अन्यं वरं वृणीष्व त्वं दुर्लभोऽयं हि ते वरः
Choose another boon, for this boon is difficult for you to obtain.
तं तु शोचामि यो लब्ध्वा ब्राह्मण्यं नानुपालयेत्
But I grieve for the one who, having gained Brahminhood, does not uphold it.
ब्राह्मण्यं यदि दुष्प्राप्यं त्रिभिर्वर्णैः शतक्रतो 5.2.60.
If Brahminhood is hard to attain for the three castes, O wielder of the thunderbolt,
वीतहव्यश्च राजर्षिस्तपसा विप्रतां गतः
Even the royal sage Vītahavya attained Brahminhood through austerity.
अहिंसादमसत्यस्थः कथं नार्हामि विप्रताम्
How am I, who stand in nonviolence and truth, not worthy of Brahminhood?
एतामवस्थां संप्राप्तो दैवयोगात्पुरंदर
By the conjunction of fate, O Purandara, I have come to this condition.
यदहं यत्नवानेवं न लभे विप्रतां विभो
If, despite my efforts, I do not obtain Brahminhood, O Lord,
यदि तेऽहमनुग्राह्यः किंचिद्वा सुकृतं मम
If I am worthy of your favor, and if I have any merit at all,
यथा ममाक्षया कीत्तिर्भवेद्वापि पुरंदर ।। कर्तुमर्हसि तद्देव शिरसा त्वां प्रसादये
Grant, O Purandara, that my fame may be imperishable; I beseech you, bowing my head.
इत्युक्तो हि मतंगेन वासवो बलवृत्रहा
Thus addressed by Matanga, Vāsava, the slayer of Vritra,
दिव्यमूर्त्तिधरं दिव्यं श्रीसिद्धेश्वरपूर्वतः
Directed him to the divine form, the divine Lord of Siddhas, before him.
तस्य दर्शनमात्रेण विप्रत्वं समवाप्स्यसि
By merely seeing him, you will attain Brahminhood.
महाकालवनं रम्यं सिद्धक्षेत्रमथापरम् 5.2.60.
Then to the delightful Mahākāla forest, another sacred place, he went.
दृष्ट्वा संपूजयामास पुष्पैर्नानाविधैस्तथा
Having seen it, he worshipped with many kinds of flowers.
अहो महान्सभाग्योसि यस्त्वया तोषितोऽस्म्यहम्
Oh, how greatly fortunate you are, for I am pleased by you.
वरदोऽस्मि वरार्हाणां शापदोऽस्मि दुरात्मनाम
I am the granter of boons to the worthy, and the giver of curses to the wicked.
ततोऽसौ विप्रतां यातो मतंगो लिंगदर्शनात
Then Matanga attained Brahminhood by seeing the liṅga.
ब्राह्मण्यं दुर्लभं लब्धं लिंगस्यास्य प्रभावतः
Brahminhood, difficult to obtain, was gained by the power of this liṅga.
मतंगेश्वरको लोके ब्रह्मलोकप्रदायकः
Matangeśvara in this world is the giver of the realm of Brahma.
निर्मर्यादा निराचारा निःशंकाश्चातिलोलुपाः दर्शनात्तस्य लिंगस्य तेऽपि यांति त्रिविष्टपम्
Even those without restraint, without conduct, fearless, and excessively greedy, by seeing that liṅga, attain heaven.
ये विशुद्धा महाभागा ध्यानिनो मुक्तिभागिनः
Those who are pure, greatly fortunate, absorbed in meditation, and destined for liberation—
ब्रह्मध्यानपरा ये च यज्ञदानक्रियारताः
Those devoted to meditation on Brahman, and those engaged in sacrifice, charity, and ritual acts—
येऽर्चयंति महा देवि मतंगेश्वरमीश्वरम 5.2.60.
Those who worship, O great goddess, Matangeśvara, the Lord—
एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः
This, O goddess, is the power I have described to you, which destroys sin.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवंत्यखंडे चतुरशीतिलिंगमाहात्म्ये मतंगेश्वरमाहात्म्य वर्णनंनाम षष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixtieth chapter, called 'The Glory of Matangeśvara,' in the section on the eighty-four liṅgas, in the Avantya Khaṇḍa of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Mahāpurāṇa of Śrī Skanda.
यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण सौभाग्य मतुलं लभेत्
By the mere sight of whom, one obtains incomparable good fortune—
प्रधमं प्राकृते कल्पे राजाभूदश्ववाहनः
In the first natural cycle, there was a king named Aśvavāhana.
अनेकयज्ञकृत्प्राज्ञः संग्रामेष्वप राजितः
He was wise, performed many sacrifices, and was undefeated in battles.
काशिराजसुता सुभ्रू रूपेणातीव शोभना
The daughter of the king of Kāśī, with beautiful eyebrows, was exceedingly lovely in form.
चतुःषष्टिकलायुक्ता सदा भर्तृहिते रता
Endowed with sixty-four arts, she was always devoted to her husband's welfare.