एवमुक्तस्ततस्तेन भगवांस्त्रिपुरांतकः
Thus addressed, then, by him, the blessed destroyer of Tripura,
अब्रवीच्च सुतस्तत्र स्वयं राजा भविष्यति
He also said: 'Your son himself will become king there.'
त्वं चागच्छ मया सार्धमद्यैव मम मंदिरे
And you, come with me today itself to my abode.
अद्य माघचतुर्दश्यां शुक्लायामपरोऽपि यः
On this very day, the fourteenth of the bright half of Māgha, whoever else—
करिष्यति प्रवेशेन प्राणत्यागं नृपोत्तम
O best of kings, whoever gives up his life by entering (the water),
स्नानं वा पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ यः करिष्यति मानवः
Or, O foremost of kings, any man who bathes (there),
एवमुक्त्वा तमादाय नृपं भार्यासमन्वितम् प्रविवेश जले तस्मिन्देवीकुण्डसमुद्भवे ॥ ६.९५.
Having thus spoken, he took the king, along with his wife, and entered that water, born from the pool of the goddess.
ततश्च मंदिरं नीतः स्वकीयं द्विजसत्तमाः ९१ अद्यापि तिष्ठते तत्र जरामरणवर्जितः
Then he was led to his own abode, O best of twice-born; even today he remains there, free from old age and death.
एवं तत्र समुद्भूता सा देवी परमेश्वरी
Thus, there arose that goddess, the supreme Lady.
इति श्रीस्कान्दे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठे नागरखण्डे श्रीहाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्येऽजापालेश्वरीमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम पञ्चनवतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the ninety-fifth chapter, called 'The Description of the Greatness of Ajāpāleśvarī,' in the section on the greatness of Śrī Hāṭakeśvara-kshetra, in the sixth book, in the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
तत्पुत्रश्चाभवद्राजा मंत्रिभिस्तु पुरस्कृतः
And his son became king, being installed by the ministers.
यो नित्यमगमत्स्वर्गे वासवं रमते सदा
He always goes to heaven and delights with Indra.
गृहे यस्य स्वयं विष्णुर्भूत्वा चैव चतुर्विधः
In whose house Vishnu himself appears in fourfold form,
तेनागत्यात्र सत्क्षेत्रे तोषितो मधुसूदनः
By whose arrival at this sacred field, Madhusudana is pleased,
तस्यापि विश्रुता वापी स्वयं तेन विनिर्मिता
His renowned pond was constructed by him personally,
तस्यां यः कुरुते श्राद्धं संप्राप्ते पञ्चमीदिने
Whoever performs the śrāddha there on the fifth day,
भिंदानस्तोषितस्तेन कथं नारायणो वद
How could Narayana not be pleased by such an offering? Tell me.
सूत उवाच तस्मिञ्छासति धर्मज्ञे स्वधर्मेण वसुन्धराम्
Sūta said: While he, learned in dharma, governed the earth by his own duty,
बहुक्षीरप्रदा गावः सस्यानि गुणवंति च
The cows yielded abundant milk, and the crops were excellent,
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य दैवज्ञैस्तस्य भूपतेः ६.९६.
Then, at some time, astrologers foretold to that king,
तस्यानंतरमेवाशु दुर्भिक्षं संभविष्यति यया संपत्स्यते सर्वं भूतलं गतमानवम्
Immediately after him, famine would arise, by which all the earth would be emptied of people,
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा स राजा कुपितोऽभ्यगात्
Hearing their words, the king became angry and approached,
तस्य तुष्टेन संदत्तं विमानं कामगं पुरा
To him, when pleased, was given long ago a celestial vehicle that goes at will,
ततः सूर्यपथं मुक्त्वा ततश्चंद्रस्य पार्थिवः १४ तत्र बाणं समारोप्य शनैश्चरमुपाद्रवत्
Then, leaving the path of the sun and then of the moon, the king,
त्यजैनं रोहिणीमार्गं सांप्रतं त्वं शनैश्चर
Abandon this path of Rohini now, O Saturn,
एतेन निशिताग्रेग शरेणा नतपर्वणा
With this arrow, sharp-tipped and bent at the joints,
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा तादृग्रौद्रतमं महत्
Hearing his words, so fierce and great,
कस्त्वं ब्रूहि महाभाग मम मार्गं रुणत्सि यः
Who are you? Tell me, O illustrious one, who obstructs my path,
राजोवाच अहं दशरथो नाम सूर्यवंशोद्भवो नृपः ६.९६.
The king said: I am named Dasharatha, a ruler born of the solar dynasty,
मम यत्त्वं प्रकोपाढ्यो मन्मार्गं हंतुमिच्छसि
Because you, filled with wrath, wish to destroy my path,