प्रोचुर्भूरिधनं चैतज्जीर्यत्यस्मिन्न जीवति
Indeed, all this abundant wealth decays when its possessor no longer lives.
संप्रधार्येति तेप्राहुः स्मर्तव्यं स्मर पांथिक
Reflecting thus, they said to you: 'Remember this, O traveler.'
निशम्येति मनस्येव कथयामास स द्विजः
Hearing this, that twice-born one pondered in his mind and spoke.
कुटुंबमपि तन्नष्टं नष्टश्चापि प्रतिग्रहः
Even the family was lost, and the gifts received were also lost.
युगपत्सर्वमेवाशु नष्टं दुर्बुद्धिचेष्टया
All was suddenly lost at once due to misguided actions.
प्रांते कुटुंबस्मरणात्तथाकाशीस्मृतेरपि
At the end, from remembering his family and likewise from recalling his home,
सा कुक्कुटी सुतौ तौ तु ताम्रचूडत्वमापतुः
That hen and her two chicks attained the state of copper-crested birds.
इत्थं बहुतिथेकाले गते कार्पटिकोत्तमाः
Thus, after much time had passed, the foremost mendicants—
वाराणस्याः कथां प्रोच्चैः कुर्वंतोऽन्योन्यमेव हि
Loudly reciting the tale of Varanasi, conversed with one another.
जातिस्मृतिप्रभावेण तत्संगेन तु निर्गताः 4.2.98.
By the power of recalling their past lives, and through that association, they departed.
तंदुलादिपरिक्षेपैः प्रापिताः क्षेत्रमुत्तमम्
Through offerings of rice and the like, they reached the supreme field.
चरिष्यंतोऽत्र परितो मुक्तिमंडपमुत्तमम्
Wandering about there, they approached the excellent pavilion of liberation.
प्रहासान्मत्कथालापाँल्लाभमोहविवर्जितान्
Free from gain and delusion, through laughter and conversation about me,
मन्नामोच्चारणपरान्मत्कथार्पितसुश्रुतीन्
Devoted to uttering my name, with ears attentive to stories dedicated to me,
मानयामासुरथ तान्कुक्कुटान्साधुवर्त्मनः क्रमेणाहारमाकुंच्य प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्यंति चात्र वै
Then they honored those hens who followed the virtuous path; gradually reducing their food, they will indeed give up their lives here.
पश्यतां सर्वलोकानां विष्णो ते मदनुग्रहात्
O Vishnu, by my grace, as all the worlds look on,
निर्विश्य सुचिरं कालं दिव्यान्भोगाननुत्तमान्
Having enjoyed supreme divine pleasures for a long time,
ततो लोकास्तददारभ्य कथयिष्यंति सर्वतः
From then on, people everywhere will recount those worlds.
चरित्रमपि वै तेषां ये स्मरिष्यंति मानवाः
Even those who remember their deeds, O men, shall indeed be blessed.
इति यावत्कथां शंभुर्भविष्यामग्रतो हरेः 4.2.98.
Thus, Śaṃbhu recited the tale of what will happen before Hari.
अथनंदिनमाहूय देवदेव उमाधवः
Then, summoning Nandin, the Lord of gods, the husband of Umā,
अथ नंदी समागत्य प्रोवाच वृषभध्वजम्
Thereupon, Nandin approached and spoke to the Bull-bannered One.
अथ स्मित्वाब्रवीच्छंभुः सिद्धं नस्तु समीहितम्
Then Śaṃbhu, having smiled, said: 'Our intention has been accomplished.'
ब्रह्मणा हरिणा सार्धं ततोऽगाद्रंगमंडपम् स्कंद उवाच श्रुत्वाध्यायमिमं पुण्यं परमानंदकारणम्
Together with Brahmā and Hari, he then went to the assembly pavilion. Skanda said: 'Having heard this sacred chapter, which is the cause of supreme bliss—'
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीति साहस्र्यां संहितायां चतुर्थे काशीखंड उत्तरार्धे मुक्तिमंडपगमनं नामाष्टनवतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the eighty-ninth chapter, entitled 'The Ascent to the Pavilion of Liberation,' in the Uttarārdha of the Kāśī Khaṇḍa, in the eighty-eight-thousand-verse Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
शृणु सूत यथा प्रोक्तं कुंभजे शरजन्मना
O Sūta, listen to what was spoken by the lotus-born to the one born of the jar.
अगस्त्य उवाच निर्गत्य देवो देवेंद्रैः सहितः किं चकार ह
Agastya said: 'Having departed, what did the god do together with the lords of the gods?'
स्कंद उवाच शृंगारमंडपं प्राप्य यच्चकार वदामि तत्
Skanda said: 'Having reached the Pavilion of Beauty, I shall tell you what he did.'
प्राङ्मुखस्तूपविश्येशः सहास्माभिः सहेशया
Facing east, the Lord sat down together with us and with the Lady.
वीज्यमानो महेंद्रेण ऋषिभिः परितो वृतः
He was fanned by Mahendra and surrounded on all sides by sages.