कीर्त्तिस्ते भविता पुत्र यावदाभूतसंप्लवम् ।। इत्युक्ते तु त्वया देवि मयाप्युक्तं वरानने
Your fame, my son, will last until the dissolution of the universe. When you said this, O goddess, I too spoke, O beautiful-faced one:
न मे मिथ्या वचः पुत्र भविष्यति कथंचन 5.2.77.
My word, my son, will never be false in any way.
विमाने पुष्पपादे तु समारूढो भविष्यसि
You will ascend into a celestial chariot adorned with flowers.
गणैः सार्द्धं मया चैव मुदितो विचरिष्यसि
With the hosts and with me as well, you will joyfully move about.
अहं तत्रागमिष्यामि महाकालवने शुभे
I will come there, to the auspicious Mahakala forest.
अनया शुद्धया भक्त्या लोकानामुपकारकः
By this pure devotion, you will be a benefactor to the worlds.
इत्युक्तो हि मया देवि पुष्पदंतो गणाग्रणीः
Thus addressed by me, O goddess, Pushpadanta, the chief of the hosts—
लिंगमाराधयामास दुर्वासेशादथोत्तरे त्वन्नाम्ना ख्यातिमेष्यामि प्रसादस्ते कृतोऽधुना
He worshipped the linga, and then, by the command of Durvasa, he will attain fame by your name; your favor has now been granted.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे देवि त्वया सार्द्धमहं गतः
Meanwhile, O goddess, I went together with you.
हृष्टस्तु पुष्पदंतोऽपि पुष्पपट्टासने शुभे
Puṣpadaṃta, delighted, sat upon the auspicious seat adorned with flowers.
मया संश्लेषितः स्नेहादुत्संगेऽप्यधिरोपितः
Out of affection, I embraced him and even placed him upon my lap.
ये पश्यंति नरा लिंगं त्वया संपूजितं भुवि 5.2.77.
Those men who see the liṅga worshipped by you upon the earth,
गणाध्यक्षा भविष्यंति सर्वकामैरलंकृताः
Will become leaders of the gaṇas, adorned with every desired blessing.
दर्शनात्क्षीयते पापमैहिकं पूर्वकं तथा
By its sight, sin is destroyed—both worldly and previous.
यः पूजयेच्चतुर्द्दश्यामष्टम्यां सोमवासरे
Whoever worships it on the fourteenth, eighth, or Monday,
पैतृकैर्मातृकैः सार्द्धं कुलैस्तु सप्तभिर्युतः
Together with paternal and maternal ancestors, and seven families,
पुष्पदंतेश्वरं दृष्ट्वा सोऽश्वमेधफलंलभेत्
Having seen Puṣpadaṃteśvara, he attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.
मृतो गांधर्वलोके तु याति विद्याधरैर्वृतः नियमेन गणाध्यक्ष जायते ब्रह्मणो दिनम्
Upon death, he goes to the Gandharva world, surrounded by Vidyādharas; by rule, he is born as leader of the gaṇas on Brahmā’s day.
ऐश्वर्यं सप्तलोकेषु भुक्त्वा भोगान्यथाक्रमम्
Having enjoyed sovereignty in the seven worlds, he experiences pleasures in due order.
एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः
This, O goddess, has been told to you—the power that destroys sin.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम् आवंत्यखण्डे चतुरशीतिलिङ्गमाहात्म्य उमामहेश्वरसंवादे पुष्पदन्तेश्वरमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम सप्त सप्ततितमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the eighty-one-thousand-verse Saṃhitā, in the fifth Avaṃtya section, in the chapter on the greatness of eighty-four liṅgas, in the dialogue of Umā and Maheśvara, is the narration of the greatness of Puṣpadaṃteśvara, the seventy-seventh chapter.
यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण तीर्थयात्राफलं लभेत्
By mere sight of whom, one attains the fruit of pilgrimage to holy places.
शाकले नगरे देवि चित्रसेनो महीपतिः
In the city of Śākala, O goddess, was the king Citrasena.
तस्य चन्द्रप्रभा भार्या प्राणे भ्योऽपि गरीगसी
His wife was Candraprabhā, more dear than life itself.
अपुत्रस्यापि नृपतेः पुत्री जाता मनोरमा
Though the king was childless, a daughter was born to him, named Manoramā.
सर्वलक्षणसंपन्ना कन्या लावण्यवत्यपि
The maiden, endowed with all marks of excellence, was also possessed of beauty.
वैराग्याद्ब्रह्मचर्यं च चचार तनुमध्यमा
Out of detachment, the slender-waisted woman practiced celibacy.
उत्संगे च निजे कृत्वा मूर्ध्नि चाघ्राय हर्षितः
He joyfully placed her on his own lap and, smelling her head, was delighted.
नृपाय नृपपुत्राय संमताय द्विजाय वा हर्षेण चावृतो राजा पुनः पप्रच्छ तां सुताम्
To the king, to the prince, or to the respected brahmin—overcome with joy, the king again questioned his daughter.
पृष्टा च सा यदा देवी न चोवाच नृपं प्रति
And when the goddess was questioned, she did not speak to the king.