Skandapurana 6.3.27

6.3.27.p1

adhyāya 27

6.3.27.1

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca -
nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā rājñī vacanamabravīt .
prasādaṃ kuru viprendra gṛhṇa dānaṃ yathepsitam .. 27.1 ..

Glorious Mārkaṇḍeya said: / Hearing Nārada's words, the queen spoke: / 'Grant your favor, O best of brahmins! Accept a gift as you desire:

6.3.27.2

suvarṇamaṇiratnāni vastrāṇi vividhāni ca .
tatte dārayāmi viprendra yaccānyadapi durlabham .. 27.2 ..

Gold, jewels, gems, and various garments— / all that I shall give you, O best of brahmins, and whatever else is rare to obtain.'

6.3.27.3

rājñyāstu vacanaṃ śrutvā nārado vākyamabravīt .
anyeṣāṃ dīyatāṃ bhadre ye dvijāḥ kṣīṇavṛttayaḥ .. 27.3 ..

Hearing the queen's words, Nārada replied: / 'Let it be given to others, gentle lady—to those twice-born whose means of livelihood are exhausted.

6.3.27.4

vayaṃ tu sarvasampannā bhaktigrāhyāḥ sadaiva hi .
ityuktā sā tadā rājñī vedavedāṅgapāragān .. 27.4 ..

We, however, are endowed with everything, and can always be won over by devotion alone.' / Thus addressed, the queen then called upon destitute brahmins / who were masters of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, and began to give

6.3.27.5

āhūya brāhmaṇānniḥsvāndātuṃ samupacakrame .
yatkiṃcinnāradenoktaṃ dānasaubhāgyavardhanam .. 27.5 ..

whatever had been mentioned by Nārada as a gift that promotes good fortune.

6.3.27.6

tena dānena me nityaṃ prīyetāṃ hariśaṅkarau .
tato rājñī ca sā prāha nāradaṃ munipuṃgavam .. 27.6 ..

'May Hari and Śaṅkara be ever pleased with me through this gift!' / Then the queen said to Nārada, the foremost among sages:

6.3.27.7

rājñyuvāca -
dānaṃ dattaṃ tvayoktaṃ yadbhartṛkarmaparaṃ hi tat .
ājanmajanma me bhartā bhavedbāṇo dvijottama .. 27.7 ..

The queen said: / 'The gift that you prescribed has been given, for it is dedicated to the welfare of my husband. / May Bāṇa be my husband from birth to birth, O best of the twice-born!

6.3.27.8

nānyo hi daivataṃ tāta muktvā bāṇaṃ dvijottama .
tena satyena me bhartā jīvecca śaradāṃ śatam .. 27.8 ..

Indeed, there is no other deity for me, dear father, except Bāṇa, O best of the twice-born! / By that truth, may my husband live for a hundred autumns!

6.3.27.9

nānyo dharmo bhavetstrīṇāṃ daivataṃ hi patiryathā .
tathāpi tava vākyena dānaṃ dattaṃ yathāvidhi .. 27.9 ..

There is no other religious duty for women, for a husband is their deity. / Even so, according to your word, the gift was given according to rule.

6.3.27.10

svakaṃ karma kariṣyāmo bhartāraṃ prati mānada .
brahmarṣe gaccha cedānīṃ tvamāśīrvādaḥ pradīyatām .. 27.10 ..

We shall perform our own duty toward our husband, O giver of honor. / Go now, O brahmin seer; may a blessing be bestowed [by you]!'

6.3.27.11

tatheti tāmanujñāpya nārado nṛpasattama .
sarvāsāṃ mānasaṃ hṛtvā anyataḥ kṛtamānasaḥ .. 27.11 ..

Saying 'So be it', and taking leave of her, O best of kings, / Nārada, having stolen the minds of all [those women], set his mind elsewhere.

6.3.27.12

jagāmādarśanaṃ vipraḥ pūjyamānastu khecaraiḥ .
tato gatamanaskāstā bhartāraṃ prati bhārata .. 27.12 ..

The brahmin vanished from sight while being worshipped by sky-farers. / Then, O descendant of Bharata, their minds having strayed from their husband,

6.3.27.13

vivarṇā niṣprabhā jātā nāradena vimohitāḥ .. 27.13 ..

they became pale and lusterless, utterly bewildered by Nārada.

6.3.27.13_2

.. iti śrīskānde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ pañcama āvantyakhaṇḍe revākhaṇḍe narmadāmāhātmye tripurakṣobhaṇavarṇanaṃ nāma saptaviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ ..

Thus ends the twenty-seventh chapter, entitled 'Description of the Agitation of Tripura', in the Narmadāmāhātmya of the Revākhaṇḍa of the Āvantyakhaṇḍa, the fifth [part] of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the collection of eighty-one thousand [verses].