Skandapurana 5.182

Sūta said: / When the second day arrived for the performance of the sacrificial rites, / on the twelfth day, O best of twice-born, there occurred / an event that caused great wonder to all the gods; listen to it: (1)

When the sacrificial rite had commenced by the officiating priests who were well-versed in the Vedas, / a certain youth who was very mischievous, taking a water-snake, (2)

entered the assembly hall and, laughing aloud, threw that snake / near a brahmin—a cause of distress and fright to all. (3)

Then that water-snake, wandering swiftly here and there / among the brahmins sitting in the assembly engaged in the sacrificial rite, (4)

while the invocation of the Hotṛ was proceeding in that long sacrificial session, / that snake coiled all around his body. (5)

For fear of [incurring an expiatory] penance, he did not stir from his place; / with his gaze fixed on the altar-piling, he uttered not a word. (6)

In the meantime, O twice-born, a great cry of dismay arose / in that assembly of brahmins, out of fear that the snake was venomous. (7)

A great cry of dismay arose upon seeing him coiled around by the snake. / His humble son, engaged in the duties of the Maitrāvaruṇa priest, (8)

standing there, saw his father surrounded by the serpent. / Knowing that [boy’s] act when fear arose from the snake, / that sage, filled with rage, cursed that youth: (9)

“Since a snake was thrown by you, evil one, into the assembly, O wicked-minded one, / therefore, by my word, quickly become a snake without a doubt!” (10)

The youth said: / “In jest and in play this water-snake was released by me here; / it was not aimed at your father. Why then do you curse me, O twice-born?” (11)

At that moment, releasing his body, that serpent / went elsewhere, and the boy too was transformed into a snake. (12)

Having become a snake, that youth, the son of Sanātana, / overcome with grief and sorrow, was surrounded by brahmins. (13)

Then, having gone to Bhṛgu, his eyes clouded with tears, / he bowed before him and spoke in a faltering voice: (14)

“I am the son of Sanātana and grandson of the Supreme Lord [Brahmā]. / I have been cursed by your son, the noble Cyavana. (15)

I am innocent, O best of brahmins! Therefore protect me from the curse.” / Hearing that, Bhṛgu himself, overcome with compassion, said to Cyavana: (16)

“An improper thing was done, my son, when this youth was cursed by you. / Even a serpent full of poison is not able to overpower me. (17)

How much less this water-snake, non-venomous and resembling a rope! / The snake was not directed at me by this twice-born. / Therefore grant this twice-born release from the curse swiftly.” (18)

Cyavana said: / “If the ocean should cross its boundary, the sun become cold, / and the moon turn hot, then my word could be false.” (19)

Hearing his word, the Grandfather [Brahmā] himself / came there, where his grandson stood, bearing the form of a serpent. (20)

He said: “O son, you should by no means grieve / because you have acquired serpenthood; listen to my word in this matter. (21)

Formerly I wished to create the ninth family of serpents; / that will arise from you, observing proper bounds on the surface of the earth. (22)

It will not cause harm to men equipped with mantras and medicinal herbs; / it will receive supreme worship throughout the whole earth. (23)

Here there is very auspicious water in the sacred field named Hāṭakeśvara; / your constant dwelling, my son, should be made there. (24)

To you staying there and engaged in austerity, the serpent Karkoṭaka / will give his own noble daughter; from that creation will proceed. (25)

Of the ninth family here, observing proper bounds on the earth, / when the fifth day arrives in the dark fortnight of Śrāvaṇa, (26)

that ninth family will receive supreme worship on earth. / From this day forward, that water is known as Nāgatīrtha; (27)

it will attain renown on the earth's surface, destroying all sins. / Those who take a ritual ablution here when the fifth day arrives, (28)

for one year they shall have no fear born of serpents. / And whatever mortal afflicted with poison takes a ritual ablution there, (29)

becoming free of poison at that very moment, he shall attain supreme happiness. / And whatever woman desiring a son, on the fifth day at sunrise, (30)

takes a ritual ablution with fruit in hand and filled with devotion, / she, even if barren, shall soon become the mother of a good son.” (31)

Sūta said: / As Brahmā of unmanifest origin was speaking thus, / other serpents arrived, invited to that sacrifice: (32)

Vāsuki, Takṣaka, Puṇḍarīka, Kṛśodara, / the serpents Kambala and Aśvatara, Śeṣa, and Kāliya. (33)

Having bowed, they spoke aloud to the god, the Grandfather: / “At your command we have arrived at this sacrifice, O Great-Grandfather. (34)

Command us to give assistance, O Great-Grandfather, / so that we, established in the serpent realm, may do so swiftly.” (35)

Brahmā said: “This assistance of yours is ours, O great snakes! / Having gone quickly together with this king of serpents, remain [there]. (36)

All of you, established there, must remain at Nāgatīrtha. (37)

Whoever, having adopted an evil intent, comes / to cause obstacles to this sacrifice of mine, must be repelled swiftly.” (38)

whether a rākṣasa, a piśāca, a bhūta, or even a human being.
O serpents, this protection of my sacrifice is the utmost duty [for you].

Likewise, when the month of Bhādrapada arrives,
on the fifth lunar day of the dark fortnight, you shall receive worship there.”

Sūta said:
Saying, “So be it,” and bowing down to the Grandfather,
they, together with the sons of Sanātana, resorted to the Nāgatīrtha.

From then on, that sacred ford was known as Nāgatīrtha,
granting desires to devotees, to men who perform ritual ablution [there].

Whoever performs ritual ablution there once, endowed with devotion,
no fear arising from snakes occurs even in his family lineage.

Whoever offers sweet food to brahmins there along with good people,
having worshipped the serpent lords headed by Sanātana,

he shall not suffer misfortune for seven rebirths,
especially from bhūtas, pretas, piśācas, and śākinīs;
[there will be] no vulnerability, no diseases, no mental distress, and no fear of enemies.

And whoever hears this recited with devotion, O best of brahmins,
he too will not be afflicted by serpents for a whole year.

Before one who is bitten by a snake, if this māhātmya
of Nāgatīrtha is continuously recited, he lives even if bitten by Time [itself].

And wherever this māhātmya originating from Nāgatīrtha
remains written in a book, no snake stays there.

Thus ends the one hundred and eighty-third chapter, entitled “Description of the Origin and Māhātmya of Nāgatīrtha,” in the Māhātmya of Hāṭakeśvara Kṣetra, in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, the sixth [part] of the Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the collection of eighty-one thousand [verses].