तत्र शिप्रा सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा वर्तते भुवि पावनी
There, on earth, flows the Śiprā, the best of rivers, purifying.
तत्र गच्छ महाभागे सद्यश्चात्म विशुद्धये
Go there, O highly fortunate one, at once for the purification of yourself.
तमभिज्ञाय संप्राप्ता महाकालवनं शुभम्
Recognizing that, she arrived at the auspicious Mahākālavana.
विंध्यस्य चोत्तरे भागे अंजन्याश्रममुत्तमम्
In the northern part of Vindhya is the excellent hermitage of Añjanā.
पतिव्रताभिः सर्वाभिः पतिभिर्ब्रह्मचारिभिः
By all devoted wives and by husbands who are celibate,
सरसीफुल्लकल्हारैर्मत्तालिकुलनादितैः
With lakes blooming with lotuses, resounding with the songs of intoxicated bees,
मनोह्रादकरं पुण्यं पवित्रं पापनाशनम् 5.1.54.
It is charming, meritorious, pure, and destroys sin.
शुक्लवासाऽभवत्सद्यो नष्टपापमला ऽशुभा
She immediately became clad in white garments, her sins and impurities vanished, and she became auspicious.
तत्रैव चाश्रमं चक्रे मनःसंहर्षकारणम्
There itself she established an ashram, a cause of great joy to the mind.
नीलगंगेति वै व्यास तीर्थं किल्विषनाशनम्
O Vyasa, the holy place called Nilaganga is known to destroy sins.
तस्य सिद्धिः करगता भविष्यति न संशयः
His accomplishment will be in his hand—of this there is no doubt.
दर्शे पितॄन्समुद्दिश्य श्राद्धं कुर्यान्महालयम्
At the new moon, one should perform the great ancestral rite, offering śrāddha for the ancestors.
समगोत्रेषु ये जाताः पूर्वजा निरयवासिनः
Those born in the same lineage, the forefathers who dwell in hell,
स्नात्वा तिलांजलिं दद्यात्पितॄ नुद्दिश्य तत्परः
After bathing, one should offer a handful of sesame to the ancestors, intent upon them.
भोजयेद्ब्राह्मणान्सप्त श्राद्धं कृत्वा तु पायसैः
Having performed śrāddha with milk-rice, one should feed seven Brahmins.
तीर्थं पुण्यतरं व्यास शृणु चान्यद्वदामि ते
O Vyasa, hear also of another holy place, even more meritorious, which I will tell you.
सर्वपापहरं पुण्यं सर्वकामवरप्रदम् 5.1.54.
It removes all sins, bestows merit, and grants all desired boons.
दुग्धं सर्वं हविर्भाव्यं सर्वेषां जीवनप्रदम्
All milk is to be considered as an offering, bestowing life to all.
कुंडे स्नात्वा पयः पीत्वा दत्त्वा गां च पयस्विनीम्
After bathing in the pond, drinking milk, and giving a milch cow,
जायते सर्वकालेषु मृतः स्वर्गपुरं व्रजेत्
One is born at all times, and upon death, goes to the city of heaven.
सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा पुष्करस्य फलं लभेत्
With a mind purified of all sins, one obtains the fruit of Puṣkara.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवंत्यखण्डेऽवन्तीक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये नीलगंगामाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम चतुःपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the eighty-one-thousand-verse Samhita of the glorious Skanda Mahapurana, in the fifth Avantya section, in the greatness of the Avanti region, is the fifty-fourth chapter named 'Description of the Greatness of Nilaganga.'
महाकालवने रम्ये केन वा प्रेषितः पुरा
In the delightful Mahakala forest, by whom, and for what reason, was he formerly sent?
तदा सर्वसुरैरेवमगस्तिर्मुनिसत्तमः
At that time, the best of sages, Agastya, together with all the gods, thus—
आराधितो महाभागो धरणीत्राणकारणात्
—worshipped the illustrious one for the sake of protecting the earth.
एकाग्रमानसो भूत्वा भवानीं विंध्यवासिनीम्
With his mind made one-pointed, he worshipped Bhavani, the dweller on Vindhya.
कंसविद्रावणकरीमसुराणां क्षयंकरीम्
She who causes the flight of Kamsa, who brings destruction to the demons—
यशोदागर्भसंभूतां चाणूरबलमर्दिनीम्
—who was born from the womb of Yashoda, who crushed the strength of Chanura—
जननीं देवसेनस्य कवीनां वाचमीश्वरीम्
—the mother of Devasena, the sovereign of the speech of poets—
सहस्राक्षीं तथेंद्रस्य ऋषेश्चारुंधतीं पराम्
—the thousand-eyed one for Indra, and for the sage, the supreme Arundhati—