Skandapurana 5.180

Sūta said:
In the meantime, Madhyaga, who was born at Gartātīrtha,
was sent there by all the foremost Nāgara brahmins:

"Go, O Madhyaga, and say to that bad grandfather,
who destroys the livelihood of brahmins and is devoid of the path of rectitude:

'This sacred field was given to our twice-born ancestors
by Maheśvara when he was pleased, after the serpent-hole was filled up.

And since it was given, one hundred and five Grandfathers have passed away,
undoubtedly, until you, O bad grandfather!

No one has ever shown such contempt for us as [you do] now,
except you, an evil-doer devoid of the path of justice!

Whoever performs a sacrifice here or a śrāddha outside of the Nāgara brahmins,
he should be slain by all the twice-born!

No good fortune arising from it can ever accrue to him.'
This was declared by him at that time when he gave us the place.

'Therefore, whatever sacrifice you perform, perform it with Nāgara brahmins;
otherwise, while the Nāgara twice-born live, you will not be permitted to perform it.'"

Being addressed thus, Madhyaga went to where the lotus-born [Brahmā] was,
standing far from the sacrificial pavilion, surrounded by brahmins.

He then related in detail what had been spoken by all the Nāgaras.
Having heard that, the lotus-born spoke these concilatory words,

having assumed human form, surrounded by the officiating priests:
"All that has been said by you is true, O best of Madhyagas.

What shall I do? All those priests, beginning with the adhvaryu,
were chosen by me for the sacrificial rite out of negligence, not out of desire.

Therefore, bring all those foremost twice-born to this place,
so that, permitted by them, I may enter the sacrificial pavilion."

Madhyaga said:
"Abandoning divine nature, you have resorted to human form;
so how can those foremost twice-born come near you?

Just as cows are the foremost among beasts, O lotus-born one,
so indeed are the Nāgaras foremost among all brahmins here.

Therefore, Grandfather, if you desire this attainment arising from the sacrifice,
then appease all the Nāgaras with devotion."

Sūta said:
Having heard that, the lotus-born, frightened and surrounded by the officiating priests,
went to where the angry Nāgara twice-born were staying.

Then, having bowed down to all of them, endowed with humility,
standing with hands folded in supplication, he spoke these words after hearing [them]:

"I know, O foremost twice-born, that in this sacred field of Hāṭakeśvara,
a śrāddha or a sacrificial rite performed without you is in vain.

Out of fear of the Kali [age], my own Puṣkara tīrtha was brought to this place
and your tīrtha was entrusted as a deposit.

These officiating priests were brought by the preceptor for the success of the sacrifice,
he being unaware, O foremost twice-born, of the pre-eminence belonging to the Nāgaras.

Therefore, let me be forgiven, since the appointment of these very brahmins
was already made by me for the sake of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice."

And this sacred ford of mine will destroy your sins, / without a doubt, even when the Kali age is established. // 23

The brahmins said: / If you perform the sacrifice here excluding the Nāgaras, / then all other gods too, and likewise kings, will follow your path; / therefore, you must not perform the sacrifice [in this way]. // 24

If, O lord of the gods, you still perform the sacrificial rite / while disregarding all the brahmins, leave our presence immediately. // 25

Brahmā said: / From this day forward, whoever performs a sacrifice here, / or a śrāddha, excluding the Nāgaras, it shall be in vain. // 26

And whichever Nāgara performs a sacrifice elsewhere, / abandoning this sacred field, that too shall be in vain. // 27

This rule has now been established by me, O brahmins, for the Nāgaras. / Bestow your grace upon us, and be pleased to grant / permission according to rule, O brahmins, so that I may perform the sacrifice. // 28

Sūta said: / Thereupon, permitted by those gratified brahmins, the grandfather [Brahmā] / performed the sacrifice according to rule, along with those brahmins who had been chosen. // 29

Then Viśvakarman arrived and, conforming to the opinion of the Nāgaras, / performed the head-adornment, O best of brahmins. // 30

Brahmā too, having attained supreme satisfaction, said to Nārada: / 'Bring Sāvitrī quickly, so that I may go into the pavilion.' // 31

While musical instruments were being played by Siddhas, Kinnaras, and Guhyakas, / with Gandharvas engaged in singing, and brahmins devoted to chanting the Vedas, / Pulastya took up the churning-stick and spoke these words: // 32

'Wife! Wife!' the foremost of brahmins [cried] aloud, stationed there. // 33

In the meantime, Brahmā dispatched Nārada, the best of sages, / by a sign, [saying], 'Let my wife be brought.' // 34

He went slowly and playfully said to Sāvitrī— / he who loved strife, desiring a rift between Sāvitrī and the Creator: // 35

'I have been sent to you by Father, O queen of gods. / Come; having bathed, he has just now departed for the sacrificial pavilion. // 36

Yet going there entirely alone, O queen of gods, / how would you appear in the assembly, looking like one without a protector? // 37

Therefore, let all the celestial women, whoever they may be, be brought, / surrounded by whom you will go to the great sacrifice, O goddess.' // 38

Having spoken thus, the best of sages, Nārada, that most excellent sage, / went and said to his father: 'Father, Mother has been summoned by me. // 39

