The Tale of Lohasura

Verse 1 (skanda.3.75.1)

व्यास उवाच । अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि ब्रह्मणा यत्कृतं पुरा तत्सर्वं कथयाम्यद्य शृणुष्वैकाग्रमानसः

vyāsa uvāca ataḥ paraṁ pravakṣyāmi brahmaṇā yat kṛtaṁ purā tat sarvaṁ kathayāmy adya śṛṇuṣv aikāgramānasaḥ

Vyasa said: Now I shall tell what Brahma once did in ancient times; I shall relate it all today — listen with a focused mind.

Verse 2 (skanda.3.75.2)

देवानां दानवानां च वैराद्युद्धं बभूव ह तस्मिन्युद्धे महादुष्टे देवाः संक्लिष्टमानसाः

devānāṁ dānavānāṁ ca vairād yuddhaṁ babhūva ha tasmin yuddhe mahāduṣṭe devāḥ saṁkliṣṭamānasāḥ

War broke out between the gods and the demons out of enmity. In that terrible war, the gods' minds grew deeply distressed.

Verse 3 (skanda.3.75.3)

बभूवुस्तत्र सोद्वेगा ब्रह्माणं शरणं ययुः

babhūvus tatra sodvegā brahmāṇaṁ śaraṇaṁ yayuḥ

Overcome with anguish, they went there for refuge to Brahma.

Verse 4 (skanda.3.75.4)

देवा ऊचुः । ब्रह्मन्केन प्रकारेण दैत्यानां वधमेव च करोम्यद्य उपायं हि कथ्यतां शीघ्रमेव मे

devā ūcuḥ brahman kena prakāreṇa daityānāṁ vadham eva ca karomy adya upāyaṁ hi kathyatāṁ śīghram eva me

The gods said: O Brahma, by what means may we now slay the daityas? Tell us the method at once.

Verse 5 (skanda.3.75.5)

ब्रह्मोवाच । मया हि शंकरेणैव विष्णुना हि तथा पुरा यमस्य तपसा तुष्टैर्धर्मारण्यं विनिर्मितम्

brahmovāca mayā hi śaṁkareṇaiva viṣṇunā hi tathā purā yamasya tapasā tuṣṭair dharmāraṇyaṁ vinirmitam

Brahma said: Long ago, I myself, along with Shankara and Vishnu, pleased by Yama's austerity, fashioned Dharmaranya.

Verse 6 (skanda.3.75.6)

तत्र यद्दीयते दानं यज्ञं वा तप उत्तमम् तत्सर्वं कोटिगुणितं भवेदिति न संशयः

tatra yad dīyate dānaṁ yajñaṁ vā tapa uttamam tat sarvaṁ koṭiguṇitaṁ bhaved iti na saṁśayaḥ

Whatever gift is given there, or sacrifice or supreme austerity performed, becomes multiplied a crore-fold — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 7 (skanda.3.75.7)

पापं वा यदि वा पुण्यं सर्वं कोटि गुणं भवेत् तस्माद्दैत्यैर्न धर्षितं कदाचिदपि भोः सुराः

pāpaṁ vā yadi vā puṇyaṁ sarvaṁ koṭi guṇaṁ bhavet tasmād daityair na dharṣitaṁ kadācid api bhoḥ surāḥ

Whether sin or merit, everything there becomes multiplied a crore-fold; therefore, O gods, it has never once been violated by the daityas.

Verse 8 (skanda.3.75.8)

श्रुत्वा तु ब्रह्मणो वाक्यं देवाः सर्वे सविस्मयाः ब्रह्माणं त्वग्रतः कृत्वा धर्मारण्यमुपाययुः

śrutvā tu brahmaṇo vākyaṁ devāḥ sarve savismayāḥ brahmāṇaṁ tv agrataḥ kṛtvā dharmāraṇyam upāyayuḥ

Hearing Brahma's words, all the gods, filled with wonder, set Brahma at their head and proceeded to Dharmaranya.

Verse 9 (skanda.3.75.9)

सत्रं तत्र समारभ्य सहस्राब्दमनुत्तमम् वृत्वाऽऽचार्यं चांगिरसं मार्कंण्डेयं तथैव च

satraṁ tatra samārabhya sahasrābdam anuttamam vṛtvācāryaṁ cāṅgirasaṁ mārkaṇḍeyaṁ tathaiva ca

There they began an unsurpassed sattra-sacrifice lasting a thousand years, choosing Āṅgirasa, and likewise Mārkaṇḍeya, as their preceptor.

