Skandapurana 5.85

English (machine translation) 5.85

Language: English

5.85.1

The seers said: / That which was the curse given to Mādhavī by Padmā, and whatever result of it / arose from the outcome—all that has been heard by us today.

5.85.2

In that Kamalā was cursed by that great-souled brahmin, / how did she, having an elephant's face, then become beautiful-faced again?

5.85.3

Sūta said: / By the curse of that brahmin, O brahmins, at that very moment / she arose with an elephant's face, causing great astonishment.

5.85.4

She was told by Hari: "Remain for some time, O auspicious one, / in this very form, until the end of the Dvāpara [yuga] occurs.

5.85.5

Then, having descended to the surface of the earth, O daughter of the ocean, / I will make you beautiful-faced again through the power of austerity."

5.85.6

Then, disregarding that speech of the wielder of the Śārṅga bow, / she performed severe austerity, highly delighted, for the sake of having a beautiful face.

5.85.7

Having reached this sacred field, she performed ritual ablution at the three divisions of the day; / unwearied day and night, she pleased Brahmā.

5.85.8

Then, at the end of a year, Brahmā, having attained satisfaction, said to her: / "Ask for a boon; I am pleased with you, O beloved of Keśava!"

5.85.9

Lakṣmī said: / "O Lord, I was given an elephant's face by an enraged brahmin / who uttered a terrible curse upon me for a certain reason.

5.85.10

Therefore, O Grandfather, make me possess my original form once more. / If you are pleased with me, I choose nothing else."

5.85.11

Brahmā said: / "By my grace your face shall undoubtedly become auspicious, / especially for you, O blessed one; therefore go to your home.

5.85.12

Greatness has been granted to you by me from this day forth, O fair one; / therefore your name here shall be Mahālakṣmī.

5.85.13

The man who worships you with devotion while you have an elephant's face / will become a king, a lord of elephants, upon the surface of the earth.

5.85.14

The one who worships you on the second day [of the lunar fortnight], addressing you as 'Mahālakṣmī', / with the Śrīsūkta and with pure devotion, O goddess,

5.85.15

shall never be impoverished for seven successive births." / Having spoken thus, the four-faced one then ceased.

5.85.16

Delighted, the goddess also went to where Keśava stayed.

Thus ends the eighty-fifth chapter, titled 'Description of the Glory of Mahālakṣmī', in the Māhātmya of Hāṭakeśvara Kṣetra, in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, the sixth [part] in the Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses, the glorious Skandapurāṇa.

Linked texts (1)

Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit