आख्यानं सकलं श्रुत्वा सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
Having listened to the entire narrative, one is freed from all sins.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां प्रथमे माहेश्वरखण्डे कौमारिकाखंडे नीलकंठमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम सप्तपञ्चाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-seventh chapter, called 'The Description of the Greatness of Nīlakaṇṭha,' in the Kaumārikā section of the first Māheśvara division of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Śrī Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
यस्य प्रभावः सुमहान्नैव कस्यापि संस्तुतः
Whose power is immense, and truly praised by none.
शृणु पांडव शापेन गुप्तमासीदिदं यथा
Listen, O Pāṇḍava, to how this was concealed by a curse.
पुरा निमित्ते कस्मिंश्चित्सर्वतीर्थाधिदैवताः
Long ago, at a certain omen, the presiding deities of all the sacred fords—
पुष्करस्य प्रभासस्य निमिषस्यार्बुदस्य च
Of Puṣkara, Prabhāsa, Nimiṣa, and Arbuda—
वस्त्रापथस्य श्वेतस्य फल्गुतीर्थं स्य चापि याः
Of Vastrāpatha, Śveta, and also the sacred place of Phalgu—
सिंधुसागरयोगस्य महीसागरकस्य च
Of the confluence of Sindhu and the ocean, and of Mahīsāgara—
गंगारेवामुखीनां तु नदीनामधिदेवताः
And the presiding deities of the rivers, including Gaṅgā and Revā—
ते सर्वे संघशो भूत्वा श्रैष्ठ्य ज्ञानाय चात्मनः
All of them, gathering together in groups, for the sake of knowing their own supremacy—
तत्र तीर्थानि सर्वाणि समायातानि वीक्ष्य सः
There, seeing that all the sacred fords had assembled—
प्रणम्य सर्वतीर्थेभ्यः प्रबद्धकरसंपुटः 1.2.58.
He, with hands joined in reverence, bowed to all the sacred fords.
अद्य नः सद्म सकलं युष्माभिरतिपावितम्
Today, our entire abode has been greatly purified by you all.
तीर्थानां दर्शनं श्रेयः स्पर्शनं स्नानमेव च
The sight of the sacred fords is auspicious, as is their touch and bathing in them.
महापापान्विता रौद्रास्त्वपि ये स्युः सुनिष्ठुराः
Even those who are bound by great and terrible sins, who are exceedingly cruel—
एवमुक्त्वा पुलस्त्यं स पुत्रमभ्यादिदेश ह
Having thus spoken, he instructed his son Pulastya.
असंख्यानीह तीर्थानि दृश्यंते पद्मसंभव
Countless sacred fords are seen here, O Lotus-born.
धर्मप्रवचने श्लोको यत एष प्रगीयते
A verse is recited in the discourse on righteousness for this reason.
भवेयुर्यद्यसंख्याता अर्घयोग्याः समर्चने
If there were countless worthy of offering and worship—
एवं कुरुष्वैकमर्घमानय त्वं सुशीघ्रतः
Therefore, quickly bring a single offering.
तं च ब्रह्मा करे गृह्य तीर्थान्याहेति भारतीम्
Then Brahmā, taking it in his hand, spoke of the fords to Bhāratī.
सर्वैर्भवद्भिः संहत्य मुख्यस्त्वेकः प्रकीर्त्यताम् 1.2.58.
All of you together, let one chief among them be proclaimed.
अस्माद्धेतोश्च संप्राप्ता ज्ञात्वा देहि त्वमेव तत्
For this reason, having come and understood, you alone should give that.
सर्वे चापारमाहात्म्यं स्वयं मे वक्तुमर्हथ
All of you are worthy to speak of your own supreme glory to me.
यत्र गंगा गया काशी पुष्करं नैमिषं तथा
Where the Gaṅgā, Gayā, Kāśī, Puṣkara, and likewise Naimiṣa are—
प्रभासाद्यानि शतशो यत्र नस्तत्र का मतिः
Where there are hundreds of holy places like Prabhāsa—what is our resolve there?
चिरेणेदं ततः प्राह महीसागरसंगमः
After a long time, the confluence of earth and ocean spoke thus:
ममैनमर्घं त्वं यच्छ चतुरानन शीघ्रतः
Give this offering of mine, O Four-faced one, quickly.
यतश्चेन्द्रद्युम्नराज्ञा ताप्यमाना वसुंधरा
Because the earth was tormented by King Indradyumna—
सा च सर्वाणि तीर्थानि संयुक्तानि मया सह
She, along with all the sacred fords, was united with me.