तेनापि कथितं सर्वं वशिष्ठेन महात्मना
All this was also told by the great-souled Vashishtha.
सार्द्धं त्वमात्यपुत्रैश्च मृतं ब्राह्मणपंचकम्
Together with you and the sons of the ministers, five Brahmins have died.
मत्तोऽन्यः कः पापरतो भविष्यति महान्भुवि 5.2.66.
Who else but I would become so greatly devoted to evil on this earth?
ततस्ते न विनश्येयुर्मम पुत्रपुरोहिताः
Therefore, my sons and priests would not have perished.
कारणत्वं गतो योऽहं विनाशस्य द्विजन्मनाम् नाशं ययुर्न दुष्टास्ते दुष्टोऽहं नाशकारणे
Since I became the cause of destruction for the twice-born, they perished not because they were wicked; I am wicked, being the cause of their ruin.
इत्थमुद्विग्नहृदयः स जल्पः पृथिवीपतिः
Thus, with a heart agitated, that talkative lord of the earth—
राजोवाच भगवन्ब्रूहि मे तीर्थमवियोगकरं सदा
The king said: O blessed one, tell me of a sacred place that always brings freedom from separation.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा जल्पस्य पृथिवीपतेः
Hearing these words of Jalpa, the lord of the earth,
गच्छ जल्प ममादेशान्महाकालवनोत्तमम् तत्र लिंगमनाद्यं च कुक्कुटेश्वरपश्चिमे
Go, Jalpa, by my command, to the most excellent Mahakala forest; there, to the west of Kukkuteshvara, is the primordial linga.
तदाराधय राजेंद्र जामदग्न्याश्रमे स्थितः
Worship that, O king, while staying in the hermitage of Jamadagni.
देवदारुवनं त्यक्त्वा महाकालवनं गतः पूजयामास विधिवत्परमेण समाधिना
Leaving behind the Devadaru forest, he went to the Mahakala forest and worshipped according to the proper rites, with supreme concentration.
तत्र वाणी समुत्पन्ना लिंगमध्याद्वरानने पुत्राणां नृपविप्राणामदृष्टं तत्र कारणम्
There, a voice arose from the midst of the linga, O beautiful-faced one; the cause of the disappearance of the king's sons and brahmins was revealed there.
विपाकेन स्वकीयेन गता वैवस्वतं पुरम् 5.2.66.
By the result of their own actions, they have gone to the city of Vaivasvata.
अनेन शुद्धभावेन तुष्टोऽहं नृपसत्तम
By this pure devotion, I am pleased with you, O best of kings.
संसारसागरे घोरे मा भवेन्मम जन्म च
May there not be birth for me in the dreadful ocean of worldly existence.
अक्षयां देहि मे कीर्त्तिं नाम्ना मे विश्रुतो भुवि
Grant me unfading fame, let me be renowned by name on earth.
वदंतु त्रिदशाः सर्वे एष मे दुर्लभो वरः तेषां वियोगो मा भूयात्पुत्रतो धनतोऽपि वा
Let all the gods declare this—this is my rare boon: may there never be separation from them, whether by loss of sons or wealth.
न संसारभयं तेषां दस्युतो नैव राजतः
They shall have no fear of worldly existence, nor from thieves, nor from kings.
शिवमस्तु सदा तेषां येषां त्वं दर्शनं गतः
May there always be auspiciousness for those to whom you have appeared.
सर्वतीर्थाभिषेकैस्तु यत्पुण्यं प्राप्यते नरैः
The merit that men obtain by bathing at all sacred places,
तावत्पतंति संसारे घोरे दुःखशताकुले
So long do they fall in the dreadful, pain-filled ocean of worldly existence.
यदा पापक्षयः पुंसां तदा ते दर्शनं भवेत्
When the sins of men are destroyed, then they attain your vision.
एवं भविष्यतीत्युक्त्वा तेन लिंगेन पार्वति 5.2.66.
Having thus spoken, Parvati, with that linga, declared, 'So it shall be.'
तस्मिँल्लिंगे लयं प्राप्ते नृपे जल्पे वरानने भुक्तिदो मुक्तिदश्चैव सदाभीष्टकरः स्मृतः
When the king Jalpa attained dissolution in that linga, O beautiful-faced one, it is remembered as always granting enjoyment, liberation, and fulfillment of all desires.
एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः
O Goddess, thus I have told you of this power, which destroys sin.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवन्त्यखण्डे चतुरशीतिलिङ्गमाहात्म्ये जल्पेश्वरमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम षदषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixty-sixth chapter, called 'The Description of the Greatness of Jalpeśvara,' in the section on the eighty-four liṅgas, in the Avantya division of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Śrī Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
सप्तषष्टिकसंख्याकं केदारेश्वरसंज्ञकम्
There is one called Kedāreśvara, counted as the sixty-seventh.
सृष्टिकाले पुरा देवि देवा व्याप्ता हिमेन हि
At the time of creation, O Goddess, the gods were indeed enveloped by snow.
हिमाद्रिणार्दिताः सर्वे वयं देव जगत्पते
All of us were afflicted by the Himālaya, O Lord of the world.
देवानां वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रोक्तं वै ब्रह्मणा प्रिये
Hearing the words of the gods, Brahmā spoke, O beloved.