अहं बृहस्पतेः पार्श्वे प्रेषितोऽस्मि गणाधिप आयास्यामि क्षणेनैव तावत्कालं प्रतीक्ष्यताम्
I have been sent by Bṛhaspati, O lord of the gaṇas; I shall come in just a moment—please wait for that time.
इत्युक्त्वा नारदो देवि मम पार्श्वमुपागतः
Having spoken thus, O goddess, Nārada came to my side.
ईदृशो दुर्ल्लभो भृत्यो घंटेन सदृशः प्रभो स्थितः संवत्सरं साग्रं प्रवेशं न च लब्धवान्।।१४ तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य नारदस्य मुनेस्तदा
Such a servant as Ghaṇṭa is rare indeed, O lord; he remained for a year and more, yet did not obtain entry.
मां त्यक्त्वा हि गतोन्यत्र सेवार्थं परवेश्मनि
Having abandoned me, he went elsewhere to serve in another’s house.
पतितो भूतले घंटो देवदारुवनांतिके
Ghaṇṭa fell to the earth near the Devadāru forest.
प्रोक्तं शोकोत्तरेणैव वचनं गद्गदाक्षरम्
He spoke words choked with grief, his voice faltering.
स याति नरकं घोरमपकीर्तिं च विंदति यस्मात्स्वामी न मे ब्रह्मा न च देवो महेश्वरः
He goes to a dreadful hell and attains disgrace, because neither Brahmā nor the god Maheśvara is my master.
एवं विलपतस्तस्य नारदो मुनिसत्तमः 5.2.57.
As he lamented in this way, the eminent sage Nārada—
देवदारुवने देवि दर्शनार्थं तपस्विनाम्
O goddess, in the Devadāru forest, for the sake of seeing the ascetics—
अवस्थामीदृशीं कृत्वा किमन्यन्मे करिष्यति
Having brought about such a condition, what else will he do to me?
गणाध्यक्ष न ते कार्यो मन्युः पुण्यविनाशनः
O lord of the gaṇas, do not harbor anger, which destroys merit.
प्रायश्चित्तविशुद्धात्मा प्रभुं प्राप्स्यसि शंकरम्
With a mind purified by atonement, you will attain the lord Śaṃkara.
रेवंतेश्वर पूर्वे तु विद्यते लिंगमुत्तमम्
Formerly, at Reva’s end, there exists a most excellent liṅga.
इत्युक्तो नारदेनैव जैगीषव्यः समागतः
Thus addressed by Nārada, Jaigīṣavya arrived.
नारदेन गणाध्यक्ष कीर्त्तिस्ते भविताऽक्षया
O lord of the gaṇas, by Nārada your fame will become imperishable.
अत्रिणा भृगुणा देवि लोमशेन सुरर्षिणा
By Atri, by Bhṛgu, O goddess, and by Lomaśa, the sage among the gods—
यत्र घंटानिनादेन युध्यतो मम संयुगे दृष्टं तत्र गणेनैव लिंगं तेजोमयं शुभम्
There, in battle, where the sound of the bell resounded as I fought, the assembly saw a linga, radiant with light and auspicious.
दर्शनात्तस्य लिंगस्य भूयो घंटो गणोऽभवत् 5.2.57.
By beholding that linga, Ghaṇṭa once again became a gaṇa.
घण्टोभिनंदितोऽत्यर्थं विमानैः सार्वकामिकैः
Ghaṇṭa was greatly honored with celestial chariots that fulfill all desires.
ये पश्यन्ति विशालाक्षि देवं घण्डेश्वरं शिवम्
Those who see the god Ghaṇṭeśvara Śiva, O wide-eyed one,
यास्यंति सुचिरं कालं मम लोकं सनातनम्
They will go, for a very long time, to my eternal realm.
व्याधितो यदि वा दीनो दुःखितो वा भवेन्नरः दीप्तकांचनवर्णाभैर्विमानैः सार्वकामिकैः
If a man is sick, or poor, or afflicted by sorrow, he will ascend in radiant, golden-hued celestial chariots that fulfill all desires.
गंधर्वाप्सरसां मध्ये स्वर्गे मोदति मानवः
Among the Gandharvas and Apsarases, the man rejoices in heaven.
ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टः सर्वैश्वर्यसमन्वितः राजा वा राजतुल्यो वा जंबूद्वीपपतिर्भवेत्
Then, having fallen from heaven but endowed with all prosperity, he becomes a king or one equal to a king, or the lord of Jambūdvīpa.
यः पूजयति देवेशं श्रद्धया परया युतः
Whoever worships the Lord of gods with supreme faith,
एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः
This, O goddess, is the glory that destroys sin, as I have told you.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवंत्यखण्डे चतुरशीतिलिङ्गमाहात्म्ये घण्टेश्वर माहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम सप्तपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the section of eighty-four thousand verses, in the fifth Avantya-khaṇḍa, in the greatness of the eighty-four lingas, is the fifty-seventh chapter named 'The Description of the Greatness of Ghaṇṭeśvara.'
अष्टाधिकं विजानीहि पंचाशत्तममीश्वरम्
Know that the fifty-eighth lord is to be understood.
आसीत्प्रथमकल्पे तु मनुः स्वायंभुवः पुरा
In the first kalpa, there was Manu Svāyambhuva of old.
स चेष्ट्वा बहुभिर्यज्ञैः समाप्तवरदक्षिणैः
He performed many sacrifices, complete with generous gifts.