Skandapurana 6.3.169

6.3.169.p1

adhyāya 169

6.3.169.1

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca -
tato gacchetparaṃ tīrthaṃ puṇyaṃ pāpapraṇāśanam .
māṇḍavyo yatra saṃsiddha ṛṣirnārāyaṇastathā .. 169.1 ..

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said: / Then one should go to another sacred ford, holy, destroying sin, / where Māṇḍavya, as well as the seer Nārāyaṇa, attained perfection.

6.3.169.2

nārāyaṇena śuśrūṣā śūlasthena kṛtā purā .
tatra snātvā mahārāja mucyate pāpakañcukāt .. 169.2 ..

Long ago, attendance was offered by Nārāyaṇa [to Māṇḍavya] impaled on a stake. / Having bathed there, O great king, one is freed from the sheath of sin.

6.3.169.3

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca -
āścaryametallokeṣu yattvayā kathitaṃ mune .
na dṛṣṭaṃ na śrutaṃ tāta śūlasthena tapaḥ kṛtam .. 169.3 ..

Yudhiṣṭhira said: / This is a wonder in the worlds that you have recounted, O sage! / It has neither been seen nor heard of, dear father, that austerity was performed while fixed upon a stake.

6.3.169.4

etatsarvaṃ kathaya me ṛṣibhiḥ sahitasya vai .
asya tīrthasya māhātmyaṃ māṇḍavyasya kutūhalāt .. 169.4 ..

Recount all this to me along with [that of] the seers, indeed: / out of curiosity, [tell of] the māhātmya of this sacred ford of Māṇḍavya.

6.3.169.5

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca -
śṛṇu rājanyathāvṛttapurā tretāyuge kṣitau .
lokapālopamo rājā devapanno mahāmatiḥ .. 169.5 ..

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said: / Hear, O king, what happened long ago in the Tretā age on the earth. / There was a highly wise king named Devapanna, equal to a world-guardian,

6.3.169.6

dharmajñaśca kṛtajñaśca yajvā dānarataḥ sadā .
prajā rarakṣa yatnena pitā putrānivaurasān .. 169.6 ..

knower of dharma, grateful, a sacrificer, constantly delighting in giving. / He protected his subjects with care, just as a father protects his own sons.

6.3.169.7

dātyāyanī priyā bhāryā tasya rājño vaśānugā .
hāranūpuraghoṣeṇa jhaṅkāraravanāditā .. 169.7 ..

Dātyāyanī was the king’s beloved wife, obedient to his will, / made resonant with the jingling sound and tinkling noise of her necklaces and anklets.

6.3.169.8

parasparaṃ tayoḥ prītirvardhate'nudinaṃ nṛpa .
vaṃśastambe sthito rājā saṃśāsti pṛthivīmimām .. 169.8 ..

Mutual love between the two of them increased day by day, O king. / Established in an unbroken lineage, the king ruled this earth,

6.3.169.9

hastyaśvarathasampūrṇāṃ dhanavāhanasaṃyutām .
alaṃkṛto guṇaiḥ sarvairanapatyo mahīpatiḥ .. 169.9 ..

abounding in elephants, horses, and chariots, furnished with wealth and mounts. / Although adorned with all virtues, the lord of the earth was childless.

6.3.169.10

duḥkhena mahatāviṣṭaḥ saṃtaptaḥ santatiṃ vinā .
snānahomarato nityaṃ dvādaśābdāni bhārata .. 169.10 ..

Overcome with great grief, tormented without an offspring, / constantly devoted to ritual ablution and fire oblations for twelve years, O Bhārata,

6.3.169.11

vratopavāsaniyamaiḥ patnībhiḥ saha tasthivān .
ārādhayadbhagavatīṃ cāmuṇḍāṃ muṇḍamardinīm .. 169.11 ..

he remained with his wives in vows, fasts, and observances. / He worshipped the divine Cāmuṇḍā, the crusher of Muṇḍa,

6.3.169.12

stotrairanekairbhaktyā ca pūjāvidhisamādhinā .
jaya vārāhi cāmuṇḍe jaya devi trilocane .. 169.12 ..

with numerous hymns of praise, devotion, and absorption in ritual worship: / 'Hail, O Vārāhī, Cāmuṇḍā! Hail, O three-eyed goddess!

