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.
यदि मद्वचनं पुत्रि प्रतिभाति न सांप्रतम् 5.2.78.
If, my daughter, my words do not seem agreeable to you at this time—
इत्युक्ता सा नृपतिना पित्रा प्रोक्ता पुनःपुनः
Thus addressed by the king, her father, and urged again and again—
जहास चातिहासेन पुनः श्वासांश्च मुंचति
She laughed loudly and then began to sigh repeatedly.
तामवस्थां गतां दृष्ट्वा पुत्री मुन्मत्ततां गताम्
Seeing his daughter in that condition, as if she had fallen into madness—
भूतेन वा पिशाचेन मत्सुता लक्षणैर्युता
He thought, 'My daughter, adorned with auspicious marks, is possessed by a spirit or a piśāca.'
तदा प्रोक्तस्तया पुत्र्या मा तात विमना भव
Then his daughter said to him, 'Do not be disheartened, father.'
न पिशाचेन यक्षेण तव कन्या महीपते
O king, your daughter is not possessed by a piśāca or a yakṣa.
प्राग्ज्योतिषे पुरे विप्रो हरस्वामी बभूव ह
In the city of Prāgjyotiṣa, there was indeed a brahmin named Harasvāmin.
रूपयौवनसंपन्ना तस्य नाहं प्रिया विभो
Although endowed with beauty and youth, O lord, I was not dear to him.
नान्यस्य कस्यचिद्द्वेष्टा मुक्त्वा मां पृथिवीपते
He did not hate anyone else, O king, except for me.
अहमूढां कुलीनेन द्विजेनातिगुणेन च 5.2.78.
I, though of noble birth, was bewildered by that highly virtuous brahmin.
तेन मे वल्लभो राजन्न चाहं तस्य वल्लभा
O king, he became my beloved, but I was not beloved to him.
नान्यत्र कुरुते भावं ब्रह्मचर्यव्रते स्थितः अपृच्छं प्रमदास्तात यास्त्यक्ताः पतिभिः किल
He, steadfast in the vow of celibacy, does not direct his feelings elsewhere. Father, I questioned women who had been abandoned by their husbands.
ताभिरुक्ता ह्यहं भूप वश्यो भर्त्ता भविष्यति
O king, those women told me, 'The husband will become obedient.'
भेषजैर्विविधैश्चूर्णैर्मंत्रैर्मोहकरैः परैः
With various medicines, powders, and mantras of powerful delusion,
ततोऽहं त्वरिता गत्वा तासां वाक्येन भूपते
Then, O king, I quickly went as they had instructed me.
प्रदोषे पयसा युक्तश्चूर्णो भर्त्तरि योजितः
At dusk, the powder mixed with milk was administered to my husband.
यदा पीतश्च चूर्णस्तु मन्त्रेणातीव गुंठितः
When the powder, thoroughly concealed by mantra, was drunk,
द्वारदेशे स्थितः क्रंदन्दासोऽस्मि तव शोभने
I stood at the doorway, weeping, O beautiful one, as your servant.
तत्तस्य रुदितं ज्ञात्वा मंत्रमाहात्म्यतो नृप
Knowing his crying, O king, was due to the power of the mantra,