विद्यादानं नरो यश्च तस्या ह्यायतने सदा
And whoever always gives the gift of knowledge in her temple,
यो यच्छति द्विजेन्द्राय धर्मशास्त्रसमुद्भवम्
Whoever gives to a foremost Brāhmaṇa that which arises from the Dharmaśāstra,
यो वेदाध्ययनं तस्याः करोति पुरतः स्थितः
Whoever studies the Vedas, standing before her,
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखण्डे हाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये सरस्वती तीर्थमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम षट्चत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-sixth chapter, named 'The Greatness of the Sarasvatī Tīrtha,' in the section on Hāṭakeśvara Kṣetra, in the sixth book of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Purāṇa.
अस्माकं सूतज ब्रूहि सर्वं वेत्ति यतो भवान्
O son of a Sūta, tell us everything, for you know all.
रुद्रसेन इति ख्यातः सर्वशत्रुनिषूदनः
He was known as Rudrasena, destroyer of all enemies.
समुद्र इव गांभीर्ये सौम्यत्वे शशिसंनिभः
In depth he was like the ocean, in gentleness like the moon.
तस्य कांतीति विख्याता पुरी सर्वगुणान्विता
His city, famed as Kānti, was endowed with all virtues.
तथैवासीत्प्रिया तस्य भार्या परमसंमता
Likewise, his beloved wife was highly esteemed.
स तया सहितो राजा वैशाख्या दिवसे सदा
That king, together with her, always observed the Vaiśākha day.
चमत्कारपुरे क्षेत्रे पीठे तत्र द्विजोत्तमाः करोति श्रद्धया युक्तः सभार्यः स महीपतिः
In the sacred place called Camatkārapura, in that field, O best of twice-born, the king, together with his wife, performs with faith.
उपवासपरो भूत्वा ध्यायमानो महेश्वरम् धर्माख्यानेन विप्राणां वेदाध्ययनविस्तरैः
Becoming devoted to fasting, meditating on Maheśvara, he listens to the exposition of dharma by the Brāhmaṇas, along with extensive recitation of the Vedas.
ततः प्रातः समुत्थाय स्नात्वा धौतांबरः शुचिः
Then, rising early in the morning, having bathed, wearing clean garments, and being pure—
दीनांधकृपणेभ्यश्च तथान्येभ्यः सहस्रशः वैशाख्यां जागरं तस्य देवस्य पुरतोऽकरोत् ॥ ६.४७.
He gives thousands to the poor, the blind, the miserable, and others, and keeps vigil before that god during the month of Vaiśākha.
यथायथा स भूपालः कुरुते रात्रिजागरम्
To the extent that the king keeps vigil at night—
शत्रवो विलयं यांति लक्ष्मीर्वृद्धिं प्रगच्छति
His enemies are destroyed, and prosperity increases.
तत्रैव दिवसे तावन्महाकालस्य चाग्रतः
On that very day, there, in the presence of Mahākāla—
वेदाध्ययनसंपन्नान्व्रतनिष्ठापरायणान्
He gathers those accomplished in Vedic study, devoted to vows and observances.
राजर्षीणां पुराणानां देवर्षीणां तथा परे यज्ञानां सागराणां च द्वीपानां च मनोहराः
The ancient stories of royal sages, of divine sages, and also of others, the oceans of sacrifices, and the delightful islands—
अथ तान्पृथिवीपालः स प्रणम्य यथाक्रमम्
Then that lord of the earth, having bowed to them all in due order—
कस्मिंश्चिदथ संप्राप्ते कथांते ते मुनीश्वराः
At a certain time, when the story had ended, those best of sages—
वैशाखीदिवसे राजंस्त्वं सदाभ्येत्य दूरतः
On the day of Vaiśākha, O king, you always approach from afar—
प्रकरोषि प्रयत्नेन त्यक्त्वान्याः सकलाः क्रियाः
You perform with effort, having abandoned all other actions—
न ते यदि रहस्यं स्यात्तदाऽशेषं प्रकीर्तय ६.४७.
If you have no secret, then recount everything in full.
युष्माभिः कीर्तयिष्यामि तथाप्यखिलमेव हि ॥ २१० अहमासं वणिग्जात्या पुरा वै वैदिशे पुरे
I will recount everything to you as well. Formerly, I was born in a merchant family in the city of Vaidiśa.
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य भगवान्पाकशासनः
Then, at a certain time, the blessed lord Pākaśāsana—
ततो वृष्टिनिरोधेन सर्वे लोकाः क्षुधार्द्दिताः
Then, because of the cessation of rain, all people were afflicted by hunger.
ततोऽहं स्वां समादाय पत्नीं क्षुत्क्षामगात्रिकाम्
Then I took my wife, her body emaciated by hunger—
सौराष्ट्रं मनसि ध्यात्वा प्रस्थितस्तदनन्तरम्
Then, having fixed my mind on Saurashtra, I set out at once.
क्रमेण गच्छमानोऽथ भिक्षान्नकृतभोजनः
Proceeding step by step, I ate food obtained by begging.