6.3.169.13

brāhmi raudri ca kaumāri kātyāyani namo'stu te .
pracaṇḍe bhairave raudri yoginyākāśagāmini .. 169.13 ..

O Brāhmī, Raudrī, and Kaumārī! O Kātyāyanī, homage to you! / O fierce one, Bhairavī, Raudrī, yoginī moving in the sky!

6.3.169.14

nāsti kiṃcittvayā hīnaṃ trailokye sacarācare .
rājñā stutā ca saṃtuṣṭā devī vacanamabravīt .. 169.14 ..

There is nothing devoid of you in the three worlds of moving and unmoving beings.' / Praised by the king, the gratified Goddess spoke this word:

6.3.169.15

varayasva yathākāmaṃ yaste manasi vartate .
ārādhitā tvayā bhaktyā tuṣṭā dāsyāmi te varam .. 169.15 ..

'Choose a boon according to your desire, whatever is in your mind. / Worshipped by you with devotion, being pleased, I will grant you a boon.'

6.3.169.16

devapanna uvāca -
yadi tuṣṭāsi deveśi varārho yadi vāpyaham .
putrasantānarahitaṃ saṃtaptaṃ māṃ samuddhara .. 169.16 ..

Devapanna said: / 'If you are pleased, O queen of gods, or if I am worthy of a boon, / rescue me, who am tormented and devoid of male offspring.

6.3.169.17

santānaṃ naya me vṛddhiṃ gotrarakṣāṃ kuruṣva me .
aputriṇāṃ gṛhāṇīha śmaśānasadṛśāni hi .. 169.17 ..

Grant increase to my progeny; ensure the protection of my lineage. / For the houses of those who have no sons in this world are like cremation grounds.

6.3.169.18

pitarastasya nāśnanti devatā ṛṣibhiḥ saha .
kriyamāṇe'pyaharahaḥ śrāddhe matpitaraḥ sadā .. 169.18 ..

His ancestors and the gods together with the seers do not eat [offerings]. / Even though the ancestral rite is performed day after day, my ancestors always

6.3.169.19

darśayanti sadātmānaṃ svapne kṣutpīḍitaṃ mama .
iti rājño vacaḥ śrutvā devī dhyānamupāgatā .. 169.19 ..

show themselves in my dream afflicted by hunger.' / Hearing this speech of the king, the Goddess entered into meditation.

6.3.169.20

divyena cakṣuṣā dṛṣṭaṃ trailokyaṃ sacarācaram .
prasannavadanā devī rājānamidamabravīt .. 169.20 ..

With her divine eye, she surveyed the three worlds of moving and unmoving beings. / With a gracious face, the Goddess said this to the king:

6.3.169.21

santānaṃ nāsti te rājaṃstrailokye sacarācare .
yajasva yajñapuruṣamapatyaṃ nāsti te'nyathā .. 169.21 ..

'There is no offspring destined for you, O king, in the three worlds of moving and unmoving beings. / Worship Yajñapuruṣa; otherwise you will have no child.

6.3.169.22

mayā dṛṣṭaṃ mahīpāla trailokyaṃ divyacakṣuṣā .
evamuktvā gatā devī rājā svagṛhamāgamat .. 169.22 ..

The three worlds have been observed by me, O protector of the earth, with divine sight.' / Having spoken thus, the Goddess departed, and the king returned to his own home.

6.3.169.23

iyāja yajñapuruṣaṃ saṃjātā kanyakā tataḥ .
tejasvinī rūpavatī sarvalokamanoharā .. 169.23 ..

He worshipped Yajñapuruṣa; then a daughter was born, / radiant, beautiful, captivating the minds of all the world.

6.3.169.24

devagandharvaloke'pi tādṛśī nāsti kāminī .
tasyā nāma kṛtaṃ pitrā harṣātkāmapramodinī .. 169.24 ..

Even in the world of gods and gandharvas, there was no such charming woman. / The name Kāmapramodinī was given to her by her father out of joy.

6.3.169.25

tataḥ kālena vavṛdhe rūpeṇāstambhayajjagat .
haṃsalīlāgatiḥ subhrūḥ stanabhārāvanāmitā .. 169.25 ..

