वृद्ध्यादौ वाथ चांते वा ताभ्यां पूजां करोति यः
Whoever performs worship for them at the beginning or end of the waxing and waning phases—
यात्राकाले पुमान्यश्च ताभ्यां पूजां समाचरेत्
Or at the time of a journey, a man should perform worship for them.
सदाष्टम्यां चतुर्दश्यां यस्ताभ्यां बलिमाहरेत्
Whoever offers oblation to them on every eighth and fourteenth lunar day—
यो महानवमीसंज्ञे दिवसे श्रद्धयान्वितः
He who, filled with faith, on the day called the Great Navamī—
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखण्डे हाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्येंऽबावृद्धामाहात्म्यवर्णनंनामाष्टाशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the section of eighty-eight thousand verses, in the sixth Nāgara Khaṇḍa, in the greatness of the Hāṭakeśvara Kṣetra, this is the eighty-eighth chapter, entitled 'The Description of the Greatness of Ambāvṛddhā.'
बालकानां क्षयो जज्ञे ब्राह्मणानां गृहेगृहे
There arose the destruction of children in every house of the brāhmaṇas.
तरुणानां विशेषेण चमत्कारपुरोत्तरे
Especially among the young men, after a marvelous event.
ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे ज्ञात्वा छिद्रसमुद्भवम्
Then all those brāhmaṇas, having learned of the source of the calamity—
अम्बावृद्धे समासाद्य पूजयित्वा प्रयत्नतः
Approached Ambāvṛddhā and worshipped her with great care.
रक्षार्थं सर्वविप्राणां चमत्कारेण भूभुजा
For the protection of all the brāhmaṇas, by the king with wonder—
ह्रियंते बालका रात्रौ छिद्रं प्राप्य सहस्रशः
Children are taken away at night, finding an opening, by the thousands.
प्रसादः क्रियतां तस्माद्ब्राह्मणानां महात्मनाम्
Therefore, let favor be shown to those great-souled brāhmaṇas.
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ततोंऽबा कृपयान्विता
Hearing their words, then Ambā, filled with compassion—
इमे मत्पादुके दिव्ये गुहामध्यगते सदा ६.८९.
These, my divine sandals, always remain within the cave.
या काचिल्लौल्यमास्थाय निष्क्रमिष्यति मोहतः
Whoever, out of any greed, seeks to go out in delusion—
पूजां को वात्र चाहारस्तस्माद्ब्रूहि सुरेश्वरि
What worship or offering should be made here, O Queen of the gods? Tell us.
पूजां सम्यक्करिष्यंति सर्वासां भक्तिसंयुताः
All of them, endowed with devotion, will perform the worship properly.
पादुके मे प्रपूज्यादौ मांस मद्यादिभिः क्रमात्
First worship my sandals, then offer meat, liquor, and so on, in order.
ततस्तथेति ताः प्रोच्य गुहामध्ये व्यवस्थिताः
Then, having said 'So be it,' they remained within the cave.
ततस्तत्र समागत्य पुरुषा अपि दूरतः प्रयांति च परां सिद्धिं जन्म मृत्युविवर्जिताम्
Afterwards, men also gathered there from afar and attained the supreme accomplishment, free from birth and death.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे नष्टा अग्निष्टोमादिकाः क्रियाः ॥ तीर्थयात्राव्रतान्येव संयमा नियमाश्च ये
Meanwhile, the rites such as Agniṣṭoma were lost; only pilgrimages, vows, restraints, and disciplines remained.
ये चापि ब्राह्मणाः शांताः सदा मद्यस्य दूषणम्
And those peaceful Brāhmaṇas always shunned the corruption of wine.
तर्पयंति तथा मांसैस्त्यक्ताशेषमखक्रियाः
They offered libations with meat, having abandoned all sacrificial rites.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे भीताः सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः ६.८९.
Meanwhile, all the gods, along with Indra, became fearful.
प्रोचुर्महेश्वरं गत्वा विनयावनताः स्थिताः
They went to Maheśvara, stood humbly, and spoke.
देवा ऊचुः हाटकेश्वरजे क्षेत्रे पादुके तत्र संस्थिते
The gods said: In the field of Haṭakeśvara, where the sandals are established,
ब्राह्मणा अपिदेवेश मद्यमांसेन भक्तितः
Even the Brāhmaṇas, O Lord of gods, worship with wine and meat.
नष्टा धर्मक्रिया सर्वा मर्त्यलोकेत्र सांप्रतम्
All righteous rites are now lost in the world of mortals.
तस्मात्त्वं कुरु देवेश यथा स्यात्पादुकाक्षयः
Therefore, O Lord of gods, do as is necessary so that the sandals may not perish.
जगन्माताऽक्षया साक्षान्ममा पि जननी च सा
The Mother of the world is eternal, and she is also truly my mother.