इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवंत्यखंडे चतुरशीतिलिङ्गमाहात्म्येंऽगारकेश्वरमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम त्रिचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-third chapter, called 'The Description of the Glory of Angārakeśvara,' in the section on the eighty-four liṅgas, in the Avantya Khanda of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Śrī Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण समीहितफलं लभेत्
By merely beholding it, one attains the desired fruit.
पुरा नियुक्ताः शक्रेण ये मेघा वृष्टिकारकाः
Long ago, the clouds appointed by Indra were those that bring rain.
एकार्णवे ततो जाते देवा भीता वरानने
Then, when a single ocean arose, O beautiful-faced one, the gods became afraid.
नैवाप्यायनमस्माकं विना होमेन जायते
For us, replenishment does not occur without the offering of oblations.
तेषां वयं प्रयच्छामः कामान्यज्ञादिपूजिताः
We grant their desires when worshipped with sacrifices and the like.
दृष्ट्वा पृष्वीं जले मग्नां ब्रह्माणं शरणं गताः
Seeing the earth submerged in water, they sought refuge with Brahmā.
एकार्णवा मही जाता विनष्टाः क्रतवः प्रभो
The earth became a single ocean, O Lord, and the sacrifices were destroyed.
देवानां वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः
Hearing the words of the gods, Brahmā, the grandsire of the worlds—
अकाले प्रलयः कस्मान्निमग्ना पृथिवी जले
Why has dissolution come untimely, and why has the earth sunk into the waters?
इति संचिंत्य हृदये सस्मार बलसूदनम् 5.2.44.
Thinking thus in his heart, he remembered the slayer of Bala.
प्रोवाच वचनं श्रुत्वा नम स्कृत्य पितामहम्
Having heard these words, he bowed to the grandsire and spoke.
ब्रह्मणोक्तस्तदा शक्रः किमर्थं प्लाविता मही
Then, as instructed by Brahmā, Indra asked, 'For what reason was the earth flooded?'
ततः सर्वे समाहूता मेघाः शक्रेण पार्वति
Then all the clouds were summoned by Indra, O Pārvatī.
पितामहेन शक्रेण मर्यादा च कृता तदा
At that time, the grandsire and Indra established boundaries.
गजाकारैस्ततो मेघैः सहस्रैर्दशभिर्वृतः
Then, surrounded by ten thousand clouds shaped like elephants—
शरभः पश्चिमामाशां सहस्राधिपतिः कृतः
Śarabha was made the lord of the western direction, ruling over a thousand.
उत्तरस्यां दिशि तदा प्रभुत्वे संप्रतिष्ठितः
At that time, he was established in authority over the northern quarter.
प्रावृट्काले च वर्षध्वं नक्षत्रैर्जलजैद्रुतम्
In the rainy season, the downpour is driven by the constellations and the movement of water-bearing clouds.
ब्रह्मशक्रवचः श्रुत्वा तथेति कृतनिश्चयाः
Having heard the words of Brahmā and Indra, they resolved, 'So be it.'
एवं व्यवस्थिते लोके मर्यादायां स्थिता घनाः 5.2.44.
Thus, when the world was established in this order, the clouds remained within their bounds.
क्रूरग्रहैरथो रुद्धास्ते मेघा वृष्टिकारकाः
Then, those rain-bringing clouds were obstructed by cruel planets.
पीडिताः शरणं जग्मुर्वासवं भयविह्वलाः
Afflicted and overwhelmed by fear, they sought refuge with Vāsava.
मेघानां वचनं श्रुत्वा संत्र स्तो वासवस्तदा ग्रहाणामसमर्थोऽहं सर्वदैव पयोधराः
Hearing the words of the clouds, Vāsava was troubled and said, 'I am always powerless against the planets, O rain-bearers.'
अहं राज्यात्परिभ्रष्टः कृतः क्रूरग्रहैः पुरा
'I was once deprived of my kingdom by those cruel planets.'
मम मान्याश्च पूज्याश्च ग्रहा एव यतोधिकाः
'Those planets alone are to be honored and worshipped by me, for they are superior.'
एतस्मिन्नंतरे भूमौ संजाता शतवार्षिकी
Meanwhile, on earth, a famine lasting a hundred years arose.
अस्थिकंकालशकला श्वेतपर्वतसन्निभा
Bones, skulls, and fragments, white as snowy mountains, appeared.
देवाः सर्वे पुनर्भीता ब्रह्माणं शरणं गताः
All the gods, once again afraid, sought refuge with Brahmā.
अनावृष्ट्या जगत्सर्वं पीडितं च पितामह
O Grandfather, the whole world has been afflicted by drought.