अद्यापि दृश्यते तत्र गंगोदकसमं जलम्
even today, water equal to that of the Ganges is seen there.
यस्तत्र कुरुते स्नानं श्रद्धापूतेन चेतसा
Whoever bathes there with a mind purified by faith,
ततःप्रभृति तत्तीर्थं ख्यातिं प्राप्तं महीतले
from that time, that holy place has become renowned on earth.
एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं यत्पृष्टोऽस्मि द्विजोत्तमाः ६.४४.
Thus I have told you everything, O best of twice-born, as I was asked.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखंडे श्रीहाटकेवरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये विश्वामित्रकुण्डोत्पत्ति विश्वामित्रेश्वरमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम चतुश्चत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-fourth chapter, called 'The Origin of Viśvāmitra's Sacred Pool and the Description of the Greatness of Viśvāmitreśvara,' in the sixth book, Nāgarakhaṇḍa, of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the section on the glory of the Śrīhāṭakeśvara region.
यत्र पूर्वं तपस्तप्तमानर्ताधिपभूभुजा
Here, in ancient times, the king of Ānarta performed austerities.
यस्तत्र कार्तिके मासि कृत्तिकास्थे निशाकरे
Whoever, during the month of Kārtika, when the moon is in Kṛttikā, performs rites there—
कस्मिन्स्थाने च विज्ञेयं कैश्चिह्नैर्वद सूतज
In which place, and by what signs is it known? Tell me, O son of Sūta.
प्राग्दृष्टं मुनिना तत्र विश्वामित्रेण धीमता
Formerly, that place was seen by the wise sage Viśvāmitra.
पुरा निवसतस्तस्य विश्वामित्रस्य सन्मुनेः
Long ago, while the noble sage Viśvāmitra was residing there—
सर्वतीर्थमयं क्षेत्रं तद्विज्ञाय तपोनिधिः
That treasury of austerity, realizing that the place was composed of all sacred fords—
अद्येयं कार्तिकी पुण्या कृत्तिकायोगसंयुता आद्यं तु पुष्करं दूरे न गन्तुं शक्यतेऽधुना
Today is the auspicious Kārtikī, joined with the conjunction of Kṛttikā; but the foremost Puṣkara is far away and cannot be reached now.
तस्मादत्र स्थितं यच्च तस्मिन्स्नानं करोम्यहम्
Therefore, as I am staying here, I shall perform the bath here as it is done there.
ततश्चान्वेषयामास पुष्कराणि समंततः
Then he began to search for the Puṣkaras all around.
दृष्ट्वादृष्ट्वा जलस्थानं स्नानं चक्रे ततः परम् ६.४५.
Having seen and not seen a place with water, he then performed the bath accordingly.
वृक्षमूलं समाश्रित्य निविष्टश्च क्षितौ ततः मध्यमाद्योजनं स्वर्गः कनिष्ठादर्ध योजनम्
Taking shelter at the root of a tree, he settled on the ground there; from the middlemost point, heaven is a yojana away, and from the lowest, half a yojana.
पावयंति हि तीर्थानि स्नानदानादसंशयम्
Indeed, the sacred fords purify through bathing and giving, without doubt.
पुष्करारण्यमाश्रित्य शाकमूलफलैरपि
Residing in the Puṣkara forest, even on vegetables, roots, and fruits—
पुष्करे दुष्करं स्नानं पुष्करे दुष्करं तपः
At Puṣkara, bathing is difficult; at Puṣkara, austerity is difficult.
कार्तिक्यां कृत्तिकायोगे पुष्करे स्नाति यो नरः
Whoever bathes at Puṣkara during Kārtikā, at the conjunction with Kṛttikā—
ज्येष्ठे प्रातश्च मध्याह्ने मध्यमे स्नाति यो नरः
Or whoever bathes at Puṣkara in the morning during Jyeṣṭhā, or at midday in the middle period—
तावत्तिष्ठति देहेषु पातकं सर्वदेहिनाम्
For as long as sin remains in all embodied beings, it abides in their bodies.
दिवाकरकरैः स्पृष्टं तमो यद्वत्प्रणश्यति
Just as darkness is dispelled when touched by the rays of the sun,
ब्रह्महत्यादिकं पापं कृत्वापि पुरुषो भुवि ६.४५.
so too, even if a person commits sins such as the killing of a Brahmin on earth,
किं दानैः किं व्रतैर्होमैः किं यज्ञैर्वहुविस्तरैः
What use are gifts, what use are vows and oblations, what use are elaborate sacrifices,
यद्येषा भारती सत्या मया सम्यमुदीरिता
if this statement of mine, spoken with restraint, is indeed true, O descendant of Bharata?
एवं तस्य ब्रुवाणस्य विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः
Thus, as the wise Viśvāmitra was speaking,
विश्वामित्र मुनिश्रेष्ठ सदा मे गगने स्थितिः
"O best of sages, Viśvāmitra, my place is always in the sky.
तदत्र दिवसे वासो मम भूमितले ध्रुवम्
Therefore, my dwelling on the earth on this day is certain.
तत्कथं वेद्मि तीर्थेश त्वामत्रैव व्यवस्थितम्
How, O lord of the sacred place, do I know that you are established right here?