Skandapurana 6.3.57

Chapter 57

Īśvara said: / Having fed the twice-born, Bhānumatī ate of the leftovers. / Having eaten, she rested in great comfort, and after digesting that food,

she then went on the thirteenth lunar day, named the Madana lunar day. / Having bathed in the pool of Mārkaṇḍa and having worshipped the god residing in the cave [of the heart],

she observed the vow of fasting, bathed Maheśvara / with the fragrant fivefold nectar, and with incense, lamps, and offerings,

she worshipped him with various flowers and very splendid food offerings. / Having kept a night vigil and heard a Purāṇic recitation,

with dances, songs, and hymns of praise she meditated upon the god Maheśvara. / All the food was laid out in front of the god according to rule.

All members of the four classes together with their retinues were fed. / On the fourteenth day, having worshipped the one whose banner is the bull throughout the day,

resounding with the sounds of conches, musical instruments, kettle-drums, and tabors, / she kept a night vigil, crowded with numerous people.

That night was spent with dances, songs, and hymns of praise. / At daybreak, the brahmins were fed with milk-rice, honey, and clarified butter.

Having given gifts to the brahmins according to her capacity and following the brahmins' guidance, / having worshipped with great flowers, sweet scents, and madana plants,

the god, duly worshipped, was draped with wonderful, fine garments, / with hanging garlands of flowers, and with the brilliant light of many lamps.

with various cooked foods, eatables, well-shaped round sweets and the like. / Then all those brahmins devoted to the study of the Vedas

proclaimed that festival, namely by the name of Padmaka: / “Today is the day of the Sun (Sunday) and also the fifteenth lunar day;

the asterism is Tvāṣṭra (Citra), the transit is the equinox, / the astrological yoga is Vyatīpāta, and the astrological division is Viṣṭi.

This festival named Padmaka bears fourfold the fruit of a solstice and the like; / whatever is given, offered in fire, or muttered here becomes imperishable.”

Those twice-born, having then gone with Bhānumatī to Śūlabheda, / saw a hunter standing at the pool with his wife.

Having gone towards the northeast direction, on the mountain, upon the precipice, / he had ascended together with his wife to jump down, O king.

Bhānumatī said: / “Stop, stop, O great-hearted one! Listen to my words. / For what reason are you giving up your life while you are still young?

What anguish, what distress, what suffering or sickness do you have? / You still appear to be a child. Tell me this reason!”

The hunter said: / “I have no reason at all, nor any suffering whatever; / I am terrified of the fear of worldly existence—no other thought moves me.

Because human birth is obtained with difficulty, only by fortune, / and having attained human birth, one who does not practice dharma

goes to terrible hell through his own fault, O beautiful lady. / Therefore I wish to fall at this sacred ford that destroys sin.”

The queen said: / “Even now there is time for you to acquire dharma; / one who has committed bad deeds is indeed purified by vows and gifts.

I will give you grain, garments, or much wealth; / constantly practice dharma, meditating always on Maheśvara.”

The hunter said: / “I do not desire wealth at all, nor grain, nor clothing; / whoever eats the food of anyone, eats that person's sin.”

The queen said: / “Living on roots, tubers, and fruits, or wandering for excellent alms, / and bathing in auspicious sacred fords, one is freed from all sins.

Then, freed from sin and pure, whatever he performs— / purified by that action, you will surely attain the good state.”

The hunter said: / “Today food, which is dearer even than life, has been abandoned by me; / O queen, truth should not be violated: my mind is resolved on this.

Show your favor, O queen; forgive me today together with your people.” / Fastening himself firmly with half of his upper garment, he prepared.

Together with his wife, the hunter, meditating upon Hari, jumped down; / no sooner had he fallen halfway down the mountain than life departed, O lord of men.

Seeing the two crushed upon the pool, O king, / when a period of three muhūrtas had passed, the hunter together with his wife,

mounting a celestial aerial chariot, went to the highest state.

Thus ends the fifty-seventh chapter, entitled “Description of the Hunter's Ascent to Heaven,” in the Revākhaṇḍa of the fifth section, Āvantyakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.