Then in time she grew up, paralyzing the world with her beauty; / having the playful gait of a swan, with lovely eyebrows, bent slightly by the weight of her breasts,

6.3.169.26

raktamālyāmbaradharā kuṇḍalābharaṇojjvalā .
divyānulepanavatī sakhībhiḥ sā surakṣitā .. 169.26 ..

wearing red garlands and garments, radiant with earring-ornaments, / anointed with divine unguents, she was well-guarded by her female friends.

6.3.169.27

kucamadhyagato hāro vidyunmāleva rājate .
bhramarāñcitakeśī sā bimboṣṭhī cāruhāsinī .. 169.27 ..

The necklace resting between her breasts shone like a streak of lightning. / Her hair was curled like bees; she had lips like bimba fruit and a charming smile.

6.3.169.28

karṇāntaprāptanetrābhyāṃ pibantīvātha kāminaḥ .
candratāmbūlasaurabhyairākarṣantīva manmatham .. 169.28 ..

With eyes reaching to the tips of her ears, she seemed to drink lovers; / through the fragrances of camphor and betel, she seemed to attract Kāma.

6.3.169.29

kambugrīvā cārumadhyā tāmrapādāṅgulīnakhā .
nimnanābhiḥ sujaghanā rambhorū sudatī śubhā .. 169.29 ..

Possessing a conch-like neck, a slender waist, copper-hued toes and nails, / a deep navel, shapely hips, thighs like plantain trunks, beautiful teeth, an auspicious maiden,

6.3.169.30

mātāpitṛsuhṛdvarge krīḍānandavivardhinī .
ekasmindivase bālā sakhīvṛndasamanvitā .. 169.30 ..

increasing the joy of sport among the circle of her parents and companions. / One day, the maiden, accompanied by her circle of female friends,

6.3.169.31

candanāgarutāṃbūladhūpasaumanasāñcitā .
gṛhītvā puṣpadhūpādi gatā devīprapūjane .. 169.31 ..

endowed with sandalwood, aloe, betel, incense, and lovely flowers, / carrying flowers, incense, and other articles, went to worship the Goddess.

6.3.169.32

taḍāgataṭa utsṛjya bhūṣaṇānyaṅgaveṣṭakān .
cakruḥ sarasitāḥ krīḍāṃ jalamadhyagatāstadā .. 169.32 ..

Having left their ornaments and garments on the bank of the pond, / they, entering into the middle of the water, then sported in the pool.

6.3.169.33

krīḍantīṃ tāmavekṣyātha sasakhīṃ vimale jale .
rākṣasaḥ śambaro nāma śyenarūpeṇa cāgamat .. 169.33 ..

Then, seeing her sporting with her friend in the clear water, / a rākṣasa named Śambara came in the form of a hawk.

6.3.169.34

gṛhītā jalamadhyasthā tena sā kāmamodinī .
khamutpapāta duṣṭātmā gṛhītvābharaṇānyapi .. 169.34 ..

She, Kāmamodinī, standing in the water, was seized by him; / that evil-minded one flew up into the sky, taking her ornaments as well.

6.3.169.35

vāyumārgaṃ gataḥ so'tha kāminyā saha bhārata .
apatankuṇḍalādīni yatra toye mahāmuniḥ .. 169.35 ..

He went along the pathway of the wind with the lovely woman, O Bhārata; / her earrings and other ornaments fell into the water where the great sage [stood].

6.3.169.36

māṇḍavyo narmadātīre kāṣṭhavatsaṃjitendriyaḥ .
līno māheśvare sthāne nārāyaṇapade pare .. 169.36 ..

Māṇḍavya, on the bank of the Narmadā, his senses restrained, like a piece of wood, / was absorbed in the abode of Maheśvara, the supreme abode of Nārāyaṇa.

6.3.169.37

tasya cānucaro bhrātā bhrātuḥ śuśrūṣaṇe rataḥ .
tapojapakṛśībhūto dadhyau devaṃ janārdanam .. 169.37 ..

And his brother, an attendant devoted to serving his brother, / emaciated by austerity and recitation of mantras, meditated upon Lord Janārdana.

6.3.169.37_2

.. iti śrīskānde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ pañcama āvantyakhaṇḍe revākhaṇḍe kāmamodinīharaṇavarṇanaṃ nāmaikonasaptatyadhiśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ ..

Thus ends the one hundred and sixty-ninth chapter, titled 'Description of the Abduction of Kāmamodinī', in the Revākhaṇḍa of the fifth [part, the] Āvantyakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, a collection of eighty-one thousand [verses].