Skandapurana 6.1.8

Vyāsa said:

Proper conduct is the highest righteousness, the foundation of all duties.

Devoted to their own duty, having conquered anger, and having subdued their senses,

they go to the world of Rudra: in this matter, I have no doubt.

And without doubt they go to other worlds, radiant as the moon.

Even without dwelling in a sacred field and likewise without observance,

women, foreigners, and śūdras, cattle, birds, and wild beasts,

the mute, the dull-witted, the blind, and the deaf, devoid of austerity and observances—

what is their destination, if they die in the forest of Mahākāla?

Sanatkumāra said:

Women, foreigners, the ignorant, cattle, birds, and wild beasts,

when they die in the course of time, O Vyāsa, go to the world of Rudra.

Endowed with divine-formed bodies and equipped with all enjoyments,

they rejoice with Śambhu in the cremation ground crowded with ghosts.

Formerly, the goddess was rebuked, being called “Kālī” [and] “Pārvatī”;

then the goddess became angry at Śaṃkara on the mountain ridge.

Where such a quarrel occurred between Śiva and Gaurī,

a god arose there by the name of Kalakaleśvara.

In front [of him] a pool was then made, named Kalahanāśana.

When a ritual ablution was performed there, O Vyāsa, the beloved became free from quarrel.

A man, having bathed in that sacred ford and worshipped the Great Lord,

having fasted for a single night, delivers a hundred ancestral lines.

Whoever gives a gift there, even a mere particle of sandalwood,

has, through himself, delivered ten ancestors and ten descendants.

And whatever man bestows a gift of land there, O sage,

even of the measure of a cow's hide, shall become the lord of the whole earth.

Whoever gives a single cow, a single raktikā, or even a single finger-breadth of land

with devotion, he will indeed become a king.

A milch cow, horses, sesame seeds, clothing, a vessel, a copper milking-pot,

shoes, an umbrella, and likewise excellent sandals—

those who give these to brahmins will obtain worlds that are imperishable forever.

On its southern side, indeed behind it, are the goddesses called the Mothers.

She is the goddess there of all worlds, the remover of sins.

The excellent Maṇikarṇika is to be known as the sacred ford that contains all sacred fords.

Having bathed in it, whoever beholds the Mothers behind it with reverence,

freed from all sins, attains his desired perfection.

Having had a darśana of them, he may embark upon a journey on the road:

he has no fear of thieves, nor fear of rakṣasas and spirits,

whether in his own land or in a foreign land, in the mountains or in the forests;

he has no fear on the ocean, nor any wicked intention.

In all afflictions caused by planets, as well as danger from kings and the like,

if he slaughters a goat, a ram, or even a buffalo

dedicated to the goddess, O brahmin, he enjoys the desired fruit.

A man on the bright eighth day of the month of Āśvina at midnight

who bathes in front of the goddess attains supreme perfection.

And a woman whose sons have died, who, with her husband, having bathed in the pool,

bathes according to rule in front of the goddess with a jar filled with fruit,

having bathed, she should not look upon the face of another, O sage, after that bath with the jar:

to her is born a son like the six-faced god.

Behind the Mother is the supremely auspicious sacred ford of the apsarases.

A man who has bathed there becomes endowed with beauty and good fortune.

Formerly, O Vyāsa, by the power of this sacred ford, Urvaśī

obtained as husband Purūravas, that king who was the son of Ilā.

Hearing this wonder, Vyāsa spoke these words:

Vyāsa said:

How was the sacred ford of the apsarases born there, O great sage?

By what cause and at what time was it established?

Relate that to me in detail, along with its mystery.

How did Purūravas and that wife of his, the excellent apsaras—

who was she named Urvaśī, and by whom was that fair woman born?

Tell all this as it happened, for I am curious.

Sanatkumāra said:

Where Nara and Nārāyaṇa formerly practiced austerity,

dwelling in the hermitage of Badarī, Indra took fright because of that.

And all the captivating apsarases, proud of their beauty and youth,

were commanded by Maghavat, and came to cause an obstacle.

Seeing the apsarases sporting there, bewildered by intoxication,

the two gods spoke then: “They have come here to cause an obstacle.

We have no women; therefore indeed [they act as] a cause of obstacle.”

Having deliberated thus, Nara said to Nārāyaṇa:

“I shall create one [woman] who surpasses them in beauty.”

With a cluster of mango blossoms, from his two thighs he produced a woman,

incomparable in beauty in the world, adorned with all ornaments.

Seeing that youthful woman arisen, an excellent lady radiant like fire,

they went and reported to Śakra: “We are not capable of enticing the two.”

Hearing their words, Śakra went and addressed the two gods,

bending down in obeisance and placing his folded hands upon his head:

“I desire this woman; let favor be shown!”

Then the two gods, the supreme lords, gave her to Indra:

“By the power of our word, take this Urvaśī.

Because this excellent woman was produced from the thighs (ūru) by Nara,

with a cluster of mango blossoms, therefore she is known as Urvaśī.”

Puraṃdara, having taken that supreme woman Urvaśī,

went to heaven, and then summoned Citrāṅgada and said:

“Let instruction be given to her, O Citra, so that she becomes skilled in dance.

Let her be made [so] without delay, applying splendid effort.”

When it was thus spoken by Śakra, she was made skilled by him.

She became exceedingly proficient, expert in dance and song.

