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,
कस्मात्त्वमस्य नीचस्य पशुपालस्य सर्वदा
Why do you always attend to this lowly cowherd?
तस्यापि प्रेतकार्याणि मृतस्यापि करोषि किम्
Why do you perform the funeral rites even for him, though he is dead?
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा किंचिल्लज्जासमन्वितः
Hearing their words, he was somewhat accompanied by shame.
अहमस्यान्यदेहत्वे पुत्र आसं सुसंमतः
I was, with full approval, the son in her other body.
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य मार्कंडस्य महामुनेः
Then, at some point in time, of the great sage Markandeya,
कार्तिक्यां कृत्तिकायोगे भीष्मपञ्चककृन्नरः ६.९२.
During Kartika, at the conjunction with the Krittikas, a man performed the Bhishma Panchaka.
दृष्ट्वा पितामहं देवं पूजयित्वा जनार्दनम्
Having seen the divine grandsire, and having worshipped Janardana,
तन्मया विहितं सम्यक्स्नात्वा तत्र शुभावहे
That was properly performed by me, having bathed there in the auspicious place.
चन्द्रोदयस्य विप्रर्षेरन्वये भुवि विश्रुते संस्मरन्पूर्विकां जाति तेन स्नेहो मम स्थितः
Recalling the former lineage, famed on earth in the ancestry of the sage Chandrodaya, my affection remained because of that.
अतोऽहं कृत्तिकायोगे कार्तिक्यां भक्तिसंयुतः
Therefore, at the conjunction with the Krittikas during Kartika, I was filled with devotion.