Skandapurana 5.97

Sūta said:
From that time onwards, O twice-born, the Slow-moving One does not pierce
the cart of Rohiṇī, in accordance with the word of that King Daśaratha.

Having heard that account of his, Śakra was exceedingly delighted;
approaching that ruler of the earth, he then said with respect:

"A most wondrous deed has been accomplished by you, O lord of the earth,
one that cannot even be conceived in mind by anyone else.

For this very reason, great satisfaction has arisen in me towards you today;
receive a boon today from me, whatever desire resides in your heart."

The king said:
"I pray for friendship with you, O best among the gods,
a supreme, eternal friendship standing in the world in all undertakings."

Indra said:
"Let it be so, O king of kings; always with you my
friendship will ever be established, eternal like that with Vasu.

You must always come beside me into the assembly in the presence of the gods,
especially so that our friendship may flourish."

Having spoken thus, the Thousand-Eyed One went to his celestial abode;
the king also, filled with joy, returned to his own palace,

having protected the entire world from the fear caused by Śanaiścara,
having attained unobtainable renown, being praised by bards.

From that time onwards, daily when the time of twilight arrived,
having performed the evening rites, he would go to the palace of Śakra.

Staying there for a long time, having listened to the enchanting song
of the Gandharvas and seen their auspicious dance performed with musical notes and rhythm,

having heard stories of wondrous meaning issuing from the mouths of the celestial seers,
and having himself related [stories], he would depart for his own palace,

having mounted an excellent aerial chariot resounded with geese and peacocks,
and adorned all around with charming banners.

Whenever he departed from the abode of Śakra to his own home,
every time a sprinkling of water was performed on his seat,

by order of Śakra. The king did not know of it in any way.
On another day, Nārada, the best of sages,

having come to his very house on the occasion of a pilgrimage to sacred fords,
told the royal seer that entire story concerning the sprinkling, in order to increase animosity.

Having heard that spoken by Nārada, though trustworthy, the king
did not entertain ill-feeling in his heart, reflecting upon himself.

Nevertheless, seized with curiosity, having gone to the dwelling of Śakra
on another day and remained there for a long time, he stood up.

Standing far away, having reached another room, full of curiosity,
he watched his seat invisibly.

Then, by Śakra's command, a servant of the gods stood up / and sprinkled water upon that seat of the earthly king.

Seeing that, the king, filled with anger, approached Vāsava / and said: "What is this, Śakra, that my seat is sprinkled?

Were brahmins killed by me? Or was any royal edict / originating from a brahmin violated? Or were brahmins reviled?

Or did I flee in battle upon seeing enemies arrive? / Or was servile pleading spoken to them by a mind trembling with fear?

Or in my realm, Śakra, is a weak person oppressed by stronger ones, / or robbed by thieves and the like, as well as by cheats?

Or does corruption of wombs occur in my realm, / or a confusion of castes, abandoning the sequence of prescribed rules?

Or, on the word of a wicked person, is one free of fault falsely accused / and punished by anyone in my realm, lord of the thirty [gods]?

Or is a thief or sinner, caught in personal fault, / released out of greed for wealth, or any other despicable person?

Did I perhaps abandon someone who took refuge here, / trembling with fear, while I myself was terrified for my life, lord of the thirty [gods]?

Or whose flesh from the back have I ever eaten [by slandering]? / Did I, ruler of the thirty [gods], especially [eat] that of a brahmin?

Or having given a gift to a noble brahmin, / did I regret it afterwards, or neglect what was given?

Or in my realm, do the tears of the wretched, / of the afflicted, fall day and night on every side?

Or does a rite for the gods or for the ancestors in my house, / king of the gods, suffer neglect, or is it performed contrary to rule?

Since this sprinkling of my seat with water is constantly done by you, / tell me quickly what sin was committed by me!"

Indra said: / "O great king, there is no sin in your body, / nor in your kingdom, family, house, and especially in your attendants.

Listen further, however, and I shall tell you what sin will be yours; / because of that, your seat is always sprinkled.

A childless man has no [good] destiny, nor does he attain heaven, / a man who is ever bound by debt to the ancestors, O king.

He incurs the hatred of the gods, and especially of the ancestors. / When a man gazes upon the face of a son, O king,

he certainly attains freedom from debt to the ancestors then. / You have not at all attained that freedom from debt which I have stated,

the [debt] to the ancestors; therefore sprinkling was constantly done on your seat. / Therefore strive for a son, if you desire the highest state,

and to protect yourself from the hell called 'Put', O king." / Thus addressed by Śakra at that time, King Daśaratha,

seized by great grief, stood with head bowed down in shame. / Then, bidding farewell to the thousand-eyed [Indra] and going to his own city Ayodhyā, / he quickly entrusted his kingdom to his ministers.

Then he said to them all: "Austerity must now be undertaken by me / until the attainment of a son—just so long, without doubt.

This kingdom must be diligently protected according to rule / by you, at my word, until my return."

The ministers said: / "This is fitting, O great king, that an effort is made / for the sake of a son. For one without a son, what use is a kingdom or wealth?

We shall maintain protection over your kingdom everywhere; / attaining peace of mind, perform austerity for the sake of a son,

having gone to Kārtikeyapura, where formerly by your father / austerity was performed, so that the perfection desired by his heart was attained."

Thus ends the ninety-seventh chapter, named 'Description of the Undertaking of Austerity by Daśaratha', in the Māhātmya of the Holy Hāṭakeśvara Field in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, the sixth [part] of the Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the collection of eighty-one thousand [verses].