केदारममरेश्वरम्
Prayāga, Kurukṣetra, Kedāra, and Amareśvara,
गोदावरी शतद्रुश्च बाहुदा वेत्रवत्यपि
Godāvarī, Śatadru, Bāhudā, and also Vetravatī,
गुप्तानि पुण्यतीर्थानि सिद्धक्षेत्राणि चैव हि
The hidden holy fords and the fields of perfection as well,
एतेषां फलमाप्नोति यः पश्यति समाहितः अतः पुण्यतमं स्थानं गीयते गणवंदिते ।।5.2.42.
Whoever beholds them with concentration attains their merit; therefore, O one praised by the hosts, this place is sung as the most sacred.
एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः
Thus, O goddess, I have described to you the power that destroys sin.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवन्त्यखण्डे चतुरशीतिलिङ्गमाहात्म्ये गंगेश्वर माहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम द्वाचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-second chapter, named 'The Greatness of Gaṅgeśvara,' in the section on the eighty-four Liṅgas, in the fifth Avantya Khaṇḍa of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, comprising eighty-one thousand verses.