तस्याधस्ताच्छिला विप्रा विद्यते वैष्णवी शुभा
Below that, O Brahmins, is a sacred Vaishnava stone.
सदा महानदीतोयक्षालिता मुक्तिदा नृणाम् ६.५२.
Always washed by the waters of the great river, it grants liberation to people.
त्रिवेणी वहते तस्याः पुरतो भुक्तिमुक्तिदा
In front of it flows the Triveni, bestowing enjoyment and liberation.
नूनं मुक्तिर्भवेत्तेषां चिता भस्मनि गोष्पदम्
Surely, liberation comes to those whose funeral ashes reach the cow’s hoofprint there.
तस्यैवोत्तरदिग्भागे रुद्रकोटिर्द्विजोत्तमाः
On its northern side, O best of Brahmins, is Rudrakoti.
महायोगिस्वरूपेण दाक्षिणात्या द्विजोत्तमाः
In the form of a great yogi, O best of southern Brahmins,
ततः कौतूहलाविष्टाः श्रद्धया परया युताः
Then, filled with curiosity and endowed with supreme faith,
अहंपूर्वमहंपूर्वं वीक्षयिष्यामि तं हरम्
I will see that Hara first, I will see him before all others.
एतेषां मध्यतो यस्तं महायोगिनमीश्वरम्
Among them, whoever beholds that great yogi, the Lord,
ततस्तेषामभिप्रायं ज्ञात्वा देवो महेश्वरः
Then, knowing their intention, the god Maheshvara—
हेलया दर्शनं प्राप्तः सर्वेषां द्विजसत्तमाः
By chance, the vision was obtained by all, O best of twice-born.
तदर्थं पठितः श्लोको नारदेन पुरा द्विजाः ६.५२.
For that purpose, a verse was recited long ago by Nārada, O twice-born.
आषाढीं कार्तिकीं माघीं तथा चैत्रसमुद्भवाम्
The months of Āṣāḍha, Kārtika, Māgha, and also the one arising in Caitra—
आजन्मशतसाहस्रं कृत्वा पापं नरः क्षितौ
Even if a man commits sin on earth for a hundred thousand lifetimes—
रुद्रावर्त्ते नरो गत्वा दृष्ट्वा योगेश्वरं हरम्
If a man goes to Rudrāvarta and beholds Hara, the lord of yogis—
यस्तत्र कुरुते श्राद्धं महायोगिपुरे द्विजाः
Whoever performs śrāddha there, in the city of the great yogi, O twice-born—
उपवासपरो भूत्वा यः कुर्याद्रात्रिजागरम्
Whoever, having devoted himself to fasting, keeps vigil through the night—
तत्र यः कपिलां दद्याद्ब्राह्मणायाहिताग्नये
Whoever gives a tawny cow there to a Brahmin who maintains the sacred fire—
षडक्षरं जपेद्यस्तु महायोगिपुरः स्थितः
Whoever, standing before the city of the great yogi, recites the six-syllabled mantra—
यस्तस्य पुरतो भक्त्या जपेद्वा शतरुद्रियम्
Whoever, with devotion, recites the Śatarudriya before him—
गीतं वा यदि वा नृत्यं तत्पुरः कुरुते नरः
Or if a man sings or dances before him in that city—
एवमुक्त्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठाः स मुनिर्ब्रह्मसंभवः ६.५२.
Having spoken thus, the sage born from Brahma addressed the best of twice-born.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीति साहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखंडे हाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये रुद्रकोटिमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम द्विपञ्चाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the eighty-one-thousand-verse Samhitā, in the sixth Nāgara section, in the greatness of the Hāṭakeśvara field, the fifty-second chapter named 'Description of the greatness of Rudrakoṭi' is concluded.
प्रभूताश्चर्यसंयुक्तं बहुसिद्धनिषेवितम्
It is endowed with abundant wonders and frequented by many accomplished ones.
यस्य मध्यगतो नित्यं स्वयमेव महेश्वरः
In whose midst, Maheshvara himself always resides.
वैशाख्यां यो नरस्तत्र कृत्वा श्राद्धं समाहितः पूजयेद्दक्षिणां मूर्तिं समाश्रित्य द्विजोत्तमाः
Whoever, with concentration, performs śrāddha there in Vaiśākha and worships the southern form, relying upon it, O best of twice-born—
दश पूर्वान्दशातीतानात्मानं च द्विजोत्तमाः
Ten ancestors before, ten after, and oneself, O best of twice-born—
यो यं काममभिध्याय तत्र पीठं प्रपूजयेत्
Whoever, desiring whatever wish, worships the seat there—
स तत्कृत्स्नमवाप्नोति यदपि स्यात्सुदुर्लभम्
He attains all that, even that which is exceedingly difficult to obtain.
श्रद्धायुक्तो नरो यो वा उपवासपरः शुचिः स याति परमं स्थानं जरामरणवर्जितम्
A man who is endowed with faith, devoted to fasting, and pure—he reaches the supreme state, free from old age and death.