Verse 10 (skanda.3.75.10)

अत्रिं च कश्यपं चैव होता कृत्वा महामतिः जमदग्निं गौतमं च अध्वर्युत्वं न्यवेदयन्

atriṁ ca kaśyapaṁ caiva hotā kṛtvā mahāmatiḥ jamadagniṁ gautamaṁ ca adhvaryutvaṁ nyavedayan

Making Atri and Kaśyapa the hotā priests, the wise Brahma appointed Jamadagni and Gautama to the office of adhvaryu.

Verse 11 (skanda.3.75.11)

भरद्वाजं वसिष्ठं तु प्रत्यध्वर्युत्वमादिशन् नारदं चैव वाल्मीकिं नोदना याकरोत्तदा

bharadvājaṁ vasiṣṭhaṁ tu pratyadhvaryutvam ādiśan nāradaṁ caiva vālmīkiṁ nodanāyā akarot tadā

Bharadvāja and Vasiṣṭha he appointed to the office of pratyadhvaryu, and assigned Nārada and Vālmīki the task of exhortation.

Verse 12 (skanda.3.75.12)

ब्रह्मासने च ब्रह्माणं स्थापयामासुरादरात् क्रोशचतुष्कमात्रां च वेदिं कृत्वा सुरैस्ततः

brahmāsane ca brahmāṇaṁ sthāpayāmāsur ādarāt krośacatuṣkamātrāṁ ca vediṁ kṛtvā surais tataḥ

With reverence they seated Brahma upon the brahmāsana, and then the gods constructed a sacrificial altar spanning four krośas.

Verse 13 (skanda.3.75.13)

द्विजाः सर्वे समाहूता यज्ञस्यार्थे हि जापकाः ऋग्यजुःसामाथर्वान्वै वेदानुद्गिरयंति ये

dvijāḥ sarve samāhūtā yajñasyārthe hi jāpakāḥ ṛgyajuḥsāmātharvān vai vedān udgirayanti ye

For the sake of the sacrifice, all the twice-born reciters who chant the Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma, and Atharva Vedas were summoned.

Verse 14 (skanda.3.75.14)

गणनाथं शंभुसुतं कार्त्तिकेयं तथैव च इन्द्रं वज्रधरं चैव जयंतं चन्द्रसूनुकम्

gaṇanāthaṁ śaṁbhusutaṁ kārttikeyaṁ tathaiva ca indraṁ vajradharaṁ caiva jayantaṁ candrasūnukam

Gaṇanātha (Shiva's son Ganesha), and likewise Kārttikeya, thunderbolt-wielding Indra, and Jayanta the son of the moon —

Verse 15 (skanda.3.75.15)

चत्वारो द्वारपालाश्च देवाः शूरा विनिर्मिताः ततो राक्षोघ्नमंत्रेण हूयते हव्यवाहनः

catvāro dvārapālāś ca devāḥ śūrā vinirmitāḥ tato rākṣoghnamantreṇa hūyate havyavāhanaḥ

These four heroic gods were made the gate-guardians. Then, with the rākṣasa-destroying mantra, offerings were poured into the fire.

Verse 16 (skanda.3.75.16)

तिलांश्च यवमिश्रांश्च मध्वाज्येन च मिश्रितान् जुहुवुस्ते तदा देवा वेदमंत्रैर्नरेश्वर

tilāṁś ca yavamiśrāṁś ca madhvājyena ca miśritān juhuvus te tadā devā vedamantrair nareśvara

O lord of men, those gods then offered sesame and barley, mixed with honey and ghee, into the fire with Vedic mantras.

Verse 17 (skanda.3.75.17)

आघारावाज्यभागौ च हुत्वा चैव ततः परम् द्राक्षेक्षुपूगनारिंग जंबीरं बीजपूरकम्

āghārāvājyabhāgau ca hutvā caiva tataḥ param drākṣekṣupūganāriṁga jaṁbīraṁ bījapūrakam

After offering the āghāra and ājyabhāga oblations, they offered further — grape, sugarcane, betel-nut, orange, citron, and bijapura fruit —

Verse 18 (skanda.3.75.18)

उत्तरतो नालिकेरं दाडिमं च यथाक्रमम् मध्वाज्यं पयसा युक्तं कृशरशर्करायुतम्

uttarato nālikeraṁ dāḍimaṁ ca yathākramam madhvājyaṁ payasā yuktaṁ kṛśaraśarkarāyutam

and, in turn, coconut and pomegranate, honey and ghee mixed with milk, and sugared khichari.

