Skandapurana 1.4.65.2

1.4.65.2

1 sūtaśaunakasaṃvāde dakṣiṇārṇavatīrasthatīrthamāhātmyavarṇanopakrame pañcāpsarastīrtha māhātmya vṛttāntavarṇane'rjunatīrthayātrāvṛttāntaḥ, tatrārjunasya dakṣiṇasamudratīrasthatīrthasnānārthaṃ pravṛttasya pañcasu tīrtheṣu tatratyaistapasvibhiḥ snānārthaṃ tatratyagrāhabhītyā nivāraṇama, arjunasya dharmabuddhiṃ dṛṣṭvā tāpasairarjunāya dīrghāyuṣṭvavarapradānam, tato'rjune saubhadratīrthamabhyetya snānārthamavatīrya snānaṃ kartuṃ pravṛtte grāheṇa grahaṇam, arjunena balena grāhoddharaṇe grāhasya nārīrūpatā,tayā nāryā svasyāścatasṛbhiḥ sakhībhiḥ saha ratyarthaṃ prārthitasya brāhmaṇasya śāpena grāhatvaprāptivṛttāntavarṇanam, nāradoktyā ca pañcasu tīrtheṣu grāhatvenāvasthitivarṇanam, tato'rjunenānyepu caturṣu tīrtheṣu praviśya snātvā tatratyagrāhoddharaṇapūrvaka sarvāsāmapsarasāṃ samuddhāravarṇanam, arjunasya tīrthasaṃrodhakāraṇajijñāsayā śaṃkāprāptāvapsarobhirnāradaṃ pratyetadviṣaye praṣṭavyamityuktvā svargaṃ prati gamanam.... 75 2

1. In the dialogue between Sūta and Śaunaka, at the commencement of the description of the māhātmya of the tīrthas situated on the shore of the southern ocean, in the narration of the account of the māhātmya of the Pañcāpsarastīrtha, the account of Arjuna's pilgrimage to tīrthas: there, of Arjuna setting out to bathe in the tīrthas on the southern ocean shore, his being restrained from bathing in the five tīrthas by the ascetics living there out of fear of the crocodiles residing there; the ascetics, seeing Arjuna's righteous mind, granting Arjuna the boon of long life; then Arjuna, approaching the Saubhadratīrtha and stepping down to bathe, being seized by a crocodile as he proceeded to bathe; upon Arjuna pulling the crocodile out by force, the crocodile turning into the form of a woman; that woman describing the account of her attaining the state of a crocodile through the curse of a brahmin who had been solicited for sexual union by her together with her four female friends, and her residing as a crocodile in the five tīrthas according to Nārada's word; then Arjuna, entering the other four tīrthas and bathing, pulling out the crocodiles residing there and rescuing all the apsarases; when Arjuna felt doubt through a desire to know the cause of the obstruction of the tīrthas, the apsarases saying, 'You should ask Nārada regarding this matter,' and departing to heaven.... 75 2