मुनिस्तां विह्वलां दृष्ट्वा राक्षसाऽनुगतां तदा
The sage, seeing her agitated and accompanied by Rākṣasas at that time—
तौ हुंकारभयत्रस्तौ दृष्ट्वा च विमुखौ गतौ
—saw those two, terrified by the sound 'huṃ', turn away and depart.
किंचिद्विप्तुमिच्छामि कृपया तन्निशामय
I wish to speak a little; kindly listen to me with compassion.
जलंधरो हि मद्भर्ता रुद्रं योद्धुं गतः प्रभो
For Jalandhara, my husband, has gone forth to fight Rudra, O Lord.
तावत्कपी समायातौ प्रणम्य चाग्रतः स्थितौ
At that moment, two monkeys arrived, bowed, and stood before me.
ततस्तद्भ्रूलतासंज्ञानियुक्तौ गगनं गतौ शिरःकबन्धे हस्तौ च गृहीत्वा समुपस्थितौ
Then, with gestures of their vine-like eyebrows, they rose into the sky, and, seizing the headless trunk and the hands, they appeared before me.
शिरःकबंधे हस्तौ च दृष्ट्वाऽब्धितनयस्य सा
Seeing the headless trunk and the hands of the son of the ocean,
कमंडलूदकैः सिक्त्वा मुनिनाऽऽश्वासिता तदा
She was sprinkled with water from the water-pot and comforted by the sage at that time.
स कथं न वदस्यद्य वल्लभा मामनागसम्
Why do you not speak today, beloved, to me who am blameless?
येन देवाः सगंधर्वा निर्जिता विष्णुना सह 2.4.21.
He by whom the gods, along with the Gandharvas and even Vishnu, were defeated—
त्वमेवास्य मुने शक्तो जीवनाय मतो मम
O sage, you alone are thought capable by me of restoring his life.
तथाऽपि त्वत्कृपाविष्ट एनं संजीवयाम्यहम्
Even so, filled with your compassion, I shall revive him.
वृंदामालिंग्य तद्वक्त्रं चुचुंब प्रीतमानसः
Embracing Vrinda, he kissed her face, his heart filled with joy.
अथ वृन्दाऽपि भर्तारं दृष्ट्वा हर्षितमानसा
Then Vrinda too, seeing her husband, was filled with happiness.
कदाचित्सुरतस्यांते दृष्ट्वा विष्णुं तमेव च
Once, at the end of their union, she saw that very Vishnu.
ज्ञातोऽसि त्वं मया सम्यङ्मायाप्रच्छन्नतापसः
You have been truly recognized by me as the ascetic concealed by illusion.
यौ त्वया मायया द्वाःस्थौ स्वकीयौ दर्शितौ मम
Those two doorkeepers of yours, shown to me by your illusion—
त्वं चाऽपि भार्यादुःखार्तो वने कपिसहायवान्
And you, afflicted by the sorrow of your wife, wandered in the forest with the help of monkeys.
इत्युक्त्वा सा तदा वृन्दा प्राविशद्धव्यवाहनम् 2.4.21.
Having spoken thus, Vrinda then entered the sacrificial fire.
ततो हरिस्तामनुसंस्मरन्मुहुर्वृंदान्वितोभस्मरजोवगुंठितः
Then Hari, repeatedly remembering her, covered with the dust of love and accompanied by Vrinda, was overcome.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे कार्तिकमासमाहात्म्ये जलंधरोपाख्याने वृन्दाग्निप्रवेशवर्णनंनामैकविंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the twenty-first chapter, named 'The Description of Vṛndā's Entry into Fire', in the story of Jalandhara, within the greatness of the month of Kārtika, in the second Vaiṣṇava section of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Śrī Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
चकार मायया गौरीं त्र्यंबकं मोहयन्निव
By his illusion, he made Gaurī appear, as if bewildering Tryambaka.
रथोपरि च तां बद्धां रुदन्तीं पार्वतीं शिवः
On the chariot, bound and weeping, was Pārvatī, with Śiva beside her.
गौरीं तथाविधां दृष्ट्वा शिवोऽप्युद्विग्नमानसः
Seeing Gaurī in such a state, Śiva too became deeply troubled in mind.
ततो जलंधरो वेगात्त्रिभिर्विव्याध सायकैः
Then Jalandhara, with speed, struck with three arrows.
ततो जज्ञे स तां मायां विष्णुना च प्रबोधितः
Then that illusion was dispelled, awakened by Viṣṇu.
तस्याऽतीव महारौद्रं रूपं दृष्ट्वा महासुराः
Seeing her exceedingly fierce form, the great demons were terrified.
ततः शापं ददौ रुद्रस्तयोः शुंभनिशुंभयोः
Then Rudra pronounced a curse upon those two, Śumbha and Niśumbha.
पुनर्जलंधरो वेगाद्ववर्ष निशितैः शरैः
Again Jalandhara, with force, showered sharp arrows.
यावद्रुद्रश्च चिच्छेद तस्य बाणगणं जवात्
Until Rudra swiftly cut down his multitude of arrows.