Skandapurana 3.3.23.22

3.3.23.22

21 atha rājñā bhadrasenena tasya rājakumārasya bhaviṣyadbhāgyaviṣaye parāśaramuniṃ prati pṛcchāyāṃ kṛtāyāṃ parāśaramuninā tasya sudharmākhyasya rājaputrasyādyadinātsaptame'hni mṛtyurbhaviṣyatīti bhaviṣyatkathanam, tacchutvā'tiduḥkhitaṃ bhadrasenabhūpaṃ prati bodha- vacanaiḥ samāśvāsya tasya sudharmākhyarājaputrasya mṛtyunivāraṇāya rudrādhyāyajapā- nuṣṭhānakathanam, atha rājñaḥ prārthanayā rudrādhyāyapāṭhapūrvakaṃ tena parāśaramuninā vratatapaḥsadācārasaṃpannairbrāhmaṇaiḥ saha tasya rājakumārasya pratidinamabhiṣeke kriya- māṇe saptame'hnyakasmātkṣaṇamātraṃ mūrchanā prāpya punaḥ sadya eva prabodhanam, tadānīṃ tena kumāreṇa mūrchanāvasthāyāṃ mṛtyoḥ śivadūtasya cāgamanapūrvakaṃ śivadūtakṛta- mṛtyuparābhavakathanam, tataḥ parāśarādibhiḥ sarvairṛṣibhistasya rājakumārasyāśīrvacanaṃ pradāya tatpitre rājñe'bhayaśaṃsanam, tato rājñā sarveṣāṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ vipulaambāyāḥ bhojanapradānādinā satkārakaraṇam, tataḥ svaputreṇa parāśaraguruprabhṛtimaharṣibhiśca
saha siṃhāsana upaviṣṭasya suprasannasya tasya bhadrasenanṛpasya sramīpe mahāyoginaḥ
śrīnāradamaharṣerāgamanam, tato bhadrasenena rājñā kṛtapūjāsatkriyeṇa nāradena rājānaṃ prati 'tava putraṃ netuṃ yamasyātrāgamane sati śaṃkareṇa preṣitena vīrabhadreṇa yamasya śāsanaṃ kṛtam iti varṇanaṃ yamena vīrabhadrasya praṇāmapūrvakaṃ stutikaraṇānaṃtaraṃ vīrabha-
drādyamamocanādivṛttāntavarṇanaṃ ca, 'rudrādhyāyapaṭhanapūrvakābhiṣecanaprabhāvāttava putrasya
mṛtyubhītinivāraṇaṃ jātamasyāyutavarṣaparyaṃtamāyuḥ sakalasaukhyāvāptiśca bhaviṣyati'
ityāśīḥ pradāya nāradasya gamanam, parāśarādimaharṣīṇāṃ ca sahaputrāya rājña āśīḥ
pradāya svasvāśramagamanam, itthaṃ rudrādhyāyaprabhāvavarṇanam... ..... 211 2

21. Now, when King Bhadrasena questioned the sage Parāśara regarding the future destiny of the prince, the sage Parāśara foretold the future, stating that on the seventh day from today, death would befall the prince named Sudharma; hearing this, [Parāśara] consoled the deeply grieved King Bhadrasena with words of wisdom and prescribed the performance of the recitation of the Rudrādhyāya to avert the death of that prince named Sudharma; then, at the king's request, as daily ceremonial baths were performed for the prince by that sage Parāśara together with brahmins endowed with vows, austerities, and virtuous conduct, accompanied by the recitation of the Rudrādhyāya, on the seventh day he suddenly fell into a swoon for a mere moment and then immediately regained consciousness; then that prince narrated the arrival of Death and of a messenger of Śiva during his state of swoon, and the defeat of Death wrought by Śiva's messenger; then Parāśara and all the other seers, bestowing blessings upon the prince, gave assurance of safety to his father, the king; then the king honoured all the brahmins by providing abundant food and other offerings; then, while King Bhadrasena was seated delightfully upon his throne together with his son and the great seers headed by the teacher Parāśara, the great yogin, the revered sage Nārada, arrived in his presence; then Nārada, having been honoured and worshipped by King Bhadrasena, described to the king: 'When Yama came here to take your son, Yama was chastised by Vīrabhadra, who was sent by Śaṃkara', along with the account of Yama's bowing, praising, and subsequent release by Vīrabhadra; and giving the blessing, 'By the power of the ceremonial bath accompanied by the recitation of the Rudrādhyāya, your son's fear of death has been dispelled; he will attain a lifespan of ten thousand years and all happiness,' Nārada departed; and the great seers headed by Parāśara, bestowing blessings upon the king and his son, departed to their respective hermitages; thus is described the efficacy of the Rudrādhyāya. ... 21