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.
स्वयं विशालां बदरीं गत्वा तेपे महत्तपः
He himself went to the vast Badarī and undertook great austerity.
पूजितो विष्टरार्घेण राज्ञा प्रियव्रतेन च
He was worshipped with abundant offerings by King Priyavrata as well.
इत्युक्तः कथयामास नारदो मुनिसत्तमः
Thus addressed, the sage Nārada, best of sages, began to speak.
सा च पृष्टा विशालाक्षी कस्माद्वससि निर्जने
And the wide-eyed one was asked, 'Why do you dwell in solitude?'
कर्त्तव्यं चारुसर्वांगि तन्ममाचक्ष्व शोभने
O beautiful one with lovely limbs, tell me what must be done.
स्मृत्वा तूष्णीं स्थिता यावत्तावन्मे ज्ञानमुत्तमम्
As I stood there silently, recalling, supreme knowledge suddenly arose in me.
ततोऽहं विस्मयाविष्टश्चिंतामोहसमन्वितः 5.2.58.
Then I, filled with astonishment and overcome by confusion and doubt—
तावद्दिव्यः पुमांस्तस्याः शरीरे समदृश्यत तस्यापि हृदये चान्यस्तृतीयस्तु व्यवस्थितः
At that moment, a divine man appeared in her body, and within her heart, another, a third, was present.
ततः पृष्टा मया देवी सा कुमारी कथंचन
Then I questioned the goddess, that maiden, in some way.
मां न जानासि येन त्वमतो वेदा हृतास्तव
Do you not know me, because of whom your Vedas have been taken away?