एवं तस्य नरेंद्रस्य प्रदक्षिणरतस्य च
Thus, that king, devoted to circumambulation,
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य स राजा तत्र संगतः
Then, after some time, that king arrived there.
अग्रस्थांस्तान्द्विजान्सर्वान्नमश्चक्रे समाहितः
He respectfully greeted all the foremost Brahmins who stood before him.
ततस्तैः सहितैस्तत्र सहासीनः कथाः शुभाः
Then, seated there together with them, he engaged in auspicious conversations.
ततः कस्मिन्कथांते स पृष्टस्तैर्द्विजसत्तमैः
Thereafter, at the end of a certain conversation, he was questioned by those excellent Brahmins.
राजन्पृच्छामहे सर्वे त्वां वयं कौतुकान्विताः ६.६४.
O King, we all ask you, filled with curiosity.
मासिमासि सदाष्टम्यां त्वं शुक्लायां सुदूरतः
Month after month, on every bright eighth day, you come from afar,
यत्नेनान्याः परित्यज्य सर्वाः पूजादिकाः क्रियाः
Diligently abandoning all other rites such as worship,
रहस्यमपि वक्तव्यं युष्माकं सांप्रतं मया
Even if it is a secret, it must now be told to you all by me.
अहमास शुकः पूर्वमस्मिन्नायतने शुभे
Formerly, I was a parrot in this auspicious temple.
तत्र निर्गच्छतो नित्यं कुर्वतश्चप्रवेशनम्
There, as I constantly went out and entered,
ततः कालेन मे मृत्युः संजातोऽत्रैव मंदिरे
Then, in time, my death occurred right here in this temple.
एतस्मात्कारणाद्दूरात्समभ्येत्य प्रदक्षिणाम्
For this reason, approaching from a distance, I perform circumambulation.
पुरा भक्तिविहीनेन कुलाये वसता मया
Formerly, when I dwelled in a nest, devoid of devotion,
अधुना श्रद्धया युक्तो यत्करोमि प्रदक्षिणाम्
Now, endowed with faith, I perform circumambulation.
साधुवादं तथा चक्रुस्तस्य भूपस्य हर्षिताः ६.६४.
Then, delighted, they praised that king with words of approval.
ततः स पार्थिवः सर्वान्प्रणम्य द्विजसत्तमान्
Thereafter, that king bowed to all the foremost twice-born.
अधुना श्रद्धया युक्तो यः करोति प्रदक्षिणाम्
Now, endowed with faith, whoever performs circumambulation—
ततः प्रभृति ते विप्राः सर्वे भक्तिपुरःसराः
From then on, all those Brahmins became filled with devotion.
प्राप्ताश्च परमां सिद्धिं वांछितां तत्प्रभावतः
And, by that power, they attained the highest perfection they desired.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन तां देवीमिह संश्रयेत्
Therefore, with every effort, one should take refuge in that goddess here.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखण्डे श्रीहाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये चमत्कारीदुर्गामाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम चतुःषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixty-fourth chapter, named 'The Description of the Glory of Camatkārī Durgā,' in the section on the greatness of Śrī Hāṭakeśvara Kṣetra, in the sixth Nāgara Khaṇḍa of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, comprising eighty-one thousand verses.
यत्रानर्तो नृपः सिद्धः सुहयो नाम नामतः
Where the king named Anarta, known as Suhaya, attained perfection—
तेनैव भूभुजा तत्र लिंगं संस्थापितं शुभम्
By that very ruler, a pure liṅga was established there.
तत्रांगारकषष्ठ्यां यस्तडागे स्नानमाचरेत्
Whoever bathes in the pond there on the sixth day of Aṅgāraka—
सर्वं कथय तत्सूत सर्वं वेत्सि न संशयः
Tell me everything, Sūta; you know it all, without doubt.
सर्वारिभिर्हतो युद्धे पलायनपरायणः
Slain in battle by all his enemies, he was intent on fleeing.
अथ तस्य कपालं च कापालिक व्रतान्वितः
Then, taking up a skull, he observed the vows of a Kāpālika.
आनर्तेश्वरसांनिध्ये वसमानो वने स्थितः
Dwelling in the forest, in the presence of Ānarteśvara,
तडागोत्थेन संपूर्णं रात्रौ कृत्वा प्रमुंचति धनी भृत्यसमोपेतः सदा पुण्यपरायणः
At night, after filling it with water from the pond, he releases it—wealthy, surrounded by servants, always devoted to merit.