अपि यद्वैश्वदेवीयं कर्म किंचिद्द्विजन्मनाम् ६.९०.
Even whatever Vaiśvadeva rites are performed by the twice-born,
यस्माद्भवति संपूर्णं कर्म यज्ञादिकं हि तत्
Because of this, all ritual actions, including sacrifices, become complete.
यः सम्यक्छ्रद्धया युक्तो वसोर्द्धारां प्रदास्यति
Whoever, endowed with proper faith, offers the stream of ghee,
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखण्डे हाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये वसोर्द्धारामाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम नवतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the ninetieth chapter, entitled 'The Description of the Greatness of the Offering of Ghee,' in the section on Hāṭakeśvara Kṣetra, in the sixth book of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Śrī Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
संतोष्य पावकं क्रुद्धं स्वयमेव द्विजोत्तमाः
Having appeased the angry Fire, the best of twice-born themselves,
ततः सर्वैः सुरैः सार्धं शक्रविष्णुशिवादिभिः
Then, together with all the gods, including Śakra, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and others,
पावकोऽपि द्विजेंद्राणामग्निहोत्रेषु संस्थितः
Fire also, among the foremost twice-born, was established in the fire rituals.
एवं तत्र समुद्भूतमग्नितीर्थमनुत्तमम्
Thus, there arose at that place the unsurpassed sacred site of Fire.
अथ संप्रस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा तान्देवान्स्वाश्रमं प्रति
Then, seeing those gods departing towards their own hermitage,
युष्मत्कृते वयं शप्ताः पावकेन सुरेश्वराः
For your sake, we were cursed by Fire, O lords of the gods.
कार्यक्षमा न संदेहो भविष्यति विशेषतः
There will be no doubt, especially, regarding the capacity for action.
तथा यूयं नरेन्द्राणां मंदिरेषु व्यवस्थिताः
Thus, you will reside in the palaces of kings.
यथा च शुक ते जिह्वा कृता मंदा हविर्भुजा
And just as, O Śuka, your tongue was made dull by consuming oblations,
श्रीमतां च तथान्येषामस्मदीयप्रसादतः तद्भविष्यति ते शब्दो विजिह्वस्यापि दीर्घगः ॥ ६.९१.
So too, by our favor, for others among the illustrious, your speech will become renowned, even for the long-tongued.
एवमुक्त्वाऽथ ते देवाः स्वस्थानं प्रस्थितास्ततः
Having spoken thus, the gods then departed to their own abodes.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागररखण्डे हाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्येऽग्नितीर्थोत्पत्तिवर्णनंनामैकनवतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the ninety-first chapter, entitled 'The Origin of the Agni Tirtha,' in the section on the greatness of the Hatakeshvara Kshetra, in the sixth book, in the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahapurana.
ब्रह्मकुंडसमुत्पत्तिरधुना श्रूयतां द्विजाः
Now, O twice-born ones, listen to the origin of the Brahma-kunda.
यदा संस्थापितो ब्रह्मा मार्कंडेन महात्मना
When Brahma was established there by the great-souled Markandeya,
प्रोक्तं च कार्तिके मासि कृत्तिकास्थे निशाकरे
And it was declared that, in the month of Kartika, when the Moon is in Krittika,
पूजयिष्यति यो देवं पद्मयोनिं ततः परम्
Whoever worships the god, the lotus-born, at that time,
ब्राह्मणोऽपि यदि स्नानं तत्र कुण्डे करिष्यति
And if a Brahmin bathes in that kunda,
एवं प्रवदतस्तस्य मार्कंडेयस्य सन्मुनेः
Thus, as the noble sage Markandeya was proclaiming,
ततः श्रद्धाप्रयुक्तेन तेन तद्भीष्मपंचकम्
Then, with faith, he performed the Bhishma Panchaka there.
ततश्च कृत्तिकायोगे पूर्णिमायां यथाविधि
And then, at the conjunction with Krittika, on the full moon, as prescribed,
ततः कालविपाकेन स पंचत्वमुपागतः जातिस्मरः प्रभायुक्तः पितृमातृप्रतुष्टिदः
Then, through the effect of time, he attained death; endowed with memory of past births, radiant, and pleasing to his ancestors and parents.
एवं प्रगच्छतस्तस्य वृद्धिं तत्र पुरोत्तमे ६.९२.
Thus, as he proceeded, his prosperity increased in that foremost city.
अन्यदेहोद्भवे वापि तस्य शूद्रेपरिस्थितः
Or, even upon taking another birth, he was situated among Shudras.
उपकारप्रदानं च यत्किंचित्तस्य संमतम् तस्य पञ्चत्वमापन्नः संप्राप्ते चायुषः क्षये
Whatever act of kindness he considered proper, when his lifespan ended, he attained death.
अथ तस्य महाशोकं स कृत्वा तदनंतरम्
Then, after that, he caused great sorrow for him.
अथ तस्य समालोक्य तादृशं तद्विचेष्टितम्
Then, seeing such conduct of his,