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?
एवमुक्ते मया पृष्टा विस्मयेन महीपते
When I spoke thus and questioned her in amazement, O king,
त्वदीय हृदये देवि क एते पुरुषास्त्रयः
O goddess, who are these three men in your heart?
एष ऋग्वेदनामा तु यजुर्वेदो द्वितीयकः
This one is called the Ṛgveda, the second is the Yajurveda.
सामवेदस्तृतीयस्तु त्रयो वेदा मयि स्थिताः
The third is the Sāmaveda; the three Vedas reside within me.
इत्युक्त्वा सा तदा कन्या पश्यतो मम भूपते
Having said this, that maiden, as I watched, O king—
किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि शरणं यामि कं प्रभुम्
What shall I do? Where shall I go? To which lord shall I seek refuge?
कामिकस्तीर्थराजस्तु प्रयागः श्रूयते श्रुतौ 5.2.58.
The king of holy places, Prayāga, is renowned in the scriptures as Kāmika.
नष्टवेदेन रैभ्येण प्राप्ता सिद्धिरनुत्तमा
By Raibhya, who had lost the Vedas, the highest perfection was attained.
एवं मनसि संध्याय गतोऽहं नृपसत्तम
Thinking thus in my mind, I departed, O best of kings.
तपस्तीव्रं मया तत्र तप्तं परमदुष्करम्
There I performed intense austerity, most difficult to accomplish.