कन्या च सुखसौभाग्य शीलाचारगुणान्विता
And the maiden was endowed with happiness, good fortune, virtue, conduct, and qualities.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां सहितायां षष्ठे नागरखंडे श्रीहाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये हराश्रयवेदिकामाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम सप्तसप्ततितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the seventy-seventh chapter, named 'The Description of the Glory of the Haraśraya Altar' in the section on the greatness of Śrīhāṭakeśvara Kṣetra, in the sixth book of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Śrī Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
वालखिल्यैश्च तैः सर्वैर्मुनिभिः शंसितव्रतैः
And by all those Vālakhilya sages, who were devoted to vows,
सम्यक्छ्रद्धाप्रयत्नेन ब्रह्मणा विहितं तपः
Austerity was performed, as prescribed by Brahmā, with proper faith and effort.
पश्चिमे वालखिल्यैश्च जपस्नानपरायणैः आश्रमे चतुरास्यस्य तद्वो वक्ष्यामि सांप्रतम्
In the west, by the Vālakhilyas, who were devoted to recitation and bathing, in the hermitage of the four-faced one, I will now tell you about that.
तत्र दुश्चारिणी काचिद्रात्रौ ब्राह्मणवंशजा
There, at night, a certain woman of Brahmin lineage, who behaved improperly,
अज्ञाता पतिना मात्रा तथान्यैरपि बांधवैः
Was unknown to her husband, mother, and other relatives.
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य दृष्टा सा केनचि द्द्विजाः
Then, after some time, she was seen by someone, O twice-born ones.
अथासौ कोपसंयुक्तस्तस्या भर्ता सुनिष्ठुरैः
Then her husband, filled with anger, harshly confronted her.
अथ सा धार्ष्ट्यमासाद्य स्त्रीस्वभावं समाश्रिता
Then she, becoming bold and relying on her feminine nature,
किं मां दुर्जनवाक्येन त्वं ताडयसि निष्ठुरैः
Why do you strike me harshly because of the words of wicked people?
अहं त्वां शपथं कृत्वा भक्षयित्वाऽथ वा विषम् ६.७८.
I will take an oath, and either eat poison or,
अथ तां ब्राह्मणः प्राह यदि त्वं पापवर्जिता
Then the Brahmin said to her, 'If you are free from sin,'
सा तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय साहसेन समन्विता
She agreed, saying 'so be it,' and was filled with determination.
शुद्धिं च प्राप्ता सर्वेषां बन्धूनां च द्विजन्मनाम्
She attained purity in the eyes of all her relatives and the twice-born.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तस्याः साधुवादो महानभूत्
Meanwhile, great approval arose for her.
अहो पापसमाचारो दुष्टोऽयं ब्राह्मणाधमः
Ah! What sinful conduct—this wicked, fallen Brahmin!
एवं स निन्द्यमानस्तु सर्वलोकैर्द्विजोत्तमाः
Thus, being reviled by all the worlds, O best of twice-born,
शापं दातुं मतिं चक्रे ततो वह्नेः सुदुःखितः
He resolved, deeply distressed, to pronounce a curse upon Agni.
मया स्वयं प्रदृष्टेयं जारेण सह संगता
I myself have seen her united with her lover.
तस्मात्त्वां पापकर्माणमसत्यपक्षपातिनम्
Therefore, you, who act wickedly and take the side of falsehood,
सप्तार्चिर्भयसंत्रस्तः कृतांजलिरुवाच तम् ॥ ६.७८.
Terrified by the seven flames, he stood with folded hands and spoke to him.
कृतागसाऽपि मे वाक्यं शृणुष्वात्र स्फुटेरितम्
Though I have committed an offense, listen to my words spoken clearly here.
अनया परकांतेन कृतः सह समागमः
With this woman, union was made with another man.
परं यस्माद्विशुद्धैषा मया दग्धा न सा द्विज
Yet, because she is pure, I burned her; she is not a twice-born.
यत्रानया कृतः संगः परकांतेन वै द्विज
Where this woman had intercourse with another man, O twice-born,
तत्र कृत्वा रतं चित्रं परकांतसमं तदा
There, after engaging in varied pleasure equal to that with her lover,
ततः प्रक्षालयत्यंगं कुण्डे तत्राग्रतः स्थिते
Then she washed her body in the pool, with me standing before her.
अत्र पूर्वं विपाप्माऽभूद्ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः
Here, previously, Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds, was sinful.
तस्मान्नास्त्यत्र मे दोषः स्वल्पोऽपि द्विजसत्तम
Therefore, O best of twice-born, there is not even the slightest fault in me here.