Thus that beautiful woman lived there in the dwelling of the gods.

After a long time had passed, that lord of men went there,

the righteous son of Ilā, indeed named Purūravas.

Sharing half of Indra's throne, he watched the dance there.

Beholding Urvaśī dancing before Vāsava, he was smitten with love;

his heart stolen by her, the king understood nothing [else].

Composing firmness in his heart, he remained still for a moment.

And then Urvaśī, her mind struck by the sight of him,

stepped away from that place, afflicted by desire and greatly agitated.

The young woman fell to the ground from the raised dance stage.

Then, regaining her consciousness, she arose from the ground,

seen by the lion among kings, tormented by love.

Purūravas went to earth, remembering only her in his mind.

Remembering the tiger among kings, that Urvaśī also went to her home.

Going to Citrāṅgada's house, she then made him an emissary.

She was taken by Citrāṅgada at night to where Purūravas was.

Bereft of Urvaśī, heaven was desolate for the gods.

And during the night itself, she was brought back to heaven by him.

Deprived of her, he too wandered about, empty-minded.

The king fell into madness for sixty years, O Vyāsa.

Wandering among the sacred fords, he went to the forest of Mahākāla.

Urvaśī, that supreme apsaras, having been taken to heaven, [wandered bewildered];

she neither slept nor bathed, crying out: “O King!”

Meanwhile, all those apsarases arrived where Urvaśī was:

Rambhā, Menakā, Pramlocā, Puñjikasthalī,

Jalapūrṇā, Aśrupūrṇā, Vasantā, and Candrikā,

Sūryadattā, Viśālākṣī, Candrā, and Candraprabhā.

Coming together, they said to Urvaśī:

“Why do you weep, O fair-hipped one, for the sake of a mortal, O beautiful-eyed one?”

Hearing their question, Urvaśī spoke [these] words:

“A eunuch knows not the pleasure that comes from the union of woman and man.

By this simile it should be understood; I have made my resolve for his sake.”

Hearing these words of hers, they deliberated with concentrated minds,

and unknown to the gods, they went to the forest of Mahākāla.

And there they saw the king resting in the shade of a tree;

and having seen the king, all of them became exceedingly agitated.

Seeing them all in such a state, afflicted with love, the celestial women

confounded in their minds, Urvaśī laughed and spoke these words:

Urvaśī said:

"This is that tiger among men, without whom I am like this;

he is Purūravas, the son of Ilā, the famous lord of the earth."

While Urvaśī was speaking thus, the host of apsarases

fell silent and stood for a long time, with necks bowed in embarrassment.

In the meantime, the blessed Nārada arrived there.

Having seen all of them thus arrived, together with the king and Urvaśī,

and beholding [them], he then said: "Why are you here in silence,

having abandoned that delightful, supreme abode of Indra?

Choose a boon quickly, so that there will be no separation." / And Nārada recounted the māhātmya of this sacred ford:

And Nārada recounted the māhātmya of this sacred ford:

"Indeed, whether an unfortunate woman or a man bathes at this sacred ford,

they obtain good fortune fully, as well as the highest pleasures.

Whoever weighs themselves against sesame seeds or salt,

or against a great deal of sugar, free from monetary deceit,

or with jaggery or honey, dedicating it to goddess Pārvatī,

becomes endowed with beauty by salt, [and] beautiful in all limbs by sesame seeds;

an increase of wealth [comes] from sugar, fullness in the limbs from jaggery,

and indeed good fortune from honey, through the power of this sacred ford.

One should feed twelve couples for the goddess and the god;

one should give a small flask, a nail-clipper, an earring, kataka nut, [and] collyrium,

a bodice made of reed fibers, and two safflower-dyed garments;

one should give white ointment to men, and saffron to women.

In the month of Āṣāḍha, or Śrāvaṇa, or likewise in Bhādrapada,

on the third lunar day of the bright fortnight of Āśvina, one should perform this excellent observance;

the woman becomes an excellent one, just like Goddess Umā.

Images of Umā and Maheśvara made of gold should be fashioned according to one's means;

those two deities should indeed be held by the woman herself as she steps onto the scales,

and fruits as well as various vegetables are to be given.

What is given, offered in fire, or recited there becomes multiplied ten million fold.

The woman who, with concentrated mind, acts thus at that sacred ford,

goes, upon death, to the world of the gandharvas and apsarases, without doubt.

And at this sacred ford are two liṅgas worshipped by the gods and Dānavas;

having seen them, a husband and wife then attain the highest siddhi.

Especially on the Kārttika full-moon day, having kept a vigil there

and worshipped with perfumes and flowers, one reaches the world of Rudra.

Just as in form no separation is seen with the goddess,

so too separation is never seen for the two of them."

Having done so, O brahmin, they all went to heaven.

The sacred ford of the apsarases has been told; now another sacred ford is described.

To the south, at the back of the goddess, is said to be the pool of Mahiṣa;

in the past, the Dānava Mahiṣa was slain [there] by the leaders of the gaṇas.

Having bathed at that sacred ford and diligently worshipped the Mothers,

a person is freed from the affliction of pretas, rākṣasas, and piśācas.

Thus ends the eighth chapter, titled 'Description of the Māhātmya of Apsaraḥkuṇḍa', in the Avantīkṣetramāhātmya of the fifth Avantyakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skandapurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.