जनमेजय उवाच अत्यद्भुतमिदं ब्रह्मन् श्रुतवानस्मि तत्त्वतः। अभिषेकं कुमारस्य विस्तरेण यथाविधि॥
Janamejaya said "This history, O Rishi, that I have heard from you is highly wonderful, namely this detailed description of the installation according to due rites of Skanda.
यच्छ्रुत्वा पूतमात्मानं विजानामि तपोधन। प्रहृष्टानि च रोमाणि प्रसन्नं च मनो मम॥
O you having asceticism for your wealth, I consider myself cleansed by having listened to this account. My hair stands on end and my mind has become cheerful.
अभिषेकं कुमारस्य दैत्यानां च वधं तथा। श्रुत्वा मे परमा प्रीतिर्भूयः कौतूहलं हि मे॥
Having heard the history of the installation of Kumara and the destruction of the Daityas, I have been greatly pleased, I feel a curiosity, however, regarding another subject.
अपां पतिः कथं ह्यस्मिन्नभिषिक्तः पुरा सुरैः। तन्मे ब्रूहि महाप्राज्ञ कुशलो ह्यसि सत्तम।॥
How was the king of the waters installed by the celestials in that Tirtha formerly. O best of men, tell me all that, for you are highly wise and are skilled narrator.
वैशम्पायन उवाच शृणु राजन्निदं चित्रं पूर्वकल्पे यथातथम्। आदौ कृतयुगे राजन् वर्तमाने यथाविधि॥
Vaishampayana said "Listen, O king, to this wonderful history as it took place in a previous Kalpa. In days of Yore, in the Satya Yoga, O king, all the celestials, duly approaching Varuna, said to him these words.
वरुणं देवताः सर्वा यमेत्येदपथाब्रुवन्। यथास्मान् सुरराट्छक्रो भयेभ्यः पाति सर्वदा॥
As Indra the king of gods always protects us from every fear, similarly be you the Lord of all the rivers.
तथा त्वमपि सर्वासां सरितां वै पतिर्भव। वासश्च ते सदा देव सागरे मकरालये॥
You always live, ogod, in the Ocean, that home of Makaras. This Ocean the lord of rivers, will then be under you.
समुद्रोऽयं तव वशे भविष्यति नदीपतिः। सोमेन सार्धं च तव हानिवृद्धी भविष्यतः॥
You will then increase the decreases with Soma!-Varuna answered them saying-"Let it be so.'
एवमस्त्विति तान् देवान् वरुणो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। समागम्य ततः सर्वे वरुणं सागरालयम्॥
All the celestials then assembled together, made Varuna living in the Ocean the Lord of all the waters, according to the rites sanctioned by the Scriptures.
अपां पतिं प्रचक्रुर्हि विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा। अभिषिच्य ततो देवा वरुणं यादसां पतिम्॥
Having installed Varuna as the Lord of all aquatic animals and worshipping him duly, the celestials, returned their respective habitations.
जग्मुः स्वान्येव स्थानानि पूजयित्वा जलेश्वरम्। अभिषिक्तस्ततो देवैर्वरुणोऽपि महायशाः॥
Installed by the celestials, the illustrious Varuna began to duly protect seas and lakes and rivers and others reservoirs of water as Indra protects the gods.
सरितः सागरांश्चैव नदांश्चापि सरांसि च। पालयामास विधिना यथा देवाशतक्रतुः॥ ततस्तत्राप्युपस्पृश्य दत्त्वा च विविधं वसु। अग्नितीर्थं महाप्राज्ञो जगामाथ प्रलम्बहा॥ नष्टो न दृश्यते यत्र शमीगर्भे हुताशनः।
Bathing in that Tirtha also and giving away various kinds of presents, Baladeva, the destroyer of Pralamba, endued with great wisdom, then proceeded to Agni Tirtha, where to the cater of the clarified butter, disappearing from the view, became concealed within the entrails of the Shami word.
लोकालोकविनाशे च प्रादुर्भूते तदानघ॥ उपतस्थुः सुरा यत्र सर्वलोकपितामहम्।
When the light of the words thus disappeared, O sinless one, the gods then went to the Grandsire of the universe.
अग्निः प्रनष्टो भगवान् कारणं च न विद्महे॥ सर्वभूतक्षयो राजन् सम्पादय विभोऽनलम्।
And they said-"The worshipful Agni has disappeared. We do not know the reason. Let not creation go to destruction. Create fire, O powerful Lord?"
जनमेजय उवाच किमर्थं भगवानग्निः प्रनष्टो लोकभावनः॥ विज्ञातश्च कथं देवैस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व तत्त्वतः।
Janamejaya said "For what reason did Agni, the Creator of all the worlds, disappear? How also was he found out by the celestials? Tell me all this fully."
