Skandapurana 14.2

Vasiṣṭha said: / “Formerly there was a sage named Gautama, of great austerity. / His beloved, lawful, and renowned wife was Ahilyā.

That sage then instructed hundreds of disciples. / When they were accomplished in sacred learning and study, he dismissed them to their homes.

There was also another disciple of his, devoted to service of the guru; / intelligent, named Uttaṅka, he dwelt in his abode.

He did not dismiss him, even though overwhelmed by old age; / and Uttaṅka, because of being an exemplary disciple, did not even notice his graying head.

Though he had mastered all knowledge and was equipped to perform his duties, / once, with the passing of time, he went outside for firewood.

Gathering a large quantity, he returned to the excellent hermitage. / Then he threw that bundle of firewood down upon the ground.

Then he saw a single white braid of matted hair caught in the firewood. / Seeing that, he was stricken with grief and thought miserably:

‘Fie, fie! My life is ruined! For what purpose have I been occupied with work? / Senseless as I am, I have not even taken a wife!

There will be an end to my lineage through the negligence of my foolish mind!’ / Then Uttaṅka, being distressed, was seen by the wife of the guru.

His grief was promptly reported to Gautama. / Gautama, saying ‘So be it,’ spoke to him with gentle words:

‘Child, go home, and duly perform the agnihotra and other rites / together with a wife, without a doubt.’

Having been spoken to thus by his guru, he replied to the guru: / ‘Ask for your sacrificial gift, master, and I will surely give it!’

Gautama said: / ‘Great service has always been done by you, my child; / by that alone my fullness is achieved, of this there is no doubt.’

Uttaṅka said: / ‘Something must be accepted by you, master, so that I may find satisfaction. / By your favor, best of sages, I have mastered all knowledge.’

Gautama said: / ‘Nothing is to be accepted by me, son; I am satisfied with your service. / I desire no wealth from you; go happily to your home.’

Having been addressed thus by his guru, he also spoke to the mother: / ‘Something must be received [from me], Mother; let satisfaction be granted to me!’

The guru's wife said: / ‘Go to Saudāsa, son; quickly carry out my order. / His beloved, lawful, and renowned wife is Madayantī.

Bring quickly the two earrings of Madayantī, my dear boy; / otherwise I will pronounce a curse, if you have not returned by the fifth day.’

Addressed thus by the guru's wife, he immediately departed. / He reached Saudāsa's house and saw that he had the face of a tiger.

Seeing him, he then said to the brahmin who had approached to be eaten: / ‘I shall certainly devour you, O brahmin; there is no doubt about this.’

Uttaṅka said: / ‘Devour me by all means, but hear one thing, O lord of men: / give me the two earrings, friend; having given them to my guru, / I will return. Devour me then, when my task is done.’

Saudāsa said: / ‘Go to the fortress-abode where my beloved resides. / Approaching her with effort, O twice-born, out of fear for your life,

let her be asked in my name; she will give you the two earrings. / And you must not act contrary to what is true, O best of the twice-born.’

Vasiṣṭha said: / Having gone into the presence of Madayantī, the best of the twice-born said: / ‘Give me the two earrings, O queen; Saudāsa has commanded you.’

Madayantī said: / ‘I still have doubt, O brahmin, best of the twice-born, regarding the earrings. / Bring a token of recognition from the king and show it [to me], O twice-born!’

He went swiftly to the king and asked for a token of recognition.

Saudāsa said: / ‘Without whom there is no good state, and who surely lead to a wretched state— / go and speak my words thus to that virtuous lady, O best of the twice-born; / then she will certainly give the two gem-studded earrings.’

Vasiṣṭha said: / Taking the token of recognition, he went and reported it to her.

Then she gave them to him: ‘Take my two earrings, O twice-born.’ / She said, ‘Taking great care, let them be carried away, O best of the twice-born.

Takṣaka constantly desires these two earrings, O twice-born.’ / Agreeing with ‘So be it,’ his eyes wide with wonder, / he returned to the king out of curiosity and spoke these words:

‘By means of the token of recognition, O king, the two radiant earrings have been obtained by me; / but the meaning of the words was not understood, and therefore I have come back.’

Out of curiosity, tell me, O king, how it truly stands in your own case: / Without whom is there no good realm, and who leads one into misfortune?

Saudāsa said: / When gratified, O brahmin, the twice-born grant a good realm; / when displeased, they grant misfortune at once, just as befell me long ago.

This curse of mine from the great-souled Vasiṣṭha was to last only until now. / By him it was said: ‘When someone shall set forth a question to you,

then you shall be freed from your transgression, without a doubt.’ / By your favor, indeed, I am freed from the curse, O best of brahmins, / and have attained the sāttvika abode. Go, O brahmin, homage to you!

Vasiṣṭha said: / Released by him, Uttaṅka quickly set out upon the path. / As he went, overcome with intense hunger, he saw bilva fruits.

Then, having tied the two earrings in a black antelope skin and placed them on the ground, / that sage, afflicted with hunger and desiring fruit, climbed [the tree].

At that very moment, Takṣaka, the best of serpents, / took the two earrings and swiftly went facing the south.

Then Uttaṅka, having eaten the fruit and descended to the surface of the earth, / searched everywhere, filled with great haste.

Having seen him coming near and facing him, the best of serpents / entered a dread chasm enveloped in darkness.

Uttaṅka also reached the chasm, and entering it, filled with darkness, / he took a wooden staff and, furious, began to dig.

Seeing him so distressed, suffering on account of his guru's business, / Indra placed the thunderbolt at the end of the staff.

Then he swiftly tore open the surface of the earth, / and, wandering about for the sake of the earrings, entered Pātāla.

There he saw an entirely white horse endowed with fine qualities. / He was told by it: ‘Touch my anus; then your purpose will be achieved.’

He quickly did so, and from it smoke arose; / through it, O mountain, Pātāla was everywhere filled with fire.

Then all the serpents, bewildered, came running; / placing Takṣaka at their head, they arrived with the earrings. / Giving them to Uttaṅka and bowing down, they went home.

Vasiṣṭha said: / Then the horse spoke to him: ‘I am Agni, O best of brahmins, / who was propitiated by you previously at the instruction of your teacher.

Knowing that you had arrived distressed, I have come here out of deep compassion. / By all means, O venerable one, quickly mount my back.

I will take you to where your guru, the abode of all virtues, dwells.’ / Having mounted its back, he departed toward the hermitage.

In that very moment he reached the dwelling of Gautama. / At that very time, Ahilyā, having adorned herself

and bathed, approached her husband and spoke these words, virtuous woman: / ‘Uttaṅka has not arrived today; I will surely cast a curse [on him]!

For he has been seen by me to be lax in his duties toward his guru.’ / But as her words ended, Uttaṅka came into view.

With a serene face, delighted, possessing the two earrings, / having bowed down to her with devotion, he presented the earrings.

Seeing them, that virtuous woman immediately placed them on her two ears. / Then she swiftly dismissed Uttaṅka to his own home.

Vasiṣṭha said: / Thus that chasm was created on account of Takṣaka and Uttaṅka, / about which I constantly worry regarding the filling of the pit for the cow's sake.

Therefore, fill it quickly; no other is capable of this task. / Quickly perform my business, O best of mountains, without a doubt.

Thus ends the second chapter, entitled ‘The Description of the Deeds of Gautama's Disciple Uttaṅka, in the Account of the Origin of the Chasm,’ in the Arbuda Section of the third Prabhāsa Section, in the Great Purāṇa of Śrī Skanda, in the collection of eighty-one thousand verses.