सोत्रैव लभते सिद्धिं जयं सर्वत्र मानवः
Even here, a man attains success and victory everywhere.
स्वर्णेन पूजयेद्देवं सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
By worshipping the god with gold, he is freed from all sins.
सर्पतो न भयं तस्य दारिद्यं नैव जायते
He has no fear of serpents, nor does poverty arise for him.
विष्णुमायाविनिर्मुक्तः स याति परमं पदम्
Freed from the illusion of Viṣṇu, he attains the supreme state.
स मुच्येत महापापैर्यद्यपि ब्रह्महा भवेत्
He is released from great sins, even if he were a slayer of a Brahmin.
दर्शनात्तस्य देवस्य शतयज्ञफलं भवेत्
By seeing that god, one obtains the fruit of a hundred sacrifices.
इतिश्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवंत्यखण्डेऽवन्तीक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये चतुर्दशतीर्थयात्रावर्णनंनाम विंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the twentieth chapter, named 'Description of the Pilgrimage to the Fourteen Holy Places,' in the section on the greatness of the Avanti region, in the fifth book of the eighty-eight-thousand-verse Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
हनुमत्केश्वरंनाम भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदम्
There is a place called Hanumatkeśvara, bestower of the fruits of enjoyment and liberation.
शैवे सरसि यः स्नात्वा पश्येद्धनुमत्केश्वरम्
Whoever, having bathed in the Śaiva lake, beholds Hanumatkeśvara—
कथां कथय ह्येतस्य वृत्तपूर्वां सनातनीम्
Tell the story of this, the ancient tale of what happened before.
विष्णुना रामरूपेण लंकायां विनिपातितः
By Viṣṇu, in the form of Rāma, he was struck down in Laṅkā.
घातयित्वा तु तं दुष्टं सीतामादाय जानकीम्
Having slain that wicked one, he took Sītā, the daughter of Janaka.
तत्र राज्यमनुप्राप्य ऋषिभिः परिवारितः
There, having attained the kingdom, surrounded by sages—
पप्रच्छ च द्वयोर्वीर्यं शंभुवातजयोस्तदा
He then asked about the prowess of the two, Śaṃbhu and the Wind-born.
अनौपम्यो यथा देवो युद्धे शौर्यं? महेश्वरः
Just as the god Maheśvara is incomparable in valor in battle—
एतच्छुत्वाथ हनुमान्यद्धरेणो पमा मम
Hearing this, Hanumān said, 'Among monkeys, I am the equal.'
गमिष्ये नगरीं लंकां लिंगमेकं प्रयाचितुम् 5.1.21.
I will go to the city of Lanka to request a liṅga.
ततो गतः स लंकायां विभीषणमुवाच ह
Then, having gone to Lanka, he spoke to Vibhīṣaṇa.
उक्तं च राक्षसेन्द्रेण गृहाणैतद्यथा रुचि
And the king of the Rākṣasas said, 'Take this as you wish.'
त्रैलोक्यविजयात्पूर्वं मम भ्रात्रा महात्मना तत्प्रयच्छामि तेऽद्यैव सत्यमेतत्प्लवंगम
Before the conquest of the three worlds, my noble brother gave this; I now give it to you today, O monkey—this is the truth.
ततो जग्राह हनुमाँल्लिंगं मौक्तिकसंनिभम्
Then Hanumān took the liṅga, shining like a pearl.
श्रुत्वा हनुमतो वाक्यमथोवाच विभीषणः
Hearing the words of Hanumān, Vibhīṣaṇa then spoke.
श्रूयते हि पुरावृत्तं लिंगमेतद्धनेश्वरः
It is heard that, long ago, this liṅga belonged to the Lord of Wealth.
रावणेन यदा बद्धस्तदानीं हि धनेश्वरः
When Rāvaṇa was bound, then indeed the Lord of Wealth—
प्रसादात्तस्य लिंगस्य धनेशो धनरक्षकः
By the grace of that liṅga, the Lord of Wealth became the protector of wealth.
सप्तमे दिवसे चैव संप्राप्तोऽवंतिकां पुरीम्
And on the seventh day, he reached the city of Avantikā.
तत्र रुद्रसरस्तीरे स्थाप्य स्नानमथाकरोत् 5.1.21.
There, on the bank of Rudrasaras, he placed it and then bathed.
उद्धर्तुकामस्तल्लिगमुद्धर्तुं न शशाक सः
Desiring to lift that liṅga, he was not able to do so.
ततो व्यवस्थितो देवः प्राह तं वायुनन्दनम्
Then the deity, having become manifest, spoke to the son of the wind.
हनुमत्केश्वरं चाथ लोके ख्यातं भविष्यति
'Hanumatkeśvara will become renowned in the world.'