स कथं पूजितस्तेन शंभुर्मे कौतुकं महत्
How was Śambhu worshipped there by him? I have great curiosity about this.
दर्शयन्नात्मनो बाणं तस्यासौ पृष्ठतः स्थितः
Showing his own arrow, he stood behind him.
ततो वाराणसीं प्राप्तस्तद्भयात्त्रिपुरांतकः
Then, out of fear, the destroyer of Tripura reached Vārāṇasī.
ततः प्रयागमापन्नः केदारं च ततः परम्
From there he went to Prayāga, and then further to Kedāra.
गोकर्णं च प्रभासं च पुण्यं च कृमिजांगलम्
And to Gokarṇa and Prabhāsa, and the holy Kṛmijāṅgala.
किं वा तेन बहूक्तेन तीर्थान्यायतनानि च
What is the use of recounting at length the holy places and shrines?
यत्रयत्र महादेवस्तद्भयान्नृप गच्छति
Wherever the great god, out of fear, goes, O king,
कस्यचित्त्वथकालस्य पुनः प्राप्तोऽर्बुदं प्रति आकुंचितैकपादं च स्थिरदृष्टिं नृपो त्तम ॥ 7.3.40.
Then, after some time, he again arrived near Arbuda, standing with one foot drawn up, with steady gaze, O best of kings.
अथाऽसौ भगवाञ्छांतः प्रियादुःखसमन्वितः
Then that blessed one, silent, filled with both joy and sorrow for his beloved,
तस्य कोपाभिभूतस्य तृतीयान्नयनान्नृप
For him, overcome by anger, from his third eye, O king,
सचापः सशरो राजंस्तस्मिन्पर्वतरोधसि
With bow and arrow, O king, upon the slope of that mountain,
कैलासं पर्वतश्रेष्ठं जगाम सुरपूजितः व्यलपत्करुणं दीना पतिशोकपरि प्लुता
He went to Kailāsa, the foremost of mountains, worshipped by the gods; she, overwhelmed by grief for her husband, cried out piteously in distress.
ततो दारूणि चाहृत्य चितिं कृत्वा नराधिप तावदाकाशगां वाणीं शुश्राव च यशस्विनी
Then, having gathered wood and built the funeral pyre, the illustrious king heard a voice from the sky.
वागुवाच भूयः प्राप्स्यसि भर्त्तारं कामें तुष्टेन शंभुना
The voice said: 'You will again obtain a husband, by the grace of Shiva, pleased by your devotion.'
सा श्रुत्वा तां तदा वाणीं समुत्तस्थौ समुमध्यमा व्रतैर्दानैर्जपैर्होमैरुपवासैस्तथा परैः
Hearing that voice, she rose up at once, slender-waisted, and undertook vows, gifts, recitations, sacrifices, and other great austerities.
ततो वर्ष सहस्रांते तुष्टस्तस्या महेश्वरः
Then, at the end of a thousand years, Maheshvara was satisfied with her.
अक्षतांगः पुनः कामः कांतो मे जायतां पतिः
May my beloved husband, Kama, be restored to me with his body uninjured.
एवमुक्ते तया वाक्ये तत्क्षणात्समुपस्थितः 7.3.40.
When she spoke these words, he appeared there instantly.
इक्षुयष्टिमयं चापं पुष्पबाणसमन्वितम्
He held a bow made of sugarcane, fitted with flower-arrows.
ततो रतिसमायुक्तः प्रणिपत्य महेश्वरम्
Then, accompanied by Rati, he bowed down to Maheshvara.
स दृष्ट्वा शिवमाहात्म्यं श्रद्धां कृत्वा नृपोत्तम
Seeing the greatness of Shiva, he developed faith, O best of kings.
यस्मिन्दृष्टे महाराज नारी वा यदि वा नरः
O great king, whoever—woman or man—beholds him,
एवमेतन्मया ख्यातं यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि
Thus have I declared to you what you have asked me.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां सप्तमे प्रभासखंडे तृतीयेऽर्बुदखंडे कामेश्वरमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम चत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fortieth chapter, named 'The Greatness of Kameshvara,' in the third Arbuda section of the seventh Prabhasa book, in the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahapurana.
यत्र पूर्वं तपस्तप्तं मार्कंडेन महात्मना
Where formerly the great-souled Markandeya performed austerities,
मृकण्डो ब्राह्मणोनाम पुराऽऽसीच्छंसितव्रतः
There was once a brahmin named Mrikanda, devoted to vows.
सर्वलक्षणसंपूर्णः शांतः सूर्यसमप्रभः
He was endowed with all auspicious marks, tranquil, and radiant like the sun.
आगतो ब्राह्मणो ज्ञानी कश्चित्सामुद्रविच्छुभः
A learned brahmin arrived there, shining like the ocean.
आनासाग्रशिखाग्राभ्यां चिरं चैवावलोकितः
He gazed at him for a long time, from the tip of his nose to the top of his head.
अथाऽब्रवीच्चिरं दृष्टस्त्वया पुत्रो मम द्विज
Then he said, 'You have looked at my son for a long time, O brahmin.'