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.
पूर्वकर्मवशाद्देवि दुर्भूगा समजायत
But, O goddess, due to previous karma, she was born unfortunate.
श्रोत्रोद्वेगकरं वाक्यं तस्य राज्ञः करोति सा
She spoke words to that king which caused distress to his ears.
मृर्छां प्राप्नोत्यसह्यां स तस्याः स्पर्शेन भूपतिः दह्यमानोऽतितीव्रेण वह्निना वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Touched by her, the king fell into unbearable faintness, and, burning with intense fire, he spoke.
द्वास्थैतां दुर्भगां भार्यामादाय विपिने वने
He ordered the doorkeepers to take his unfortunate wife into the forest.
ततो नृपस्य वचनमविचार्यमवेक्ष्य सः 5.2.61.
Then, without considering the king's command, he acted.
सा च त्यक्ता वने शून्ये रुदती च मुहुर्मुहुः
She, abandoned in the empty forest, wept again and again.
अथ सा चारुसर्वांगी तत्रासक्तात्ममानसा
Then she, whose every limb was lovely, became wholly absorbed there, her heart and mind attached.
निश्वसन्त्यनवद्यांगी हाहेति रुदती मुहुः
Sighing deeply, her flawless body trembling, she wept again and again, crying out, 'Alas! Alas!'
न विहारे न चाहारे रमणीये न तद्वने त्यक्ता तेन वरारोहे निनिन्द निजयौवनम्
She found no delight in amusements, nor in food, nor in the beautiful forest; abandoned by him, O lovely-hipped one, she reproached her own youth.
दुर्भगाहं क्व जातात्र दुष्टदैववशीकृता
Unfortunate am I, born here under the sway of cruel fate.
धन्योऽयमतिपुण्योऽयं योऽयं यौवनगोचरः
Blessed is he, supremely fortunate is he, who moves within the realm of youth.
अभीष्टा कस्यचित्कांता कांतः कस्याश्चिदीप्सितः
Someone's beloved is desired by another, and another is the beloved of someone else.
ममायं वल्लभो राजा न चाहं नृपवल्लभा
This king is my dear one, but I am not dear to the king.
यद्यद्य स महीपालो न मया संगमेष्यति
If today that lord of the earth does not unite with me—
रमणीयमभूद्यत्तु पुंस्कोकिलनिनादितम् 5.2.61.
Even the place, once delightful and filled with the calls of cuckoos, has lost its charm.
इत्थं सा मदनाविष्टा विलपन्ती पुनःपुनः
Thus, overcome by love, she lamented again and again.
मेखलाजिनकौपीनदण्डकाष्ठोपजीवनम्
She lived by means of a girdle, a deer skin, a loincloth, a staff, and a piece of wood.
उदयादित्यसंकाशं विभावसुसमद्युतिम्
She approached one who shone like the rising sun, radiant as blazing fire.
विनयेनोपसंयम्य प्रणिपत्याभिवाद्य च
With humility, she drew near, bowed down, and offered her respects.
भगवन्काशिराजस्य सुताहमतिवल्लभा
Revered one, I am the dearly beloved daughter of the king of Kashi.