Skanda Purana

यस्तां पश्यति राजेन्द्र शुक्लाष्टम्यां समाहितः

O king of kings, whoever sees her with concentration on the eighth day of the bright fortnight—

इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां सप्तमे प्रभासखण्डे तृतीयेऽर्बुदखण्डे कात्यायनीमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम चतुर्विंशोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the twenty-fourth chapter, named 'The Description of the Greatness of Kātyāyanī,' in the third Arbuda section of the seventh Prabhāsa section, in the eighty-one-thousand-verse Śrī Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.

यत्र पूर्वं तपस्तप्तं मंकिना ब्राह्मणेन च

Where formerly austerity was performed by Maṃki and also by a brāhmaṇa—

पुरा मंकिरभूद्विप्रो नाममात्रेण भूपते

Long ago, Maṃki was a brāhmaṇa, O king, only in name.

अथासौ पर्वते रम्ये लोकानां नृपसत्तम

Then, O best of kings, he dwelt on a beautiful mountain.

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य तेन वित्तमुपार्जितम्

After some time, he acquired wealth there.

ततस्तद्दमयामास गोयुगं नृपसत्तम

Then, O best of kings, he subdued a pair of oxen.

निबद्धमुष्ट्रमासाद्य ग्रीवादेशे बलात्स्थितम्

Having seized a tied camel, he forcefully kept it at the neck.

गोयुगेन हि ग्रीवायां लम्बमानेन भूपते

Indeed, O king, with the pair of oxen hanging from the neck—

मंकिर्वैराग्यमापन्नस्त्यक्त्वा ग्रामं वनं ययौ

Maṃki, having attained detachment, left the village and went to the forest.

त्रिकालं कुरुते स्नानं गायत्रीजपमुत्तमम्

He performed bathing three times a day and recited the excellent Gāyatrī.

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु तेन मार्गेण शंकरः 7.3.25.

At that very time, by that path, Śaṃkara passed.

स दृष्टः सहसा तेन पिंडारेण महात्मना

He was suddenly seen by Piṃḍāra, the great-souled one.

न वृथा दर्शनं मे स्याद्वरो मे गृह्यतां द्विज

Let my seeing you not be in vain; grant me a boon, O brāhmaṇa.

यथा तथा कुरु विभो नान्यन्मे हृदि वर्तते

Do as I ask, O Lord; nothing else remains in my heart.

एतत्पिण्डारकं तीर्थ मम नाम्ना प्रसिध्यतु

Let this Piṇḍāraka be renowned as a sacred ford by my name.

एतत्पिंडारकंनाम तीर्थमत्र भविष्यति

This place shall become a holy site called Piṇḍāraka.

अहमत्र महाष्टम्यां निवेक्ष्यामि महामते ते यास्यंति परं स्थानं यत्राहं नित्यसंस्थितः

O wise one, on the great eighth day, I shall reside here; those who come shall attain the supreme abode where I eternally dwell.

मंकिः पिंडारकस्तत्र तपस्तेपे दिवानिशम्

There, Maṅki, known as Piṇḍāraka, performed austerities day and night.

ततः कालेन महता त्यक्त्वा देहं दिवं गतः

Then, after a long time, having abandoned his body, he ascended to heaven.

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन स्नानं मन्त्रेण चाचरेत्

Therefore, one should bathe here with all effort and with mantra.

राजेन्द्र महिषीदानमथाष्टम्यां विशेषतः 7.3.25.

O king of kings, especially on the eighth day, the gift of a cow should be made.

इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां सप्तमे प्रभासखण्डे तृतीयेऽर्बुदखण्डे पिंडारकतीर्थमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम पंचविंशोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the twenty-fifth chapter named 'The Greatness of Piṇḍāraka Tīrtha,' in the third section of the Arbuda division, in the seventh Prabhāsa book, of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.

तस्मिन्कनखलंनाम पर्वते पापनाशने

There is a mountain named Kanakhala, destroyer of sins.

शृणु तत्राऽभवत्पूर्वं यदाश्चर्यं महीपते

Listen, O king, to the wondrous event that once happened there.

सूर्यग्रहे महीपाल तीर्थं कनखलं गतः

During a solar eclipse, the king went to the sacred ford at Kanakhala.

प्रभूतं पतितं तोये प्रमादात्तस्य भूपतेः

A great amount of gold fell into the water there due to the king’s carelessness.

ततः स्नात्वा गृहं प्राप्तः पश्चात्तापसमन्वितः

After bathing, he returned home, filled with regret.

स्नानार्थं भास्करे ग्रस्ते तं च देशमपश्यत

When the sun was eclipsed, he went again to that place for bathing.