सत्यमुक्तं तदा व्यास ब्रह्महरिहरेण च
This was truly spoken then, Vyasa, by Brahma, Hari, and Hara.
ये शृण्वंति कथां दिव्यां नराश्चैकाग्रमानसाः
Those men who listen to this divine story with concentrated mind—
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पंचम आवंत्यखंडेऽवन्तीक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये शिप्राया माहात्म्ये ज्वरानुग्रहोनामैकोन पंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-ninth chapter called 'The Favor to Fever' in the section on the glory of Śiprā, within the Avanti region, in the fifth book of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Śrī Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
तथाहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि समासेन परंतप
Now I shall briefly declare it to you, O scorcher of foes.
पुरा कृतयुगे व्यास दमनोनाम वै नृपः
In ancient times, during the Kṛta age, there was a king named Damanona, O Vyāsa.
उत्पथी सर्वधर्माणां गोब्राह्मणविनिंदकः
He deviated from all righteous paths and reviled cows and brāhmaṇas.
प्रजासर्वस्वहर्ता च परदाराभिमर्शकः
He seized all the wealth of his subjects and violated others' wives.
गोग्रहः पुरभेदी च बंदी बंदिजनप्रियः
He captured cows, broke into cities, imprisoned people, and delighted in the company of prisoners.
साधुसंगपरित्यागी दुष्टो दुष्टजनप्रियः
He abandoned association with the virtuous, was wicked, and favored evil people.
धर्मनिंदाकरो नित्यमधर्मे रमते मतिः
He constantly disparaged dharma, and his mind delighted in unrighteousness.
वेदा यज्ञाश्च देवानां मूर्तिः पद्भ्यां च ताड्यते
He struck the forms of the gods, the Vedas, and sacrifices with his feet.
स एकदा वने घोरे मृगयावनगोचरः
Once, in a dreadful forest, he wandered about hunting wild animals.
न लब्ध्वा खेटकं किंचित्क्षुधार्तस्तृषितः खलः 5.1.50.
Failing to obtain any game, the wicked man became hungry and thirsty.
रात्रिः समागता तत्र घोरा घोरनि षेविता
Night fell there, terrifying and frequented by horrors.
तत्राश्वं विटपे बद्ध्वा स्वयमेव न्यषीदत
There, he tied his horse to a branch and sat down by himself.
किमिदं कुत आश्चर्यं कृत्वा हस्तेन वारितः
He wondered, 'What is this? Where did it come from?' and tried to ward it off with his hand.
दष्टमात्रे च नृपतिर्व्यथितः क्षितिमागतः
When bitten, the king was distressed and fell to the ground.
एतत्क्षणात्प्रेतभूतो घोरे नरकसंचये
In that very moment, he became a ghost, entering a dreadful accumulation of hells.
हर्षिताश्च गणाः सर्वे यमराजस्य किंकराः
All the attendants of King Yama rejoiced.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे व्यास क्रव्यादैः खादितं शवम्
Meanwhile, Vyāsa, his corpse was devoured by flesh-eating creatures.
तत्र गत्वानयन्मांसं तुंडेन वियदुद्गतः
There, rising into the sky, he brought meat with his beak.
तत्राटतो हि यत्रास्ते दिव्या शिप्रा पयस्विनी
While wandering there, he came to where the divine Śiprā, rich in waters, flows.
पतितं वै जले तस्याः शिप्रायास्तस्य काय जम् 5.1.50.
The body of that one fell into the water of that Śiprā.
त्रिनेत्रोथ जटाजृटी व्याघ्रांबरपरीवृतः
Then the three-eyed one, with matted locks and wrapped in a tiger skin, appeared.
इत्याश्चर्यमयं रूपं दृष्ट्वा दूताश्च धर्षिताः
Seeing this wondrous form, the messengers were struck with awe.
श्रूयतां भो महाराज धर्मराज नमोस्तु ते
Hear, O great king! O Lord of Dharma, homage to you!
कीकटाधिमतिर्मंदः पापिष्ठो वृषलीपतिः
The ruler of the Kīkaṭas is dull-witted, most sinful, and lord of outcastes.
यानि कानि च पापानि ब्रह्महत्यासमानि च
Whatever sins there are, even those equal to the slaying of a Brahmin,
मर्यादाभेदको मूढो वर्णाश्रमसुधर्मिणाम्
He, a fool who breaks boundaries, harms those who rightly follow caste and stage of life.
यमदंडपरः पापी अस्माकं हर्षवर्धनः
This sinner delights in Yama's rod and increases our joy.