सप्तम्यां सूर्यवारेण उपवासपरायणः स प्राप्नोति सुतं श्रेष्ठं स्ववंशस्य विवर्धनम्
Whoever, devoted to fasting, observes the vow on the seventh day, the day of the Sun, obtains an excellent son who increases his own lineage.
निष्कामो वा नरो यस्तु तं पूजयति मानवः
Or, any man who worships him, even without desire, O human being—
अथ गाथा पुरा गीता नारदेन सुरर्षिणा
Then, there is a verse formerly sung by Nārada, the sage among the gods:
अपि वर्षशता नारी वंध्या वा दुर्भगापि वा
Even if a woman is barren for a hundred years, or unfortunate—
किं दानैः किं व्रतैर्ध्यानैः किं जपैः सोपवासकैः
What use are gifts, or vows, or meditations, or recitations with fasting?
वर्षमेकं नरो भक्त्या यः पश्येत्सूर्यवासरे
If a man, with devotion, beholds (the Sun) on the Sun's day for one year—
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन तं देवं यत्नतो द्विजाः
Therefore, with every effort, worship that god diligently, O Brahmins.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखंडे श्रीहाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये सांबादित्यमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम षट्पञ्चाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-sixth chapter, entitled 'The Greatness of Sāmbāditya,' in the section on the glory of the Hāṭakeśvara field, in the sixth book, in the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
भीष्मेण ब्राह्मणेंद्राणां संमतेन तथात्मना
By Bhishma, with the approval of the foremost Brahmins and by his own will,
शंतनोर्दयितः पुत्रो गांगेय इति विश्रुतः
The beloved son of Shantanu, renowned as the son of Ganga,
तस्यासीत्तुमुलं युद्धं भार्गवेण समं महत् अंबाकृते शितैः शस्त्रैरस्त्रैश्च तदनंतरम्
He fought a fierce and great battle with Bhargava, for the sake of Amba, with sharp weapons and missiles thereafter.
ततो ब्रह्मादयो देवाः स्वयमेव व्यवस्थिताः गताश्च ते समुत्थाप्य पुनरेव त्रिविष्टपम्
Then Brahma and the other gods themselves appeared and, having intervened, returned again to heaven.
अंबापि प्राप्य परमं गांगेयोत्थं पराभवम्
Amba too, having suffered utter defeat at the hands of Ganga's son,
भर्त्सयित्वा नदीपुत्रं बाष्पव्याकुललोचना
Rebuked the son of the river, her eyes filled with tears.
यस्माद्भीष्म त्वया त्यक्ता कामार्ताहं सुदुर्मते
"Because you, Bhishma, have rejected me, tormented by desire, O most wicked-minded one,
स्त्रीहत्यया समायुक्तस्त्वं च नूनं भविष्यसि
You will surely be stained with the sin of killing a woman."
ततः स घृणयाऽऽविष्टो भीष्मः कुरुपितामहः
Then Bhishma, the grandsire of the Kurus, was overcome with remorse.
भगवन्काशिराजस्य सुतया मे प्रजल्पितम् ६.५७.
"O venerable one, these words were spoken to me by the daughter of the King of Kashi.
तत्किं स्याद्वाक्यमात्रेण नो वा ब्राह्मणसत्तम
O best of Brahmins, does such a thing come to pass by words alone, or not?
स्त्रीजनो वा द्विजो वापि तस्य पापं तु तद्भवेत्
Whether it is a woman or a Brahmin, the sin accrues to the one who wrongs them.
स्त्रियं वा ब्राह्मणं वापि तस्मान्नैव प्रकोपयेत्
Therefore, one should never provoke either a woman or a Brahmin.
तपो वा यदि वा दानं व्रतं नियममेव वा
Whether it is austerity, charity, a vow, or observance,
तत्पापं स्त्रीवधे कृत्स्नं जायते भरतर्षभ
All that merit is entirely destroyed by the sin of killing a woman, O best of the Bharatas.
तदत्र विषये दानं न तपो न व्रतादिकम्
Therefore, in this matter, charity alone is effective—not austerity, nor vows, nor other observances.
ततः क्रमात्समायातो भ्रममाणो महीतले
Then, wandering upon the earth, he gradually arrived,
अथापश्यन्महात्मा स सुपुण्यं तद्गयाशिरः ६.५७.
And that great-souled one beheld the supremely holy Gayashira.
चक्रे तावन्नभोवाणी वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह
Then the celestial voice spoke these words.
कर्तुं स्त्रीहत्ययायुक्तस्तस्माच्छृणु वचो मम
You are not fit to commit the killing of a woman; therefore, listen to my words.
अस्मात्स्थानात्समीपस्थं वारुण्यां दिशि पुण्यकृत्
From this place, go to the nearby region of Varuna, where merit is gained.
स स्त्रीहत्याकृतात्पापान्मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
There, one is freed from the sin of killing a woman; there is no doubt about this.