इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठेनागरखण्डे हाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहत्म्ये सोमप्रासादमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम सप्ताशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the section of eighty-one thousand verses, in the sixth Agarakhaṇḍa, in the greatness of the Hāṭakeśvara field, the seventy-seventh chapter is named 'Description of the Greatness of the Soma Palace.'
चमत्कारी महित्था च महालक्ष्मीस्तथाऽपरा
Camatkārī, Mahitthā, and Mahālakṣmī, and another called Aparā,
अंबावृद्धा चतुर्थी च तासां तिस्रः प्रकीर्तिताः
Ambāvriddhā and Caturthī are the fourth; three of these are named.
एतस्याः सर्वमाचक्ष्व प्रभावं सूतसंभव
Tell me, O Sūta-born, all the power of this place.
यथात्र संस्थिता पूर्वं तत्सर्वं श्रूयतां मम
How it was established here before, listen to all that from me.
चमत्कारमहीपेन पुरमेतद्यदा कृतम् चतस्रो देवता ह्येताः संमतेन द्विजन्मनाम्
When Camatkāra Mahīpāla made this city, these four deities were approved by the twice-born.
अथ तस्य महीपस्य अंबानामाभवत्सुता
Then, to that king, a daughter named Ambā was born.
उभे ते काशिराजेन परिणीते द्विजोत्तमाः
Both of them were married by the king of Kāśī, O best of twice-born.
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य काशिराजस्य भूपतेः
After some time, the king of Kāśī, ruler of the earth,
अथ तैर्निहतः संख्ये सभृत्यबलवाहनः
was slain in battle along with his servants, army, and vehicles.
अथांबा चैव वृद्धा च वैधव्यं प्राप्य दुःखदम् ६.८८.
Then Ambā and the elderly woman, having attained widowhood, suffered sorrow.
देव्या आराधने यत्नं कृतवत्यौ ततः परम्
Afterwards, both devoted themselves to worshipping the goddess.
यावद्वर्षशतं साग्रं न च तुष्टा सुरेश्वरी
For over a hundred years, they persevered, but the queen of the gods was not pleased.
मंत्रैराथर्वणैर्विप्राः क्षुरिकासूक्तसंभवैः
With Atharvan mantras, O Brahmins, and hymns from the Kṣurikā Sūkta,
कृतवत्यौ ततो होमं सुसमिद्धे हुताशने
they then performed a fire offering in a well-kindled sacrificial fire.
श्वेतवस्त्रा विनिष्क्रांता नारी बालार्कसव्रिभा ॥ तथान्या च सुनेत्रास्या तप्तहाटकसन्निभा
A woman emerged from the altar, clad in white garments, radiant like the rising sun; another, with beautiful eyes, shone like molten gold.
तस्मात्कुण्डाद्विनिष्क्रांता धृतखड्गा भयावहा
From that altar, a woman emerged, holding a sword, terrifying in appearance.
प्रोचतुस्ते वरं हृत्स्थं प्रार्थ्यतामिति दुर्लभम्
They spoke: 'Choose a boon that dwells in your heart, even if it is difficult to obtain.'
निहतः संगरे क्रुद्धैर्यवनैः कालपूर्वकैः
He was slain in battle by angry Yavanas, as destined by time.
युष्मदीय प्रसादेन यथा तेषां परिक्षयः
By your favor, may the destruction of those ones occur.
स्थातव्यं च तथात्रैव उभाभ्यामपि सादरम् ६.८८.
And both must remain here with respect, just as before.
तयोस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा उभे ते देवते ततः
Hearing those words from both, the goddesses then,
एतस्मिन्नंतरे तस्मात्कुण्डाच्छतसहस्रशः
Meanwhile, from that altar, thousands upon thousands
एका गजमुखी तत्र तथान्या तुरगानना
One had the face of an elephant, and another the face of a horse.
तिर्यञ्च वपुषश्चान्या वक्त्रैर्मानुषसंभवैः
Others had animal forms, with faces arising from human origin.
गुह्य स्थानस्थितैर्वक्त्रैरेकाश्चान्या हृदिस्थितैः
Some had faces situated in secret places, and others had faces located in the heart.
एकहस्ता द्विहस्ताश्च पञ्चहस्तास्तथापराः
Some had one hand, others two hands, and yet others five hands.
बहुपादा विपादाश्च एकपादास्तथापराः
There were those with many feet, those with two feet, and others with only one foot.
एकनेत्रा द्विनेत्राश्च त्रिनेत्राश्च तथापराः
Some had one eye, others two eyes, and yet others three eyes.
वृषवानरसिंहाजव्याघ्रसर्पास्थिताः पराः
Others took the forms of bull, monkey, lion, goat, tiger, and serpent.