मया राघव तत्राऽस्ति स्थापितः प्रपितामहः ६.२०.
O Raghava, I have established the forefather there.
तस्मात्त्वमपि तत्रैव तूर्णमेव मया सह
Therefore, you too must quickly go there with me.
येन स्याः सर्वशत्रूणामगम्यस्त्वं रघूद्वह
By this, you will become inaccessible to all enemies, O best of Raghu's line.
यस्तत्र कुरुते स्नानं तस्य मृत्युभयं कुतः ज्येष्ठानक्षत्रसंयुक्ता तस्मात्स्नातुं त्वमर्हसि
Whoever bathes there has no fear of death; as it is joined with the Jyeshtha constellation, you ought to bathe there.
ततः संप्रस्थितं रामं दृष्ट्वा प्रोवाच लक्ष्मणः
Then, seeing Rama setting out, Lakshmana spoke.
अनर्हा निष्कृतिः कर्तुं तस्मादेनं प्रयाचय
It is not possible for me to perform expiation; therefore, ask him for it.
तन्मे देहि स्फुटं येन कायशुद्धिः प्रजायते
Give me clearly that by which bodily purity is attained.
स्वामिद्रोहरताः स्नाता मुच्यंते तत्र पातकैः
Those who bathe there, having abandoned disobedience to their master, are freed from sins.
तत्र शक्रो विपाप्माभूद्धत्वा गर्भं दितेः पुरा तस्मात्तत्र द्रुतं गत्वा स्नानं कुरु महामते
There, Indra became free from sin after killing Diti's embryo long ago; therefore, go there quickly and bathe, O wise one.
ततः प्रमुच्यसे पापात्स्वामिद्रोहसमुद्भवात्
Then you will be freed from the sin arising from disobedience to your master.
मनस्तापेन शुध्येत मतमेतन्मनीषिणाम् ६.२०.
Mental anguish purifies; this is the opinion of the wise.
ईदृक्षान्मनसस्तापात्तस्माच्छुद्धोऽसि लक्ष्मण
Such is the purification from the anguish of the mind; therefore, you are pure, Lakshmana.
ईदृक्क्षेत्रप्रभावोऽयं सौभ्रात्रेण विवर्जितः
Such is the influence of this sacred place, devoid of brotherly affection.
अपि स्वल्पं न सौभ्रात्रं तेषां संजायते क्वचित्
Not even the slightest brotherhood ever arises among them.
तावत्स्नेहपरो मर्त्यस्तावद्वदति कोमलम्
A mortal remains affectionate only so long as he speaks gently.
येऽन्येपि निवसंत्यत्र पशवः पक्षिणो मृगाः
Even the other beings who dwell here—animals, birds, and deer—
कस्यचित्केनचित्सार्धं सौहार्दं नैव विद्यते
No one here shares true friendship with anyone else.
तथापि यदि ते काचिच्छंका चित्ते व्यवस्थिता
Yet, if you still harbor any doubt in your mind,
यत्र शक्रो विपाप्माऽभूद्द्रोहं कृत्वा सुदारुणम्
Here, Indra himself became sinful, having committed a most terrible betrayal.
एवमुक्तस्तु सौमित्रिर्गत्वा तत्र द्विजोत्तमाः रामोऽपि तत्र गत्वाशु मार्कंडेयवराश्रमे
Thus addressed, Saumitri went there, O best of twice-born; and Rama also quickly went to the hermitage of the sage Markandeya.
स्नानं कृत्वा यथान्यायं ददर्शाऽथ पितामहम् ६.२०.
After performing the proper bath, he then beheld the Grandfather.
तत्प्रभावाज्जघानाऽथ खरादीन्राक्षसोत्तमान्
By that power, he then slew Khara and the foremost among the Rakshasas.
इति श्रीस्कांदेमहापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखण्डे हाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये रामकृतयाम्यदिशाप्रयाणे बालमंडनतीर्थमाहात्म्य वर्णनंनाम विंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the twentieth chapter, entitled 'The Greatness of the Bālamaṇḍana Tīrtha in the Account of Rāma's Journey to the Southern Direction,' in the Hāṭakeśvara Kṣetra Māhātmya of the Nāgara Section, in the Sixth Book of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
कस्मिन्स्थाने कृतस्तेन स्वाश्रमो मुनिना वद
Tell me, in which place did that sage establish his own hermitage?
चमत्कारपुराभ्याशेवानप्रस्याश्रमे स्थितः
It was situated near the wondrous city, in the hermitage of Vanaprastha.
शांतात्मा नियमोपेतश्चकार सुमहत्तपः
With a tranquil mind and endowed with discipline, he performed great austerities.
पश्चिमे वयसि प्राप्ते पुत्रो जज्ञे सुशोभनः
When he reached old age, a most excellent son was born to him.
मार्कंड इति नामाऽथ तस्य चक्रे पिता स्वयम्
Then, he himself gave the name Markandeya to that son.
शुक्लपक्षं समासाद्य तारापतिरिवांबरे बालक्रीडाप्रसक्तस्य पितुरुत्सङ्गवर्तिनः
When the bright fortnight arrived, like the lord of stars in the sky, the child, absorbed in play, remained in his father's lap.
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य कश्चित्तत्र समागतः
Then, at a certain time, someone arrived there.