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.
व्यालेंद्रा व्याकुलीभूता लुलिताश्चाचलेश्वराः
The lordly serpents became agitated, and the lords of the mountains were shaken.
अयोनिजः शिनिर्विप्रः पुत्रमिच्छत्ययोनिजम् 5.2.77.
The sage Shini, not born from a womb, desires a son who is also not born from a womb.
त्वं तपस्त्वं परं धाम शिखिचंद्रार्कलोचन
You are austerity, you are the supreme abode, O one whose eyes are like a peacock, the moon, and the sun.
सुरासुरगुरो किं न पुत्रमस्मै प्रयच्छसि
O preceptor of gods and demons, why do you not grant him a son?
शिनेः पुत्रप्रदानं त्वं कुरु मद्वचनाच्छिव
O Shiva, at my word, grant a son to Shini.
तेजांसि ज्योतिषामेव महतां च विधिस्थितः
The energies of the luminaries and of the great ones are established by ordinance.
त्वद्भक्तस्य च देवेश व्यर्थः कस्मात्परिश्रमः
O Lord of the gods, why should the effort of your devotee be in vain?
त्वत्परस्य न देवश युक्ता दुःखविभीषिका
O Lord of the gods, for one devoted to you, the terror of suffering is not fitting.
विप्रार्थमनुकंपार्थं पुत्रार्थं च विशेषतः
For the sake of the brahmin's request, out of compassion, and especially for the sake of a son.
रुद्राश्च हरभक्ताश्च कूष्मांडा गगनेचराः
There were Rudras, devotees of Hara, Kūṣmāṇḍas, and sky-roaming beings.
अन्ये च विविधाकाराः कालास्या हरिपिंगलाः
And others of various forms, with faces like Time, tawny and yellowish-brown.
नीलग्रीवा कृष्णमुखाः पिंगधौतजटासटाः 5.2.77.
With blue necks, black faces, and matted locks streaked with tawny and white.
घंटाकर्णो विशाखश्च परिशेषा गणाश्च ये
Ghaṇṭākarṇa, Viśākha, and the remaining Gaṇas,
शूलचंद्रधराः सर्वे सर्वे तुल्यपराक्रमाः
All bearers of tridents and crescent moons, all equal in valor,
स्तुवंतो विविधैः स्तोत्रैरूचुरेवं समाहिताः
With minds composed, they praised with various hymns.
गणानां वचनं श्रुत्वा ज्ञात्वा भक्तिं च तादृशीम्
Hearing the words of the Gaṇas and recognizing such devotion,
पुत्रार्थं तप्यति तपः शिनिर्ब्राह्मणसत्तमः
Śini, the best of Brāhmaṇas, is performing austerity for the sake of a son.
तस्याहं संप्रदास्यामि सर्वान्कामा न्यथेप्सितान्
To him I shall now grant all desired wishes as he seeks.
मद्वाक्यं क्रियतां सद्यो विप्रः क्लेशाद्विमुच्यताम्
Let my command be carried out at once, and let the Brāhmaṇa be freed from distress.
मदीयं वचनं श्रुत्वा सर्वे कंपितकंधराः
Hearing my words, all with trembling necks,