Skandapurana 5.126

The seers said: / She who was praised to us by you, named Karṇotpalā, / who stayed practicing austerity after reaching a small water reservoir, / tell everything about her, how she remained in austerity.

Sūta said: / Having taken her place at the feet of Gaurī, endowed with supreme faith, / for so long, the goddess, the daughter of the mountain, the beloved of Śaṃkara, became pleased.

Then she said: “O daughter, I am pleased! State your desire, / so that I may grant it without doubt, even if it is very difficult to obtain.”

Karṇotpalā said: / “O goddess, for the sake of a husband for me, my father is deeply grieving; / he has fallen from kingship and from happiness, and is deserted by his family.

Therefore he practiced austerity, having attained supreme detachment; / and I have reached old age while still remaining in virginity.

Therefore, by your grace, O ruler of the gods, may someone known / for eminent beauty among all gods and mortals become my husband!

And likewise, by your grace, may there be supreme beauty and youth [for me], / so that happiness may arise for this ascetic father of mine.”

The goddess said: / “On the third lunar day of the month of Māgha, on an auspicious Saturday, / under the lunar mansion whose deity is the Vasus, having meditated on beauty and youth,

a ritual ablution must be performed by you in this very holy reservoir of water. / Then, having assumed a celestial body endowed with youth, / you will become [so], there is no doubt; this spoken by me is true.

Any other woman, O highly fortunate one, who performs a ritual ablution / on that day, will likewise become endowed with beauty.” / Sūta said: / Having spoken thus, that goddess then disappeared from sight; / and she also sought out the third lunar day falling on a Saturday,

diligently [awaiting] the lunar mansion belonging to the deity of the Vasus, / and meditating on that goddess who grants all desires.

Then, after a few days, that third lunar day arrived, endowed with the conjunction / as described previously by that goddess, O brahmins.

Then, meditating on beauty, auspicious fortune, youth, and the desired husband, / she entered that water at midnight.

Then, having assumed a celestial body, endowed with youth, / she emerged from that water, causing astonishment among the people.

In the meantime, awakened by the word of Gaurī, / the blessed Kāma arrived for that purpose, longing for a wife, filled with love; / and he said: “O highly fortunate one, I am Kāma, come in person.

You were designated as my wife by Pārvatī; therefore become mine without delay!

Since I have come to your presence out of affection, O auspicious one, / therefore, known as Prīti, you shall become my wife.”

Karṇotpalā said: / “If it is so, O Smara, go yourself and ask my father, / since a maiden should never proceed according to her own will.

This charming temple which is seen not very far away— / beside it our father remains, engaged in austerity.

Having gone there first, I shall stand near him; / and having come afterwards, you may then ask for me.”

When Kāma said, “Very well,” she went near him, / and having bowed down, she then said: “Fortunately, O father, once again

lovely youth has been attained by me, having propitiated the beloved of Hara. / Therefore arrange my marriage, and obtain the happiness dwelling in your heart!

A most handsome husband was sent by that goddess for my sake; / he whose bow is flowers has himself arrived into your presence, O father.”

Then, beholding his own daughter endowed with youth, / filled with great joy and especially endowed with radiance, / he said: “Today, O daughter, the fruit of austerity has been born for me,

and [the fruit] of life, O auspicious one, since you have obtained fresh youth, / and likewise a desired husband, Manobhava, given by the goddess.”

At that moment Kāma came running near her. / He said: 'O king, give me your daughter of sweet smiles!

For her sake I have been commanded by Gaurī herself, O best of kings; / I am known as Kāmadeva, by whom the three worlds are enchanted.'

Then that ruler of the earth gave away that maiden, / having made fire his witness at the word of the brahmins, O best of the twice-born.

And she, fair-eyed, became the source of pleasure (prīti) to him; / therefore, next to Rati, she became the auspicious one named Prīti.

Thus austerity was performed by her there in that reservoir of water; / therefore it has attained renown by her name everywhere on this earth.

Whatever woman or man, having risen in the morning, / performs ritual ablution during the entire month of Māgha, obtains the fruit of Prayāga.

He is born handsome and capable always in birth after birth; / he never suffers separation from his kinsmen.

Thus ends the hundred and twenty-seventh chapter, entitled 'Description of the Māhātmya of Karṇotpalātīrtha', in the Māhātmya of the Hāṭakeśvarakṣetra, in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, the sixth [part] of the auspicious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.