शासनानि प्रदत्तानि ब्राह्मणानां महात्मनाम्
Edicts were issued for the great-souled Brahmins.
विध्वंसिताः स्त्रियो नैका विधवाश्च विशेषतः ४ कुमार्यो रूपवत्यश्च तथा निज कुलोद्भवाः
Many women were destroyed, especially widows, as well as beautiful maidens born in their own families.
देवताराधनं पूजां कर्तुं नैव ददाति सः
He did not permit the worship or honoring of the deities.
प्रोवाचाथ जनान्सर्वान्मां पूजयत सर्वदा
Then he said to all the people, 'Always worship me.'
मया तुष्टेन सर्वेषां संपत्स्यति हृदि स्थितम्
If I am pleased, all that is desired will arise in the hearts of all.
तेन शस्त्रविहीनानां विश्वस्तानां वधः कृतः
By him, those without weapons and trusting were killed.
अचौराः प्रगृहीताश्च चौराः संरक्षिताः सदा ६.८३.
The innocent were seized, while thieves were always protected.
न कृतं च व्रतं तेन श्रद्धापूतेन चेतसा
He did not perform any vow with a mind purified by faith.
एवं तस्य नरेन्द्रस्य पापासक्तस्य नित्यशः
Thus, that king, always attached to sin,
ततस्तं व्याधिना ग्रस्तं पुत्रपौत्रविवर्जितम्
Then, afflicted by disease, deprived of sons and grandsons,
तं च निर्वासयामासुस्तस्माद्देशात्पदातिकम्
He was exiled on foot from that land.
सोऽपि सर्वैः परित्यक्तस्तेन पापेन कर्मणा
He too was abandoned by all because of that sinful deed.
एकाकी भ्रममाणोऽथ सोऽपि कष्टवशं गतः
Alone, wandering, he too came under the sway of suffering.
ततः प्रासादमासाद्य सुपर्णाख्यसमुद्भवम्
Then, reaching a palace called Suparṇa,
ततो दिव्यवपुर्भूत्वाविमानवरमाश्रितः
Thereafter, taking on a divine form, he entered a splendid celestial vehicle.
सेव्यमानोप्सरोभिश्च स्तूयमानश्च किन्नरैः
He was attended by Apsarases and praised by Kinnaras.
अथ तं संनिधौ दृष्ट्वा गौरी पप्रच्छ सादरम् अनेन किं कृतं कर्म यत्प्राप्तोऽत्र विभूतिधृक् ॥ ६.८३.
Then, seeing him present, Gauri respectfully asked, 'By what deed has he attained this state of glory here?'
वेणुसंज्ञो धरापृष्ठे कुष्ठव्याधिसमाकुलः
Known as Venu on earth, he was afflicted with the disease of leprosy.
स संत्यक्तो निजैर्दारैः शत्रुवर्गेण धर्षितः
He, abandoned by his own wives and oppressed by the enemy faction,
उपवासपरिश्रांतः सांनिध्यं मम यत्र च
Exhausted by fasting, came to my presence.
तत्प्रभावादिह प्राप्तः सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम्
By that power, he arrived here; truly, this is what I have declared.
स सर्वाभ्यधिकां भूतिं प्राप्नुयाद्वरवर्णिनि
He attains prosperity surpassing all, O woman of excellent complexion.
एतैस्तत्र कृतं सर्वैर्देवि प्रायोपवेशनम् प्रासादे तत्र निर्मुक्ताः प्राणैर्यांति ममांतिकम्
By these, O goddess, all performed the act of fasting unto death there; in the temple, released from their lives, they come near to me.
विस्मयाविष्टहृदया साधु साध्विति साऽब्रवीत्
Her heart filled with wonder, she said, 'Excellent, excellent!'
ततःप्रभृति लोकेऽत्र पुरुषा मुक्तिमिच्छवः
From that time onward, in this world, men desiring liberation,
प्रायोपवेशनं कृत्वा श्रद्धया परया युताः
Having performed fasting unto death, endowed with supreme faith,
एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं सर्वपातकनाशनम् ६.८३.
All this has been told to you, which destroys all sins.
इति श्रीस्कन्दे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखण्डे श्रीहाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये सुपर्णाख्यमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम त्र्यशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the eighty-third chapter, named 'The Description of the Glory of Suparṇa,' in the section on the greatness of the Śrī Hāṭakeśvara Kṣetra, in the sixth Nāgara Khaṇḍa of the eighty-one-thousand-verse compendium of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
माधवीं भगिनीं प्राप्य जन्मांतरमुपस्थिताम्
Having obtained Mādhavī, his sister, when another birth had come,
अश्ववक्त्रां करिष्यामि तपसा सुशुभाननाम् सर्वं विस्तरतो ब्रूहि परं कौतूहलं हि नः
I shall make her horse-faced, named Suśubhānana, through austerity; tell everything in detail, for our curiosity is great.