गिरिगह्वरकुंजेषु गुहाध्वांतांतरेषु च
In the mountain caves and among the darkness within the caverns.
गृहदीर्घिकासु रम्यासु शालामालासु सर्वतः
In the charming household ponds and everywhere among rows of halls.
कुमुद्वतीप्रफुल्लानि विराजंते सरांसि च
The lakes adorned with fully blossomed kumudvatī flowers shine brightly.
नद्यः सरांसि सर्वाणि वापीकूपसुपल्वलाः
The rivers, all the lakes, ponds, wells, and marshes—
यस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु प्रफुल्ला च कुमुद्वती 5.1.45.
Because in all seasons the kumudvatī remains in bloom,
कुमुद्वत्यां नरा ये तु श्राद्धं कुर्युः समाहिताः
Those men who, with focused mind, perform śrāddha on the kumudvatī,
अक्षयं लभते श्राद्धं पितॄणां दत्तमक्षयम्
Attain imperishable śrāddha; the offering given to the ancestors becomes imperishable.
यत्किंचित्क्रियते कर्म तत्सर्वं चाक्षयं भवेत्
Whatever act is performed there, all of it becomes inexhaustible.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवन्त्यखण्डेऽवन्तीक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये कुमुद्वतीप्रभावकथनंनाम पञ्चचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-fifth chapter, named 'The Account of the Glory of Kumudvatī,' in the section on the greatness of the Avantī region, in the fifth book of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
शृणु व्यास महाभाग यथा ब्रह्माब्रवीत्सुरान्
Hear, O blessed Vyāsa, how Brahmā spoke to the gods.
तथाहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि विस्तरेण तपोधन
So I shall now recount it to you in detail, O treasure of austerity.
मारीचः कश्यपस्तेपे तपः परमदुष्करम्
Mārīca Kaśyapa performed austerity of the highest difficulty.
शीर्णपत्रानिलाहारो वायुभक्षी जितेन्द्रियः
Sustained by fallen leaves and air, subsisting on wind, with senses mastered,
श्रूयतां भो द्विजश्रेष्ठ मम वाक्यमनुत्तमम्
Hear, O best of twice-born, my unsurpassed words.
तस्मात्ते संततिस्तात यावच्चंद्रदिवाकरौ
From you, O dear one, will come a lineage lasting as long as the moon and sun.
अदितिस्ते सती भार्या त्वया सहाचरत्तपः
Aditi, your virtuous wife, practiced austerity together with you.
भविष्यंति सुताः सर्वे विष्णुश्चेंद्रपुरोगमाः
All your sons will be born, with Viṣṇu at their head, along with Indra.
त्वं चापि च ऋषिश्रेष्ठः प्रजापतिरकल्मषः
And you, best of seers, will become a sinless progenitor.
इत्युक्त्वा च पुन र्देवी तत्रैवांतरधीयत 5.1.46.
Having spoken thus, the goddess vanished right there.
कश्यपः सह दाक्षिण्या साग्निकः समुपाश्रितः
Kaśyapa, together with Dakṣa's daughter and with fire, took refuge there.
मरीचेः कश्यपो जज्ञे ततः सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्
From Marīci, Kaśyapa was born, and from him, all things were established.
नंदनं चापि तत्रैव महाकालवनोत्तमे
And Nandana too was there, in that most excellent Mahākāla forest.
सा सिषेवे सदा तत्र महाकालं महेश्वरम्
She always served Mahākāla, the great Lord, there.
बिंदुसरः समाख्यातं मानसं सर उत्तमम्
Bindu Lake is renowned as the supreme Mānasa Lake.
मुक्तामणिगणाकीर्णं रत्नशोभनशोभितम्
It is adorned with clusters of pearls and shines with the brilliance of jewels.
यानि यानि च दिव्यानि संति ब्रह्माण्डगोलके
Whatever divine things exist within the sphere of the universe,
तेनतेनात्मयोगेन मानवाश्चात्र संस्थिताः
By that very union of self, humans are established here.
अन्योन्यं च समाकीर्णा सर्वे चामरसंनिभाः
All are mingled with one another, and all resemble the immortals.
अमरांगनासमा नार्यः सदैव स्थिरयौवनाः 5.1.46.
The women are equal to celestial maidens, always possessing youthful vigor.
देवदानवगन्धर्वैः किन्नरोरगराक्षसैः
With gods, demons, gandharvas, kinnaras, serpents, and rākṣasas,