तज्ज्ञात्वा हृदयं तेषां चेष्टितं चैव तत्त्वतः
Knowing their hearts and their actions in truth,
क्षिप्त्वाथ लगुडं कृष्णं येन वै जंतवो हताः
Then, having cast aside the black club by which creatures were slain,
प्रणम्य दंडपातेन ततो वचनमव्रवीत्
He bowed down with his body to the ground, and then spoke these words:
सर्वैस्तैः परिमुक्तौऽहं भवतां शरणं गतः
Freed by all of them, I have come to you for refuge.
एवं तं वादिनं दृष्ट्वा ऋषयोऽत्रिमथाब्रुवन्
Seeing him speaking thus, the sages then spoke to Atri:
भवताऽयमनुग्राह्यः शिष्यो भवतु ते मुने
This one should be accepted by you; let him be your disciple, O sage.
अनेन ध्यानयोगेन महामंत्रजपेन च संस्थितो वृक्ष मूले त्वं परा सिद्धिं गमिष्यसि
By this meditation-yoga and the recitation of the great mantra, established at the root of the tree, you will attain supreme accomplishment.
इत्युक्त्वा ते ययुः सर्वे संकामं सोऽपि तत्र वै
Having said this, they all departed as they wished, and he too remained there.
तस्योपर्यभवत्तत्र वल्मीकोऽविचलस्य च
There, above him, a termite mound formed as he remained unmoving.
उदीरितं ध्वनिं तेन वल्मीके विस्मयान्विताः 5.1.24.
A sound was uttered by him from within the mound, and they were filled with wonder.
तं दृष्ट्वोत्थापयामासुर्मुनयो नयसंयुतम्
Seeing him, the sages, endowed with wisdom, raised him up.
तान्प्राह प्रणतो भूत्वा तपसा दीप्ततेजसः
Having bowed down, he addressed them—those sages blazing with ascetic power:
दीनोऽहमुद्धृतः सर्वैर्मग्नोऽहं पापकर्दमे
I am wretched, lifted up by all of you; I was sunk in the mire of sin.
वल्मीकेऽस्मिन्स्थितः पुत्र यतस्त्वमेकचित्ततः
O son, since you remained with single-pointed mind in this termite mound—
इत्युक्त्वा मुनयो जग्मुः स्वां दिशां तपसान्विताः कुशस्थल्यामथागम्य समाराध्य महेश्वरम्
Having spoken thus, the sages, endowed with austerity, went to their own directions; then, coming to Kuśasthalī, they worshipped the great Lord.
तस्मात्कवित्वमासाद्य चक्रे काव्यं मनोरमम्
From him, having attained poetic inspiration, he composed delightful poetry.
ततः प्रभृति देवेशो वाल्मीकेश्वरसंज्ञकः
From that time onward, the Lord of gods was known by the name Vālmīkeśvara.
इति ते कथितं लिंगं वाल्मीकेश्वरमुत्तमम्
Thus, the excellent liṅga called Vālmīkeśvara has been described to you.
प्रणिपत्य ततो भक्त्या रुद्रलोके महीयते
Then, bowing with devotion, one is honored in the world of Rudra.
भीमेश्वरं नरो दृष्ट्वा भक्त्या संपूज्य यत्नतः
Having seen Bhīmeśvara, a man, worshipping with devotion and care,
गर्गेश्वरं स्नापयित्वा तिलतैलेन मानवः
Having bathed Gargeśvara with sesame oil, a person—
उपोषितश्चतुर्दश्यां तिलप्रस्थतिलांभसा
Having fasted on the fourteenth day, with water mixed with sesame seeds,
गोसहस्रं नरो दत्त्वा भावं कृत्वा विशेषतः
A man, having given a thousand cows, especially with pure intent,
कामेश्वरं समभ्यर्च्य कुंकुमादिविलेपनैः
Having worshipped Kāmeśvara with ointments of saffron and the like,
चूडामणिं नमस्कृत्य नवम्यां कार्तिके सिते
Having bowed to Cūḍāmaṇi on the ninth day of the bright fortnight of Kārtika,
चंडीश्वरं समभ्यर्च्य कृष्णाष्टम्यामुपोषितः
Having worshipped Caṇḍīśvara, fasting on the dark eighth day,
इत्यादितीर्थानि महेश्वरस्य पुण्यानि सर्वाणि नरोऽभिगम्य
Thus, having approached all these holy places of Maheśvara, which are meritorious—
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवंत्यखण्डेऽवन्तीक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये शुक्रेश्वरभीमेश्वर गर्गेश्वरकामेश्वर चूडामणीश्वर चण्डीश्वरादितीर्थमाहात्म्यवर्णनं नाम पञ्चविंशोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the section of eighty-one thousand verses, in the fifth Avanti division, in the greatness of the Avanti region, the twenty-fifth chapter named 'The Description of the Greatness of the Holy Places of Śukreśvara, Bhīmeśvara, Gargeśvara, Kāmeśvara, Cūḍāmaṇīśvara, Caṇḍīśvara, and others' is concluded.
प्रमाणं कथयस्वाद्य महाकालवनस्य मे
Tell me now, O revered one, the measurement of the great Kāla forest.
तत्तेऽहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु त्वं गदतो मम
I shall now explain it to you; listen as I speak.