चापबाणधराः सर्वे यथा वै यमकिंकराः
All bearing bows and arrows, just like the servants of Yama.
मृगयूथमनु प्राप्तमस्मिन्स्थाने जलाश्रये वयं सर्वे परिश्रांताः क्षुत्तृड्भ्यां च विशेषतः
Having reached this place, a water sanctuary, along with the herd of deer, we are all exhausted, especially from hunger and thirst.
तीर्थस्यास्य प्रभावेण सत्यमेतदसंशयम्
By the power of this sacred place, this is true without any doubt.
कृत्वा स्नानं जले तस्मिन्सद्यः सिद्धिं गता नृप
Having bathed in those waters, O King, one immediately attains success.
ततः शक्रस्तु तद्दृष्ट्वा तीर्थं पापहरं नृप
Then, O King, when Indra saw that sacred place which removes sin,
अद्यापि मनुजास्तत्र बुधाष्टम्यां नराधिप 7.3.28.
Even today, O ruler of men, people go there on the eighth lunar day with understanding.
पितृमेधफलं कृत्स्नं श्राद्धदानादवाप्नुयुः
They obtain the full fruit of ancestral rites, as from śrāddha and gifts.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां सप्तमे प्रभासखण्डे तृतीयेऽर्बुदखंडे मनुष्यतीर्थप्रभाव वर्णनंनामाष्टाविंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the twenty-eighth chapter named 'The Description of the Power of Manuṣya-tīrtha,' in the third section called Arbuda-khaṇḍa, of the seventh Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa, in the eighty-one-thousand-verse Mahāpurāṇa of glorious Skanda.
यत्र स्नातो नरः सम्यङ्मुच्यते सर्वकिल्बिषैः
Wherever a man bathes properly, he is freed from all sins.
पुराऽभून्नृपतिर्नाम सुप्रभः परवीरहा
Long ago there was a king named Suprabha, destroyer of enemy heroes.
न तथा स्त्रीषु नो भोगे नाश्वयाने न वारणे
Not so much in women, nor in pleasures, nor in riding horses or elephants—
स कदाचिन्नृपश्रेष्ठ मृगासक्तोऽर्बुदं गतः
Once, O best of kings, he, fond of hunting, went to Arbuda.
स्तनं धयन्तीं सुस्निग्धां शिशोः क्षीरानुरागिणः
He saw a gentle creature suckling her young, who was attached to her milk.
अथ सा पार्थिवं दृष्ट्वा प्रगृहीतशरासनम्
Then, seeing the king with his bow drawn,
ततः सा कोपसन्तप्ता भूपालं प्रत्यभाषत
She, burning with anger, spoke to the king.
शयानो मैथुनासक्तः स्तनपो व्याधिपीडितः
Lying down, engaged in union, suckling, or afflicted by disease—
तदद्य मरणं जातं मम सर्वं नृपाधम
Today, O lowest of kings, my death has come in every way.
यस्मादहमधर्मेण हता भूमिपते त्वया 7.3.29.
Because, O lord of the earth, I have been slain by you unrighteously.
तां वै प्रसादयामास प्राणशेषां तदा मृगीम्
He then tried to appease that deer, whose life was barely remaining.
अविवेकान्मया भद्रे हता त्वं निर्घृणेन च
Out of ignorance and cruelty, O gentle one, I have slain you.
धेनुं तया समालापात्प्रकृतिं यास्यसे पुनः
From conversing with her, you will return to your natural state as a cow.
एवमुक्त्वा मृगी राजाग्रतः प्राणैर्व्ययुज्यत
Having spoken thus, the doe before the king departed from life.
अथाऽसौ पार्थिवः सद्यो रौद्रास्यः समजायत भक्षयामास तां सेनामात्मीयां क्रोधमूर्च्छितः
Then that king at once became fierce-faced; enraged, he devoured his own army.
ततस्ते सैनिका राजन्हतशेषाः सुदुःखिताः
Then, O king, the remaining soldiers, struck down and deeply distressed,
निवेदयन्तो वृत्तांतं चत्वरेषु त्रिकेषु च
reported the events in the crossroads and at the three-way junctions.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य पुत्रं भूरिपराक्रमम्
Hearing those words, his son, of great valor,
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य तस्मिन्सानौ नृपोत्तम
Then, after some time, O best of kings, in that lineage,
तत्रैका गौः परिभ्रष्टा स्वयूथात्तृणतृष्णया ॥ 7.3.29.
There, a cow, separated from her herd by thirst for grass,
अच्छिन्नाग्रतृणं या तु सदा भक्षयते नृप
O king, she who always eats grass with unbroken tips,
तत्राससाद तां व्याघ्रो दंष्ट्रोत्कटमुखावहः
There, a tiger approached her, bearing a mouth fierce with fangs.