इत्युक्त्वा पूजयामास भूयो लिंगं शनैश्चरः
Having spoken thus, Śanaiścara again worshipped the liṅga.
एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः
O Goddess, thus I have described to you this power that destroys sin.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवन्त्यखण्डे चतुरशीतिलिङ्गमाहात्म्ये स्थावरेश्वरमाहात्म्य वर्णनंनाम पंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fiftieth chapter, named 'The Description of the Glory of Sthāvareśvara,' in the section on the eighty-four liṅgas, in the fifth Avantya-khaṇḍa of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, comprising eighty-one thousand verses.
देवं शूलेश्वरं देवि सर्व व्याधिविनाशनम्
O Goddess, the god Śūleśvara destroys all diseases.
आद्ये कल्पे प्रवृत्ते च राज्यहेतोर्वरानने दैत्यानामीश्वरे जंभे देवानां च शचीपतौ
O beautiful-faced one, at the beginning of the kalpa, for the sake of sovereignty, Jambha was lord among the Daityas, and the lord of Śacī among the gods.
ततो देवाः पराभूता दैत्या विजयिनोऽभवन्
Then the gods were defeated, and the Daityas became victorious.
स दूतो मामुवाचोच्चैः सगर्वो दुष्टमानसः
That messenger, proud and wicked-minded, loudly addressed me.
गौरीं मे देहि पत्न्यर्थं मंदरस्त्यज्यतामयम्
Give me Gaurī as a wife; leave Mandara for my sake.
उक्तोऽहं तेन दूतेन त्वया सह महागिरौ
By that messenger I was told, 'With you, on the great mountain—'
गच्छ दूत ममादेशादंधकं ब्रूहि सत्वरम्
Go, messenger, at my command, and quickly tell Andhaka.
इत्युक्तः प्रययौ दूतस्तेनाख्यातं वचो मम समायातः सहामात्यो बलेन चतुरंगिणा
Thus addressed, the messenger went; he conveyed my words, and arrived with his ministers and a fourfold army.
मया सह ततस्तस्य घोरं युद्धमभूच्चिरम्
Then, together with me, a terrible battle with him took place for a long time.
ततः कुद्धोंऽधको देवि रथात्तस्मादवप्लुतः युयुधे स महादैत्यः शूलेन ताडितो मया 5.2.51.
Then, O Goddess, Andhaka, enraged, leapt from his chariot; that great Daitya, struck by my trident, fought on.
मया धृतोन्तरिक्षे स शूलप्रोतो महासुरः
By me, that great Asura, pierced by the trident, was held suspended in the sky.
सुस्राव तस्य गात्रेभ्यः शोणितोघ स्ततो महान्
From his limbs there flowed a great torrent of blood.
संभूताः कोटिशो देवि तैरहं पुनरर्द्दितः
O Goddess, from that blood, millions were born, and by them I was again assailed.
मया चोत्पादिता दुर्गा रक्तदंता सुभीषणा
And by me was Durga created, with blood-red teeth, most terrifying.
तस्मिन्पीते ततो रक्ते नोत्तस्थुर्देवि चापरे तेन शूलवरेणैव तत्क्षणान्निधनं गताः
When that was drunk, and then the blood as well, O Devi, the others did not rise; by that very trident, in that instant, they met their end.
स मामुवाच हृष्टात्मा कृतां जलिपुटोंऽधकः
Then Andhaka, his heart gladdened, addressed me, his hands joined in reverence.
स्वामिना निहतश्चाहं कोऽन्यो धन्यतरो हि मत्
"Slain by the Lord himself am I—who else could be more blessed than I?"
संकल्पाक्षेपविक्षेपं कल्पकार्यप्रवर्त्तकम्
The agitation of resolve and distraction, the impulse to act for the sake of creation—
गिरींद्रतनयानाथं गिरींद्रशिखरालयम्
The Lord of the daughters of the mountain, dwelling atop the mountain peaks—
एवं स्तुतोऽहं दैत्येन शूलप्रोतेन सुन्दरि 5.2.51.
Thus was I praised by the demon, O beautiful one, impaled upon the trident.
स च शूलवरो देवि मया प्रोक्तो मुदा तदा
And that boon of the trident, O Devi, was then joyfully granted by me.
परितुष्टः प्रयच्छामि परमं स्थानमुत्तमम्
Pleased, I bestow upon you the supreme, highest state.
संप्राप्यं मामनाराध्य तथा विध्वस्तकल्मषैः
Which is attained only by those who worship me, their faults utterly destroyed.
यदि प्रसन्नो भगवन्करुणा मयि ते यदि दुष्टसंपर्कसंजातमन्यत्पातकमात्मनः
If the Blessed Lord is gracious, if you have compassion for me, then let any other sin arising from evil association—
ततो मया समादिष्टः करुणाश्लिष्टचेतसा
Then, with a heart embraced by compassion, I instructed him.
तत्रास्मत्प्राप्तिदं लिंगं लोकानुग्रहकारकम्
There, the linga that grants attainment of me, that brings welfare to the worlds—
मदीयं वचनं श्रुत्वा स जगाम त्वरान्वितः
Hearing my words, he departed swiftly.