यश्चाश्विने कृष्णचतुर्दशीदिने रात्रौ समभ्यर्चति लिंगमेतन्
And whoever, on the night of the dark fourteenth, worships this liṅga—
महोपकारेण विमुक्तपापः स याति यत्रास्ति स गौतमो मुनिः
Freed from great sin by this great act, he goes to where that sage Gautama is.
इदं मया पार्थ तव प्रणीतं गुप्तस्य क्षेत्रस्य समासयोगात्
This has been set forth by me for you, Pārtha, in brief, concerning the secret field.
य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या गौतमाख्यानमुत्तमम्
Whoever listens with devotion to this excellent account of Gautama—
यस्य स्मरणमात्रेण वाजपेयफलं भवेत्
By merely remembering him, one obtains the fruit of a Vājapeya sacrifice.
एकदा तु पुरा पार्थ सृष्टि कामेन ब्रह्मणा
Once, O Pārtha, long ago, when Brahmā desired creation—
तपसा तेन सन्तुष्टः पार्वतीपतिशंकरः
By his austerity, Lord Śaṅkara, husband of Pārvatī, was pleased.
ततो हृष्टः प्रमुदितः कृतकृत्यः पितामहः
Then, delighted, joyful, and his purpose accomplished, the Grandfather—
चखान च सरः पुण्यं नाम्ना ब्रह्मसरः शुभम
He dug a holy lake, auspicious and named Brahmasara.
अस्य तीरे महालिंगं स्थापयामास वै विभुः
On its bank, the Lord established a great liṅga.
पुष्करादधिकं तीर्थं ब्रह्मेशंनाम फाल्गुन
The holy place named Brahmeshvara in Phalguna is superior even to Pushkara.
दानं चैव यथाशक्त्या कार्तिक्यां च विशेषतः
One should give charity there according to one's ability, especially during Kartika.
पितरस्तस्य तुष्यंति यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्
The ancestors become satisfied there until the end of the cosmic dissolution.
गंगादिपुण्यतीर्थेषु यत्फलं प्राप्यते नरैः 1.2.56.
The merit gained by people at the sacred fords of the Ganga and others is obtained here.
मोक्षलिंगस्य माहात्म्यं शृणु पार्थ महाद्भुतम्
Hear, O Partha, the wondrous glory of the Moksha-linga.
स्थापितं प्रवरं लिंगं नाम्ना मोक्षेश्वरं हरम्
The excellent linga called Moksheshvara, the destroyer, was established here.
प्रसाद्य लोककर्तारं ब्रह्माणं परमेष्ठिनम्
Having propitiated Brahma, the supreme creator of the worlds,
कूपेऽस्मिन्मोक्षनाथस्य लोकानां प्रेतमुक्तये
In this well of Mokshanatha, for the liberation of departed souls,
कूपे स्नात्वा नरस्तस्यां तिलपिण्डं समाचरेत्
A man should bathe in this well and offer sesame balls there.
कुले न जायते तस्य प्रेतः पार्थ न संशयः
In his lineage, O Partha, no departed soul is born again—of this there is no doubt.
जयादित्यकूपवरे नरः स्नात्वा प्रयत्नतः
By bathing with devotion in the excellent well of Jayaditya,
इदं मया पार्थ तव प्रणीतं गुप्तस्य क्षेत्रस्य समासयोगात्
O Partha, this has been declared to you by me, in brief, regarding the secret field.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां प्रथमे माहेश्वरखंडे कौमारिकाखंडे ब्रह्मेश्वरमोक्षेश्वर गर्भश्वरमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम षट्पंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-sixth chapter, entitled 'The Greatness of Brahmeshvara, Moksheshvara, and Garbheshvara,' in the Kaumarika section of the Maheshvara division, in the first book of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahapurana.
महीनगरके पुण्ये स्थापयामास शंकरम्
In the holy city, he established Shankara.
लोकानां च हितार्थाय केदारं लिंगमुत्तमम्
For the welfare of the worlds, he installed the supreme linga called Kedara.
अत्रिकुण्डे नरः स्नात्वा श्राद्धं कृत्वा यथाविधि
One who bathes at the three pools and performs the ancestral rites there according to rule,
मातुः स्तन्यं पुनर्नैव स पिबेन्मुक्तिभाग्भवेत्
Shall not drink his mother's milk again, and will attain liberation.
स्वयं दत्त्वा स्वयं तस्थौ महीनगरके शुभे
Having given it himself, he himself remained in the auspicious holy city.
जयादित्यं नमस्कृत्य रुद्रलोकमवाप्नुयात्
By bowing to Jayaditya, one attains the realm of Rudra.
न तेषां वंशनाशोऽस्ति जयादित्यप्रसादतः
By the grace of Jayaditya, there is no destruction of their lineage.