However, a certain stillness of disposition was observed by me in her.' / Having heard those words of his, then filled with anger, // 40

he sent Pulastya to Sāvitrī's presence: / 'Go, my child, bring her to this place; she is indolent. / Look at me standing upright, exhausted by the burden of the soma. // 41

A lapse of the proper time will occur now in this sacrificial rite; / the auspicious hour for proceeding to the sacrifice has only a little remaining.' // 42

Hearing his words, Pulastya went swiftly / to where Sāvitrī remained, surrounded by singing and dancing. // 43

Then he said: 'Why, O goddess, do you remain untroubled? / That very time suitable for proceeding to the sacrifice has only a fraction left. // 44

Therefore come, let us go; Father waits with difficulty, / distressed by the burden of the soma, standing upright, surrounded by all the gods.' // 45

Sāvitrī said: / 'My child, your father waits surrounded by all the gods; / how can I go there alone, like one without a protector? // 46

Therefore go and tell Father: "Let him wait for a muhūrta." // 47

Until Śakrāṇī, Gaurī, Lakṣmī, and other celestial maidens / arrive in this gathering, with them I will come swiftly. // 48

Vāyu has been sent by me to invite them all; / they will come quickly—so you must tell Father.' // 49

Sūta said: / He too, having gone swiftly, said to the Creator, who was afflicted by the burden of the soma: / 'She does not come, O Lord of the Universe, being occupied with household duties. // 50

And she said to me: "I shall go to the sacrifice accompanied by the wives of the gods." / And not one of them is seen yet. // 51

Knowing this, O best of the gods, do what pleases you best. / This time belonging to proceeding to the sacrifice is passing away, / and she remains occupied with household affairs, that indolent woman.' // 52

Hearing that speech of Pulastya, the Grandfather [Brahmā] / then spoke these words to Śakra standing near, O brahmins: // 53

Brahmā said: / 'Śakra, Sāvitrī does not come; that woman is indolent. / But this sacrifice must certainly be performed by me with a wife. // 54

Go, Śakra, and bring some maiden with haste, / before the time for proceeding to the sacrifice has passed.' // 55

Having heard the Grandfather's words, a maiden for that purpose, O brahmins, / was quickly found by Śakra wandering nearby. // 56

Then a girl born of a cowherd was seen by him, her head occupied with a pot of buttermilk, / slender, moon-faced, and lotus-eyed, // 57

endowed with all auspicious marks, entering the bloom of youth. / She was then asked by Śakra: 'Who are you, O lotus-eyed one? // 58

Are you an unmarried girl, or do you have a husband? Whose daughter are you? Tell us.' // 59

The girl said: / 'I am a cowherd girl, may you be blessed; I have come to sell buttermilk. / If you will take it, give me the price quickly, do not delay.' // 60

Hearing that, the lord of heaven [Indra], recognizing that she was a cowherd girl, / seized her with haste, casting the buttermilk down onto the ground. // 61

Then Śakra, taking that weeping girl in haste, / caused her to enter through the mouth of a cow and pulled her out through its anus. // 62

Having thus made her supremely pure, having bathed her in the auspicious waters / of the Jyeṣṭhakuṇḍa, O foremost of brahmins, and dressed her in two fine garments, // 63

and then filled with joy, he went quickly and presented her in front of the Four-faced One [Brahmā], / in the assembly of all the gods, and spoke: // 64

"This maiden, O best of the gods, has now been brought by me / for your sake, lovely-limbed and marked with all auspicious marks.

Knowing her to be a cowherd's daughter, and having made her enter through the mouth of a cow, / she was drawn out through the secret parts for purification, O four-faced one."

The venerable Vāsudeva said: / "The family of cows and that of brahmins was made one, divided in two: / in one reside the mantras, while in the other resides the oblation.

She came forth from the belly of a cow; she is born of that [lineage] of the twice-born. / O god, take her hand in marriage for the attainment of the sacrifice,

as long as the time appointed for the sacrificial performance does not slip away."

Rudra said: / "Because she entered into the mouth of the cow and came forth through the anus, / she shall therefore become your wife, named Gāyatrī."

Brahmā said: / "Let all the brahmins declare whether she, even if a cowherd's daughter, / can become the best of brahmin women and be my wife."

The brahmins said: / "She is the best of brahmin women, free from the cowherd caste. / Upon our word, O four-faced one, take her hand in marriage quickly."

Sūta said: / Then the god, the grandfather, took her hand in marriage, / having placed soma on her head according to the rule declared in the Gṛhya [texts], O twice-born ones.

And dwelling there stands the great goddess, exceedingly purifying, / renowned in the world even today, bestowing wealth and good fortune.

Whatever mortal, attentive in mind, gives a maiden [in marriage] at that [tīrtha] / obtains the entire fruit of the Rājasūya and Aśvamedha sacrifices.

The maiden who undergoes the taking of the hand with her husband there / becomes possessed of sons, virtuous, and endowed with happiness and good fortune.

Whatever man offers a piṇḍa there, O best of the twice-born, / his ancestors are gratified and satisfied, as at a pitṛ-tīrtha."

Thus ends the one hundred eighty-first chapter, named 'Description of the greatness of Gāyatrītīrtha at the marriage of Gāyatrī', in the Great Purāṇa of Skanda, in the compilation of eighty-one thousand [verses], in the sixth Nāgarakhaṇḍa, in the glorification of Hāṭakeśvarakṣetra. // 181