अथ दृष्ट्वा महत्तेजो वैष्णवं दूरतोऽपि तम्
From afar, they saw that great Vaiṣṇava radiance.
अत्रैव त्वं द्विजश्रेष्ठ तिष्ठ दूरेऽपि तेजसः
"Here, O best of twice-born, remain at a distance from that radiance."
नो चेत्संपत्स्यसे भस्म पतंग इव पावकम्
"Otherwise, you will be reduced to ashes like a moth in fire."
आवाभ्यां तत्प्रसादेन सोढमेतत्सुदुःसहम्
"By His grace alone have we endured this, which is extremely difficult to bear."
एवं तं ब्राह्मणं तत्र मुक्त्वा दूरे सुतान्वितम्
Thus, leaving that brāhmaṇa there at a distance, together with his sons,
दिव्यस्तुतिपरौ मूर्ध्नि धृतहस्तांजलीपुटौ
Absorbed in divine praise, with hands joined and placed upon their heads,
त्रिःपरिकम्य तं देवमष्टांगं प्रणतौ हरिम् ६.८०.
They circumambulated the Lord three times and bowed to Hari with eightfold prostration.
पादसंवाहनासक्तां विष्णु वक्त्राहितेक्षणाम्
Engaged in massaging His feet, their gaze fixed upon Viṣṇu's face,
सन्निविष्टां तदभ्याशे सम्यग्ध्यानपरायणाम्
They sat nearby, wholly devoted to proper meditation.
अथ तौ विष्णुना हर्षादुभावपि प्रहर्षितौ
Then, both were filled with joy by Viṣṇu Himself.
गरुडो वै ब्राह्मणाय यन्मां पृच्छसि केशव
O Keśava, you ask me, Garuḍa, on behalf of the brāhmaṇa.
कच्चिन्नेंद्रस्य संजातं भयं दानवसंभवम्
Has fear arisen for Indra, born from the Dānavas?
यज्ञभागं लभंते स्म कच्चिद्देवाः सवासवाः
Have the gods, along with Indra, obtained their share of the sacrifice?
रोरूयमाणा भारार्ता दानवैः पीडिता भृशम्
Are the gods, tormented greatly by the Dānavas, crying out in distress, burdened by the weight?
उग्रसेनसुतः कंसः संभूतः स महासुरः
Kaṃsa, the son of Ugrasena, that great asura, has arisen.
अरिष्टो धेनुकः केशी प्रलम्बोनाम चापरः
Ariṣṭa, Dhenuka, Keśī, and another named Pralamba—
इतश्चेतश्च धावद्भिर्दानवैरेभिरेव च ६.८०.
And these Dānavas are running here and there in all directions.
ऊर्ध्वबाहुस्तथा जातो मर्त्यलोके जनोऽधुना
Now, people in the mortal world are raising their arms upward.
भारावतरणं देव न करिष्यसि चाशु चेत्
O god, if you do not quickly relieve the burden of the earth—
तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मणा लोककर्तृणा
Hearing these words from her, the goddess Earth, spoken to Brahmā, the creator of the worlds—
प्रोक्तव्यो भगवान्वाक्यं त्वया देवो जनार्दनः
You must convey this message, O sage, to the blessed god Janārdana.
तस्माद्भूभितले देव कृत्वा जन्म स्वयं विभो
Therefore, O Lord, you should yourself take birth on earth.
भारावतरणं भूमेः साकं देवैः सवासवैः
And, together with the gods and Indra, relieve the burden of the earth.
एवमुक्त्वाऽथ तं विष्णुर्नारदं मुनिपुंगवम्
Having spoken thus, Viṣṇu then addressed Nārada, the foremost of sages.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखण्डे श्रीहाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये सुपर्णाख्यमाहात्म्ये विष्णुदर्शनमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनामाशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the eightieth chapter, entitled 'The Greatness of the Vision of Viṣṇu,' in the section on the glory of Suparṇa, within the account of Śrī Hāṭakeśvara Kṣetra, in the sixth Nāgara Khaṇḍa of the eighty-eight-thousand-verse Śrī Skānda Mahāpurāṇa.
श्रीगरुड उवाच ममास्ति दयितं मित्रं ब्राह्मणो भृगुवंशजः
Śrī Garuḍa said: I have a dear friend, a brāhmaṇa descended from the lineage of Bhṛgu.
न तस्याः सदृशः कांतः प्राप्तस्तेन महात्मना अनुरूपं द्विजश्रेष्ठ यद्यहं संमतस्तव
No suitable husband has been found for her by that great soul; O best of twice-born, if I am agreeable to you as a match—
ततो मयाऽखिला भूमिस्तद्वरार्थं विलोकिता
Then, for the sake of that marriage, I have searched the entire earth.
ततस्त्वं पुण्डरीकाक्ष मम चित्ते व्यवस्थितः
Then, O lotus-eyed one, you have become established in my heart.
तस्मात्पाणिग्रहं तस्याः स्वीकुरुष्व सुरेश्वर
Therefore, O lord of the gods, accept her hand in marriage.