तथा पांडुसुताश्चैव ये चान्ये तत्र पार्थिवाः
Likewise, the sons of Pandu and the other kings who were present there,
ते तु संप्रस्थिताः सर्वे मिलिताः कुरुपांडवाः
all of them, the Kurus and Pandavas, set out together in unity.
अथ तत्क्षेत्रमासाद्य दूरे कृत्वा निवेशनम्
Then, reaching that field, they established their encampment at a distance.
तत्र सर्वान्समाहूय ब्राह्मणान्विनयान्विताः
There, they summoned all the Brahmins, who were endowed with discipline.
वयं सर्वेऽत्र वांछामो लिगसंस्थापनक्रियाम्
We all here desire to perform the rite of installing the linga.
तस्मात्कृत्वा प्रसादं नो दयां च द्विजसत्तमाः
Therefore, best of twice-born, be gracious to us and show compassion.
भविष्यथ तथा यूयं होतारः सर्वकर्मसु
Thus, you shall become the officiating priests in all the rites.
यतोऽस्माभिः श्रुता वार्ता कीर्त्यमाना पुरातनी
For we have heard the ancient account that is being recounted.
यथा तेन कृतं श्राद्धं पितुः प्रेतस्य यत्नतः ६.७३.
How he performed the śrāddha for his departed father with great care.
यथोक्तविधिना तीर्थे नागानां पंचमीदिने ॥। श्रावणे मासि नो मुक्तः पिता तस्य तथापि सः
As prescribed, on the fifth day at the sacred place of the Nagas, in the month of Śrāvaṇa, our father was not released, yet he,
प्रेतत्वात्सर्पदोषेण संजाता द्विजसत्तमाः तावत्पिता विनिर्मुक्तः प्रेतत्वाद्दारुणाद्द्विजाः
Because of the fault of serpents, he became a spirit, O best of Brahmins; only then was our father freed from the terrible state of being a spirit.
यदत्र क्रियते किंचित्कर्म धर्म्यं द्विजोत्तमाः
Whatever righteous act is performed here, O best of Brahmins,
प्रार्थयामो विशेषेण तेन दैन्यं समागताः
We especially request this, having come together in humility.
मन्त्रं चक्रुस्तदर्थं हि किं कृतं सुकृतं भवेत्
They composed a mantra for that purpose: 'What good deed should be done?'
एके प्रोचुर्न दास्यामः प्रासादार्थं वसुन्धराम्
Some said, 'We will not give land for the sake of favor.'
पंचक्रोशप्रमाणेन क्षेत्रमेतद्व्यवस्थितम्
This field, measuring five krośas, is established.
अन्ये प्रोचुर्धनोमत्ता यूयं च सुखमाश्रिताः
Others, intoxicated with wealth, said, 'You are comfortably settled.'
तस्माद्वयं प्रदास्याम एतेषां हि वसु न्धराम्
Therefore, we shall give this land to them.
तथान्ये मध्यमाः प्रोचुर्यत्र साक्षाज्जनार्दनः ६.७३.
Likewise, others of middling rank spoke, where Janārdana himself was present.
तस्माद्यत्र समायाताः कुरुपांडवयादवाः
Therefore, where the Kurus, Pāṇḍavas, and Yādavas had assembled,
याचते यत्र गांगेयः स्वयमेव तथा परः लिंगसंस्थापनार्थाय निषेधस्तत्र नार्हति
Where Bhīṣma, son of Gāṅgā, himself and others request for the establishment of a liṅga, there no prohibition is proper.
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रतिपन्नं द्विजोत्तमैः
Hearing those words, the foremost of the twice-born accepted them.
ततः समेत्य ते सर्वे ब्राह्मणाः कुरुसत्तमान्
Then all those brāhmaṇas, together with the best of the Kurus, assembled.
प्रासादैः सर्वतो व्याप्तं तत्किं ब्रूमोऽधुना वयम्
Now that the place is entirely filled with temples, what shall we say now?
तद्भवंतः प्रकुर्वंतु प्राधान्येन यदृच्छया यथाज्येष्ठं यथाश्रेष्ठं पृथक्त्वेन व्यवस्थिताः
Therefore, let your honors perform as you wish, according to seniority, excellence, and individual distinction.
अथ हर्षसमायुक्ता धृतराष्ट्रमुखाः क्रमात्
Then, filled with joy, Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the others, in order,
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखण्डे हाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये धृतराष्ट्रादिकृतप्रासादस्थापनोद्यमवर्णनंनाम त्रिसप्ततितमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the section of eighty-one thousand verses, in the sixth Nāgara-khaṇḍa, in the greatness of the Hāṭakeśvara-kshetra, the seventy-third chapter named 'The Description of the Effort by Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Others to Establish Temples' is concluded.
लिंगानां स्थापितं तत्र शतमेकोत्तरं द्विजाः
There, a hundred and one liṅgas were established, O twice-born ones.
तथा च पांडवैः सर्वैः स्थापितं लिंगपंचकम्
Likewise, by all the Pāṇḍavas, five liṅgas were established.
भानुमत्या च गौरीणां स्थापितं च चतुष्टयम्
By Bhānumatī also, four liṅgas of Gaurī were established.