दृष्ट्वारुणं सुदुःखार्त्तं विलपंतं पुनः पुनः
Seeing Aruṇa, overwhelmed with great sorrow, lamenting again and again—
अरुणोऽयमहो रौति कश्यपस्यात्मसंभवः
This Aruṇa, alas, cries out—born from Kaśyapa himself.
उत्पादितोऽयमल्पाहैरर्द्धकायो महाबलः मोहेन विलपंतं च श्रेयो मे भविता धुवम् 5.2.76.
He has been born with a half-formed body, but great strength, and though lamenting in delusion, surely good will come to me.
इति संचिंत्य मनसि वाक्यैर्मध्वमृतोपमैः
Thinking thus in his mind, with words as sweet as honey and nectar—
तात कश्यपदायाद विनतागर्भसंभव
O son, heir of Kaśyapa, born from Vinatā's womb—
भाविनोऽर्था भवंतीह दुःखस्य च सुखस्य च
Future events of both sorrow and happiness come to pass here.
यदि तेस्ति घृणा चित्ते शप्तात्मजननी त्वया
If there is compassion in your heart, O mother of the cursed son,
उत्तरे देवदेवस्य यात्रेशस्य च पुण्यदम्
then undertake the auspicious pilgrimage of the Lord of gods, Yātreśa.
अरुणस्त्वेवमुक्तस्तु नारदेन महात्मना
Thus addressed by the great sage Nārada, Aruṇa,
ददर्श तत्र तल्लिंगं तेजःकूटोपमं शुभम्
there saw that liṅga, shining and auspicious, like a peak of light.
लिंगेनोक्तोऽरुणो देवि सारथ्यं कुरु सर्वदा
The liṅga spoke: 'O Aruṇa, always serve as charioteer.'
मया दत्तं तु सामर्थ्यं सूर्यस्य पुरतः सदा
'The power has been given by me to always stand before Sūrya.'
त्वन्नाम्ना त्रिषु लोकेषु ख्यातोऽहमरुणेश्वरः 5.2.76.
'By your name, I am renowned in the three worlds as Aruṇeśvara.'
ये मां पश्यंति सततं त्वन्नाम्ना चारुणेश्वरम्
'Those who always see me as Aruṇeśvara, bearing your name,'
मोदिष्यंति कुलैः सार्द्धं पितृमातृसमुद्भवैः
'will rejoice together with their families, along with their ancestors and mothers.'
न दुःखं जायते तेषां ये पश्यंति रवेर्द्दिने
'Suffering does not arise for those who behold me on the day of the Sun.'
यः पश्यति चतुर्दश्यां कृष्णायामरुणेश्वरम्
'Whoever sees Aruṇeśvara on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight,'
स नेष्यति पितॄन्स्वर्गे नरकस्थान्न संशयः शुंडीरस्वामिनो यात्रा कृता तेन न संशयः
'will lead their ancestors to heaven from hell—of this there is no doubt. The pilgrimage of Śuṇḍīrasvāmin is accomplished by him, without doubt.'
इत्युक्तस्तेन लिंगेन विनतानंदनस्तदा
Thus addressed by that liṅga, the son of Vinatā then—
अस्य लिंगस्य माहात्म्यात्कश्यपस्यात्मसंभवः
By the greatness of this liṅga, the offspring of Kaśyapa—
एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः
This, O goddess, is the power that destroys sin, as told to you.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवन्त्यखण्डे चतुरशीतिलिङ्गमाहात्म्येऽरुणेश्वरमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम षट्सप्ततितमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the eighty-one-thousand-verse collection, in the fifth Avantya section, in the account of the greatness of the eighty-four liṅgas, is the seventy-sixth chapter, called 'The Description of the Greatness of Aruṇeśvara.'
यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण गर्भवासो न जायते
By merely seeing him, one does not take birth in the womb.
शिनिर्नाम द्विजो देवि स चापुत्रोऽभवत्पुरा
There was a brāhmaṇa named Śini, O goddess, who was formerly without a son.
वायुभक्षोंऽबुभक्षश्च निराहारोर्ध्वबाहुकः
He subsisted on air, or on what was offered, fasting, with his arms raised upward.
एवमादीनि चान्यानि तपांसि श्रेयसे परम्
And he performed other such austerities as these, all for the highest good.
परं विघ्नोपशांत्यर्थं तोषयिष्येऽहमी श्वरम् आभ्यां न स दुरासाद्यो नापराधो भविष्यति
In order to completely remove obstacles, I will propitiate that Lord; by these means, he will not be difficult to approach, nor will there be any fault.
तथा चकार स मुनिर्वर्षाणां द्वादशैव हि
Thus did that sage act for twelve years.
विज्ञप्तोहं त्वया देवि मंदरे चारुकंदरे
O Goddess, I have been addressed by you on Mandara, the lovely mountain.
तेजसा दीपयच्छैलं शोषयन्सलिलाशयान्
With his radiance, he illuminated the mountain, drying up the water reservoirs.