तारकोऽपि समालोक्य देवान्स्वयमुपागतान्
Tāraka, seeing that the gods themselves had come,
ततोऽभूत्सुमहद्युद्धं देवानां दानवैः सह
Then there was a great battle between the gods and the demons.
अथ स्कन्देन संवीक्ष्य दूरस्थं तारकं रणे
Then Skanda, perceiving Tāraka standing far off in the battle,
अथासौ हृदयं भित्त्वा तस्य दैत्यस्य दारुणा
He pierced the heart of that fierce demon.
तारकस्तु गतो नाशं मुक्तः प्राणैश्च तत्क्षणात्
Tāraka perished, his life departing at that very moment.
स्तोत्रैर्बहुविधैः स्तुत्वा प्रोचुस्तस्मिन्हते सति ॥ गताश्च त्रिदिवं तूर्णं सह शक्रेण निर्भयाः ।१ ६.७१.
Having praised him with many kinds of hymns, when he was slain, they quickly went to heaven, fearless, along with Indra.
स्कन्दोऽपि तां समादाय शक्तिं तत्र पुरोत्तमे
Skanda also took up that shakti in that most excellent place.
ऋषय ऊचुः रक्तशृंगः कथं तेन निश्चलोऽपि दृढीकृतः
The sages said: How was Raktaśṛṅga, though unmoving, made firm by him?
रक्तशृङ्गः प्रचलितः स्वस्थानादतिवेगतः
Raktaśṛṅga, shaken, moved violently from his own place.
तस्य दैत्यस्य पातेन यथान्ये पर्व तोत्तमाः
By the fall of that demon, just as with other great mountains,
शीर्णानि चलिते तस्मिन्पर्वते व्यथिता द्विजाः
When that mountain was shaken, its peaks were broken, and the twice-born were distressed.
हतशेषास्ततो विप्रा गत्वा स्कन्दं क्रुधान्विताः
Then the remaining Brāhmaṇas, having been struck down, went to Skanda, filled with anger.
नाशं नीता वयं सर्वे सपुत्रपशुबाधवाः
We have all been destroyed, along with our sons, cattle, and relatives.
यद्धतो दानवो रौद्रो नान्यथा द्विजसत्तमाः
Because that fierce Dānava was slain, it could not have been otherwise, O best of twice-born.
प्रसादः क्रियतां तस्मान्मान्या मे ब्राह्मणाः सदा
Let favor be shown to them; Brāhmaṇas are always to be honored by me.
पुनर्जीवितसंयुक्तान्करिष्यामि न संशयः ६.७१.
I will restore them to life again, without doubt.
एवमुक्त्वा समादाय तां शक्तिं रुधिरोक्षिताम्
Having spoken thus, he took up that spear, stained with blood.
ततः प्रोवाच संहृष्टो देवतानां चतुष्टयम्
Then, delighted, he addressed the four groups of deities.
युष्माभिर्निश्चलः कार्यो भूयोऽयं नगसत्तमः
By you, this great mountain must be made unmoving again.
युष्माकं ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे पूजां दास्यंति सर्वदा
All the Brāhmaṇas will always offer you worship.
बाढमित्येव ताः प्रोच्य चतुर्दिक्षु ततश्च तम् ततश्चामृतमादाय मृतानपि द्विजोत्तमान्
Saying, 'So be it,' they then, in all directions, took the nectar and revived even the best of twice-born who had died.
ततस्ते ब्राह्मणास्तत्र संहृष्टा वरमुत्तमम् सदैव ख्यातिमायातु एतन्मे हृदि वांछितम्
Then those Brāhmaṇas there, delighted, asked for the highest boon: 'May we always have fame—this is my heart's desire.'
चमत्कारपुरं तद्वत्सांप्रतं सुरसत्तम
O best of gods, let Camatkārapura now be just so.
पूजां तव करिष्यामः कृत्वा प्रासादमुत्त मम्
We will perform your worship, having built the highest temple.
सर्वाः संपूजयिष्यामः सर्वकृत्येषु सादरम् विशेषात्पूजयिष्यामः षष्ठ्यां श्रद्धासमन्विताः ॥ ६.७१.
We will honor all with respect in every rite, and especially worship on the sixth day, filled with faith.
स्थितस्तत्रैव तद्वा क्याज्ज्ञात्वा तत्क्षेत्रमुत्तमम्
He remained right there, having recognized that excellent sacred place.
यस्तं पूजयते भक्त्या चैत्रषष्ठ्यां सुभावतः
Whoever worships him with devotion on the sixth day of Caitra, with pure intent,
तस्यां शक्तौ नरो यश्च कुर्यात्पृष्ठिनिघर्षणम् स न स्याद्रोगसंयुक्तो यावत्संवत्सरं द्विजाः
And whoever, O twice-born, rubs the back in that power on that day, will not be afflicted by disease for a whole year.
एवं तत्र धृता शक्तिस्तेन स्कन्देन धीमता
Thus, the power was established there by that wise Skanda.
इति श्रीस्कान्दे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखण्डे हाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये स्कन्दस्थापितशक्तिमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनामैकसप्ततितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the seventy-first chapter, named 'The Description of the Greatness of the Power Established by Skanda,' in the section on the glory of the Haṭakeśvara field, in the sixth book of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Śrī Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.