वैशम्पायन उवाच भृगोः शापाद् भृशं भीतो जातवेदाः प्रतापवान्॥ शमीगर्भमथासाद्य ननाश भगवांस्ततः।
Vaishampayana said The highly powerful Agni became very much frightened at the curse of Bhrigu, Concealing himself within the entrails of the Shami wood, that worshipful god disappeared from the view.
प्रनष्टे तु सदा वह्नौ देवाः सर्वे सवासवाः॥ अन्वैषन्त तदा नष्टं ज्वलनं भृशदुःखिताः।
Upon the disappearance of Agni, all the gods led by Vasava, in great affliction, searched for the missing god.
ततोऽग्नितीर्थमासाद्य शमीगर्भस्थमेव हि॥ ददृशुर्व्वलनं तत्र वसमानं यथाविधि।
Finding Agni then, they saw that god lying within the entrails of the Shami wood,
देवाः सर्वे नरव्याघ्र बृहस्पतिपुरोगमाः॥ ज्वलनं तं समासाद्य प्रीताऽभूवन् सवासवाः।
The celestials, O foremost of kings, with Brihaspati at their head, having found out the god, became very glad with Vasava amongst them.
पुनर्यथागतं जग्मुः सर्वभक्षश्च सोऽभवत्॥ भृगोः शापान्महाभाग यदुक्तं ब्रह्मवादिना।
They then returned to their respective abodes. Agni also, from Bhrigu's curse, became an cater of everything as said by the Brahmavadin.
तत्राप्याप्लुत्य मतिमान् ब्रह्मयोनिं जगाम ह॥ ससर्ज भगवान् यत्र सर्वलोकपितामहः।
The intelligent Balarama, having bathed there, then went to Bramhayoni where the worshipful Grandsire of all the worlds had created the world.
तत्राप्लुत्य ततो ब्रह्मा सह देवैः प्रभुः पुरा॥ ससर्ज तीर्थानि तथा देवतानां यथाविधि।
Formerly the Lord Bramhan having with all the gods bathed in that Tirtha, created all the Tirthas according to due rites, for the celestials.
तत्र स्नात्वा च दत्वा च वसूनि विविधानि च।॥ कौबेरं प्रययौ तीर्थं तत्र तप्त्वा महत्तपः। धनाधिपत्यं सम्प्राप्तो राजन्नैलबिल प्रभुः॥
Bathing there and distributing various kinds of gifts, Baladeva then proceeded to the Tirtha called Kaurava where the powerful Ailavila, having practised severe austerities, became the king of riches.
तत्रस्थमेव तं राजन् धनानि निधयस्तथा। उपतस्थुर्नरश्रेष्ठ तत् तीर्थं लागली बलः॥ गत्वा दत्वा च विधिवद् ब्राह्मणेभ्यो धनं ददौ।
While he dwelt there (practising austerities), all kinds of wealth and all the precious gems, came to him of their own accord. Baladeva, having gone to that Tirtha and bathed in its waters, distributed immense wealth amongst the Brahmanas with due rites.
ददृशे तत्र तत् स्थानं कौबेरे काननोत्तमे॥ पुरा यत्र तपस्तप्तं विपुलं सुमहात्मना। यक्षराज्ञा कुबेरेण वरा लब्धाश्च पुष्कलाः॥
Rama saw at that spot the excellent woods of Kuvera. In days of yore, the great Kuvera the king of the Yakshas, having practised the severest austerities there, obtained many boons.
धनादिपत्यं सख्यं च रुद्रेणामिततेजसा। सुरत्वं लोकपालत्वं पुत्रं च नलकूबरम्॥
There were the lordship of all riches, the friendship of powerful Rudra, the status of a god, the rcgency over a particular quarter (the north) and a son named Nalakuvara. These the king of the Yakshas speedily obtained there.
यत्र लेभे महाबाहो धनाधिपतिरञ्जसा! अभिषिक्तश्च तत्रैव समागम्य मरुद्गणैः॥
The Maruts, coming there, installed him duly (in his sovereignty). He also obtained for a vehicle a well-equipt cclestial car, fleet as thought, as also as all the prosperity of a god.
वाहनं चास्य तद् दत्तं हंसयुक्तं मनोजवम्। विमानं पुष्पकं दिव्यं नैऋतैश्चर्यमेव च।॥ तत्राप्लुत्य बलो राजन् दत्त्वा दायांश्च पुष्कलान्।
Bathing in that Tirtha and giving away immense wealth, Vala using white unguents thence went speedily to another Tirtha.
जगाम त्वरितो रामस्तीर्थं श्वेतानुलेपनः॥ निषेवितं सर्वसत्त्वैर्नाम्ना बदरपाचनम्। नानर्तुकवनोपेतं सदापुष्पफलं शुभम्॥
Abounding in various creatures, that Tirtha is known by the name of Badarapachana. There the fruits of every reason are always available and flowers and fruits of every kind always abundant."