सूत उवाच अस्ति पुण्यतमं ख्यातं समस्ते धरणीतले । तत्र ये मानवास्तीर्थे सम्यक्छ्रद्धासमन्विताः
Sūta said: There is a most holy place, renowned on the entire earth; there, those people who, with proper faith, approach the sacred site—
मध्ये स्थिते न ते यांति तिर्यग्योनौ कथंचन
While remaining there, they never go to a lower birth, in any way.
कृतघ्ना नास्तिकाश्चौरा मर्यादाभेदकास्तथा विमानवरमारूढाः स्तूयमानाश्च किंनरैः
Those who are ungrateful, atheists, thieves, and violators of boundaries, ascend to excellent aerial chariots, praised by the Kinnaras.
किं प्रभावं समाचक्ष्व परं कौतूहलं हि नः
What is its power? Tell us; for we have great curiosity.
नानाविहंगसंघुष्टे नानावृक्षसमाकुले
Filled with many flocks of birds, crowded with various trees,
समायाता महारौद्रा लुब्ध काश्चापपाणयः
There arrived fierce hunters, greedy and bearing wicked weapons.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे दृष्टं मृगयूथं तरोरधः
At that moment, a herd of deer was seen beneath a tree.
अथ ताँल्लुब्धकान्दृष्ट्वा दूरतोऽपि भयातुराः
Then, seeing those hunters even from afar, they were seized by fear.
अथ ते सन्निधौ दृष्ट्वा गंभीरं सलिलाशयम् ६.२३.
Then, seeing a deep reservoir of water nearby,
ततस्तत्सलिलस्यांतस्ते मृगाः सर्व एव हि
All those deer entered into that water.
अथ तान्मानुषीभूतान्पप्रच्छुर्लुब्धका मृगान् केन मार्गेण निर्यातं तस्माद्वदत मा चिरम्
Then the hunters, seeing them turned into humans, questioned the deer: 'By what path did you depart from there? Tell us quickly.'
तीर्थस्याऽस्य प्रभावेन प्राप्ताः सत्यं न संशयः
By the power of this sacred place, you have attained this, truly, without doubt.
स्नानमात्रात्ततः सर्वे दिव्यमाल्यानुलेपनाः
By merely bathing, all of them were adorned with divine garlands and ointments.
स्नानमात्रेण ते प्राप्ता लुब्धकास्तादृशं वपुः
By merely bathing, the hunters attained such a form.
तथा मानुष्यमापन्ना मृगास्तोयावगाहनात्
Thus, having assumed human form, the deer entered the water.
आच्छन्नं पांसुभिः कृत्स्नं वायुना शक्रशासनात्
Completely covered with earth by the wind, at Indra's command.
वल्मीकरंध्रमासाद्य तन्निष्क्रांतं पुनर्द्विजाः
Having reached the ant-hill's opening, the twice-born emerged from it.
यत्र स्नातः पुरा सद्यस्त्रिशंकुः पृथिवीपतिः ६.२३.
There, once upon a time, King Trishanku had bathed.
एतस्मात्कारणात्तत्र स्नाताः सारंगलुब्धकाः
For this reason, the hunters of deer bathed there.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखण्डे हाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये मृगतीर्थमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनामत्रयोविंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the twenty-third chapter, named 'The Description of the Greatness of the Deer Tirtha,' in the section on the greatness of the Hatakeshvara Kshetra, in the Nagarakhanda of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahapurana.
अपरं ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठाः सर्वपातकनाशनम्
Another, O best of Brahmins, destroys all sins.
अयने दक्षिणे प्राप्ते यस्तत्पूज्य समाहितः
When the southern solstice arrives, whoever worships it with concentration—
स मृतोऽप्ययने याम्ये तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्
Even if he dies during the southern solstice, he attains the supreme abode of Vishnu.
तथा चैवोत्तरे प्राप्ते पूजयित्वा यथाविधि सोऽपि विष्णोः पदं पुण्यं प्राप्य संजायते सुखी
Likewise, when the northern solstice arrives, having worshipped according to the proper method, he too attains the sacred abode of Vishnu and is born happy.
कथं निवेद्यते तत्र सम्यगात्माऽ यनद्वये
How is the self properly offered there in both solstices?
तस्मिन्दृष्टेऽथवा स्पृष्टे यत्फलं लभ्यते नरैः
When it is seen or touched, what fruit is obtained by men?
तदा क्रमैस्त्रिभिर्व्याप्तं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्
Then, by three steps, the three worlds, with their moving and unmoving beings, were pervaded.
हाटकेश्वरजे क्षेत्रे संन्यस्तः प्रथमः क्रमः
In the Hatakeshvara field, the first step was placed.
तृतीयस्य समुद्योगं यदा चक्रे स चक्रधृक्
When the wielder of the discus undertook the effort for the third step—
पादाग्रेणाथ संभिन्ने ब्रह्मांडे निर्मलं जलम् 6.24.
With the tip of his foot, when the cosmic egg was pierced, pure water emerged.