इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीति साहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागर खण्डे हाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये महालक्ष्मीमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम पञ्चाशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the eighty-fifth chapter, entitled 'The Greatness of Mahālakṣmī,' in the section on the glory of Hāṭakeśvara Kṣetra, in the sixth Nāgara Khaṇḍa of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
नक्षत्रैः स्थापिता देवी वांछितस्य प्रदायिनी
The goddess, established among the stars, grants whatever is desired.
दक्षस्य तनया पूर्वं सप्तविंशतिसंख्यया
Daksha's daughters were formerly twenty-seven in number.
तासां मध्ये ऽभवच्चैका रोहिणी तस्य वल्लभा
Among them, one named Rohini was his beloved.
ततो दौर्भाग्यसंतप्ताः सर्वा स्ता दक्षकन्यकाः
Then, all those daughters of Daksha, afflicted by misfortune,
संस्थाप्य देवतां दुर्गां श्रद्धया परया युताः
Established the goddess Durga as a deity, endowed with supreme faith.
ततः कालेन महता तासां सा तुष्टिमभ्यगात्
After a long time, their satisfaction was attained.
तस्मात्तत्प्रार्थ्यतां चित्ते यद्युष्माकं व्यवस्थितम्
Therefore, whatever is desired in your hearts, let it be sought.
ततः प्रोचुश्च ताः सर्वाः प्रसादात्तव वांछितम्
Then all of them said, 'By your grace, let our wish be fulfilled.'
एकं पत्युः सुखं मुक्त्वा यत्सौभाग्यसमुद्भवम्
Except for the happiness of one husband, which is the source of good fortune,
वयं दौर्भाग्यदोषेण सर्वाः क्लेशं परं गताः ६.८६.
We have all suffered greatly due to the fault of misfortune.
मत्प्रसादादसंदिग्धं भविष्यति सुखोदयम्
By my grace, without doubt, happiness will arise.
अन्यापि या पतित्यक्ता स्त्री मामत्र स्थितां सदा
Any other woman who has been abandoned by her husband and always worships me here,
सा भविष्यति सौभाग्ययु्क्ता पुत्रवती सती
She will become endowed with good fortune, chaste, and the mother of sons.
अक्षारलवणाशा या नारी मां पूजयिष्यति
Any woman who worships me with unsalted grains,
आश्विनस्य सिते पक्षे संप्राप्ते नवमीदिने तस्याः सौभाग्यमत्युग्रं सर्वदा वै भविष्यति
On the ninth day of the bright fortnight of Ashvina, her good fortune will always be exceedingly great.
एवमुक्त्वा तु सा देवी विरराम द्विजोत्तमाः
Having spoken thus, the goddess became silent, O best of twice-born.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे दक्ष आहूतः शूलपाणिना तदयुक्तं कृतं दक्ष जामाताऽयं यतस्तव
Meanwhile, Daksha was summoned by the wielder of the trident, saying, 'Daksha, this act was improper, for he is your son-in-law.'
ऊढा अखण्डचारित्रास्तास्त्यक्ता दोषवर्जिताः
Those wives, married and of unbroken character, were abandoned though free from fault.
ततो मयाऽतिकोपेन नियुक्तो राजयक्ष्मणा
Therefore, in great anger, I assigned them to be afflicted with consumption.
मद्वाक्यान्नात्र संदेहः सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम्॥ ६.८६.
There should be no doubt about my words; what I have declared is indeed true.
त्वयापि यद्वचः प्रोक्तमसत्यं स्यान्न तत्क्वचित्
And whatever statement you have made, if it were untrue, it would never come to pass.
दक्षोऽपि बाढमित्येव तत्प्रोक्त्वा च ययौ गृहम्
Daksha also replied, 'So be it,' and, having said this, went to his home.
गच्छमानः क्षयं पक्षं वृद्धिं पक्षं च सद्द्विजाः सर्वसौभाग्यदा स्त्रीणां तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे व्यवस्थिता
As he departed, O noble brahmins, the waning and waxing phases of the moon, which bestow all good fortune upon women, were established in that region.
यश्चैतत्पुरतस्तस्याः संप्राप्ते चाष्टमीदिने
And whoever, in front of her, on the eighth day when it arrives—
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखण्डे हाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये सप्तविंशतिकामाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम षडशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the eighty-sixth chapter, entitled 'The Description of the Greatness of the Twenty-Seven', in the section on the glory of the Hatakeshvara region, in the sixth book, the Nagara-khanda, of the glorious Skanda Mahapurana, comprising eighty-one thousand verses.
यस्यापि दर्शनादेव मुच्यते पातकैर्नरः
By merely seeing her, a man is freed from sins.
सोमवारे तु संप्राप्ते सोमस्य ग्रहणे नरः
But when Monday arrives, at the time of the moon's conjunction, a man—
अत्र चंद्रस्य चैवैकः कथं जातः समाश्रयः
Here, there is one unique connection with the moon—how did it come about?
एतन्नः सूतपुत्रातिचित्रं मनसि वर्तते
This extraordinary matter from the son of Suta occupies our minds.