गयाश्राद्धसमं पुण्यं तेषां चंद्र भविष्यति
For them, O Moon, the merit will be equal to performing the ancestral rites at Gaya.
चन्द्रोऽपि बुभुजे सर्वाः पत्नीश्च दक्षसंभवाः
The Moon also enjoyed all the wives born from Daksha.
तीर्थं यत्र तपस्तप्तं पिण्डोदकद्विजातिना
The tirtha where austerity was performed by the twice-born with offerings of piṇḍa and water.
पुरा पिण्डोदकोनाम ब्राह्मणोऽभून्महामते
Long ago, O wise one, there was a Brahmin named Piṇḍodaka.
अशक्तोऽध्ययनं कर्तुं जाड्यभावान्महीपते
Unable to study due to dullness, O king,
एतस्मिन्नेव कालेतु तत्रैव च सरस्वती
At that very time and place, Sarasvati herself appeared.
तं दृष्ट्वा ब्राह्मणं खिन्नं वैराग्येण समन्वितम्
Seeing that Brahmin, weary and filled with dispassion,
कस्मान्न हृष्यसि हृदा कस्मादत्र त्वमागतः
Why are you not joyful at heart? Why have you come here?
ज्ञानहीनो महाभागे मृत्युं वांछामि सांप्रतम्
Deprived of knowledge, O blessed one, I now desire death.
न मे सरस्वती देवी जिह्वाग्रे परिवर्तते मरणं हि मम श्रेयो मूकभावान्न जीवितम्
Goddess Sarasvati does not move on the tip of my tongue; for me, death is better than life in this mute condition.
. निशासुखे त्रयोदश्यां करोमि वसतिं द्विज 7.3.21.
On the pleasant night of the thirteenth day, O twice-born, I will dwell here.
एतत्तीर्थं तु मन्नाम्ना ख्यातिं यातु शुचिस्मिते
Let this tirtha, O pure-smiled one, become renowned by my name.
नाम्ना तव तथा तीर्थमेतत्ख्यातिं प्रयास्यति
Thus, this sacred place will become renowned by your name.
निशामुखे त्रयोदश्यां योऽत्र स्नानं करिष्यति
Whoever bathes here at the junction of night on the thirteenth day will—
अत्र मे सततं वासो भविष्यति द्विजोत्तम
Here, O best of twice-born, my presence will always remain.
एवमुक्त्वा ततो देवी तत्रैवांतरधीयत व्यस्मापयज्जनान्सर्वांस्तत्तीर्थस्य समाश्रयात्
Having spoken thus, the goddess vanished right there, astonishing all the people because of that holy site's influence.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीति साहस्र्यां संहितायां सप्तमे प्रभासखण्डे तृतीयेऽर्बुदखण्डे पिण्डोदकतीर्थमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनामैकविंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the twenty-first chapter, named 'The Greatness of the Piṇḍodaka Tīrtha,' in the third section called Arbudakhaṇḍa, within the seventh Prabhāsa Book of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
सर्वकामप्रदां नृणामिहलोके परत्र च
She grants all desires to people, both in this world and the next.
या च सर्वमयी शक्तिर्यया व्याप्तमिदं जगत्
She is the all-pervading power by whom this entire universe is filled.
पुरा देवयुगे राजा कलिंगोनाम दानवः
Long ago, in the age of the gods, there was a demon king named Kaliṅga.
तेन सर्वमिदं व्याप्तं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् ब्रह्मलोकमनुप्राप्तो देवैः सर्वैः समन्वितः
By him, all this—three worlds, moving and unmoving—was pervaded; he reached the world of Brahmā, accompanied by all the gods.
तेन दैत्येन सर्वेऽपि त्रासिताः सुरमानवाः
By that demon, all the gods and humans were terrified.
वसवो मरुतः साध्या विश्वेदेवाः सुरर्षयः
The Vasus, Maruts, Sādhyas, Viśvadevas, and divine sages—
यज्ञभागान्स्वयं सर्वे बुभुजुस्ते च दानवाः
All those demons themselves consumed the shares of the sacrifices.
अद्यापि देवताखातं त्रैलोक्ये ख्यातिमागतम्
Even today, the fame of that which was taken from the gods is known throughout the three worlds.
अव्यक्ताः परमत्रासाद्ध्यायंतस्ते च संस्थिताः
Because of intense fear, they became invisible and remained there.
एकाहारा निराहारा वायुभक्षास्तथा परे 7.3.22.
Some subsisted on one meal, some fasted, and others lived on air alone.
कृच्छ्रसांतपने निष्ठा महापाराकिणः परे
Others practiced severe austerities, enduring great hardships.
जपहोमपराश्चान्ये ध्यानासक्तास्तथा परे
Some devoted themselves to recitation and offering, while others were absorbed in meditation.
पूजयंतः परां शक्तिं देवीं स्वकार्यहेतवे विमुक्तिरभवद्राजन्सर्वेषां कर्मबन्धनात्
Worshipping the supreme power, the goddess, for the sake of their own purpose, O King, they all attained liberation from the bondage of actions.