डाकिन्यो यातुधानाश्च प्रेताद्याश्च भयंकराः
Ḍākinīs, yātudhānas, pretas, and other terrifying beings—
इमं गाणेश्वरं कल्पं विजानन्विजयोऽपि च
Knowing this Gaṇeśvara rite, even victory is attained.
दशांशं गुटिका हुत्वा पूज्य सिद्धिविनायकम् 1.2.61.
By offering a tenth part of the pellets in the fire and worshipping Siddhivināyaka—
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां प्रथमे माहेश्वरखण्डे कौमारिकाखण्डे महाविद्यासाधने गाणेश्वरकल्पवर्णनंनामैकषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the eighty-one-thousand-verse collection, in the first Māheśvara section, in the Kaumārikā section, in the accomplishment of the great vidyā, is the sixty-first chapter named 'Description of the Gaṇeśvara Rite.'
क्षेत्रनाथः कथं जज्ञे वदैतच्छृण्वतां हि नः
How was Kṣetranātha born? Tell this to us who are listening.
शिवं देव्या सहासीनं प्रणिपत्येदमब्रुवन्
Having bowed to Śiva, who was seated with the goddess, they spoke as follows.
देव दैत्येन घोरेण दुर्जयेन सुरासुरैः
O gods, by that terrible Daitya, unconquerable by gods and asuras,
न विष्णुना न चंद्रेण न चान्येनापि केनचित्
Not by Viṣṇu, not by the Moon, nor by anyone else at all—
तेन संपीड्यमानानामस्माकं शरणं भव
As we are oppressed by him, become our refuge.
ततोऽतिकृपयाविष्टहरकंठस्य कालिमाम्
Then, overwhelmed by great compassion, Kālikā of the dark throat—
आत्मशक्तिं तत्र मुक्त्वा प्रोवाचेदं वचः शुभा
Having released her own power there, spoke these auspicious words:
देवारिं च दुरात्मानं शीघ्रं नाशय शोभने
O beautiful one, swiftly destroy the god's enemy, that wicked soul.
रवेणैव मृतं चक्रे सानुगं स्फुटितहृदम्
With a roar alone, she made him and his followers die, their hearts burst.
यैरासन्विकला लोकास्त्रयोऽपि प्रमृता यथा 1.2.62.
By whom even the three worlds had been thrown into confusion, as if destroyed.
रुदंस्तस्याः समीपे चाप्यागतः प्रेतसद्मनि
Crying, he came near her, to the abode of the dead.
कालिकाऽपाययत्स्तन्यं मा रुदेति प्रजल्पती
Kālikā gave him her breast to suck, saying, 'Do not cry,' as she murmured.
योऽसौ हरकंठभवविषादासीत्सुदुर्धरः
That poison, which arose from Hara's throat, was exceedingly hard to bear.
बालोऽपि बालरूपं तत्त्यक्तुमैच्छत्कृतक्रिहया:
Even as a child, in the form of a child, he wished to abandon it by his own action.
ततो देवाः कालिकायाः शंकमानाः पुनर्भयम्
Then the gods, fearing again for Kālikā, grew anxious.
अस्ति चेद्भवतां भीतिरन्यान्स्रक्ष्यामि बालकान्
'If you are afraid,' she said, 'I will create other children.'
प्राह तान्बालरूपांश्च बालरूपी महेश्वरः
Maheshvara, in the form of a child, spoke to those child-forms:
चतुर्दशानां भूर्लोके वासो वः पालनं तथा
'For fourteen (days), your dwelling and protection shall be in the world of earth.'
नैवेद्यं भवतां राजमाषतंदुलमिश्रकाः
'Your offerings shall be royal pulse and rice mixed together.'
तस्य तन्निष्फलं भावि भुक्तं प्रेतैश्च राक्षसैः 1.2.62.
That offering will be fruitless for them, eaten by ghosts and rākṣasas.
क्षेत्रपालाः स्थिताश्चैव यथास्थाने निरूपिताः
The guardians of the field have been stationed, each appointed in their proper place.
आराधनं प्रवक्ष्यामि येन प्रीता भवंति ते
I will now explain the worship by which they become pleased.
ॐक्षां क्षेत्रपालाय नमः
Om, kṣāṃ, obeisance to the guardian of the field.
अनेनात्र चंदनादि दत्त्वा राजमाषतण्डुलमिश्रकाश्च चतुःषष्टिकृतभागान्वटकान्निवेद्य तावत्यो दीपिकास्तावन्ति पत्राणि पूगानि निवेद्य दण्डवत्प्रणम्य महास्तुतिमेतां जपेत्
With this, offering sandalwood and other substances here, and presenting cakes made from royal black gram and rice, sixty-four in number, along with as many lamps, leaves, and betel nuts, one should bow down in prostration and recite this great praise.
ॐऊर्ध्वकेशा विरू पाक्षा नित्यं ये घोररूपिणः
Om, those with hair standing upward, with strange eyes, who always have a terrible form—
अह्वरो ह्यापकुम्भश्च इडाचारस्तथैव यः
Ahvara, Āpakumbha, and also Iḍācāra—