Verse 19 (skanda.3.75.19)

तंडुलैः शतपत्रैश्च यज्ञे वाचं नियम्य च विचिंत्य च महाभागाः कृत्वा यज्ञं सदक्षिणम्

taṇḍulaiḥ śatapatraiś ca yajñe vācaṁ niyamya ca vicintya ca mahābhāgāḥ kṛtvā yajñaṁ sadakṣiṇam

With rice-grains and lotus-petals too they made offerings; restraining their speech through the rite, those illustrious ones performed the sacrifice thoughtfully, complete with sacrificial fees.

Verse 20 (skanda.3.75.20)

उत्तमं च शुभं स्तोमं कृत्वा हर्षमुपाययुः अवारितान्नमददन्दीनांधकृपणेष्वपि

uttamaṁ ca śubhaṁ stomaṁ kṛtvā harṣam upāyayuḥ avāritānnam adadan dīnāndhakṛpaṇeṣv api

Having chanted excellent and auspicious hymns of praise, they rejoiced, and gave food without restriction even to the poor, the blind, and the destitute.

Verse 21 (skanda.3.75.21)

ब्राह्मणेभ्यो विशेषेण दत्तमन्नं यथेप्सितम् पायसं शर्करायुक्तं साज्यशाकसमन्वितम्

brāhmaṇebhyo viśeṣeṇa dattam annaṁ yathepsitam pāyasaṁ śarkarāyuktaṁ sājyaśākasamanvitam

To the brahmins especially, food was given exactly as desired — sweetened kheer (rice-pudding), along with vegetables mixed with ghee.

Verse 22 (skanda.3.75.22)

मंडका वटकाः पूपास्तथा वै वेष्टिकाः शुभाः सहस्रमोदकाश्चापि फेणिका घुर्घुरादयः

maṇḍakā vaṭakāḥ pūpās tathā vai veṣṭikāḥ śubhāḥ sahasramodakāś cāpi pheṇikā ghurghurādayaḥ

Maṇḍaka cakes, vaṭaka fritters, pūpa sweets, and auspicious rolled breads, along with thousands of modaka sweets, fenī, and ghurghura confections, were also served.

Verse 23 (skanda.3.75.23)

ओदनश्च तथा दाली आढकीसंभवा शुभा तथा वै मुद्गदाली च पर्पटा वटिका तथा

odanaś ca tathā dālī āḍhakīsaṁbhavā śubhā tathā vai mudgadālī ca parpaṭā vaṭikā tathā

Rice, and the auspicious lentil-dish made from pigeon-pea, as well as mung-bean stew, pāpaḍ, and vaṭikā cakes, were served as well.

Verse 24 (skanda.3.75.24)

प्रलेह्यानि विचित्राणि युक्तास्त्र्यूषणसंचयैः कुल्माषा वेल्लकाश्चैव कोमला वालकाः शुभाः

pralehyāni vicitrāṇi yuktās tryūṣaṇasaṁcayaiḥ kulmāṣā vellakāś caiva komalā vālakāḥ śubhāḥ

Manifold spiced relishes seasoned with the three pungent spices, boiled beans, vellaka dishes, and tender, auspicious vālaka preparations followed.

Verse 25 (skanda.3.75.25)

कर्कटिकाश्चार्द्रयुता मरिचेन समन्विताः एवंविधानि चान्नानि शाकानि विविधानि च

karkaṭikāś cārdrayutā maricena samanvitāḥ evaṁvidhāni cānnāni śākāni vividhāni ca

Cucumbers seasoned with ginger and pepper were served too — such were the many kinds of food and manifold vegetable dishes offered.

Verse 26 (skanda.3.75.26)

भोजयित्वा द्विजान्सर्वान्धर्मारण्य निवासिनः अष्टादशसहस्राणि सपुत्रांश्च तदा नृप

bhojayitvā dvijān sarvān dharmāraṇyanivāsinaḥ aṣṭādaśasahasrāṇi saputrāṁś ca tadā nṛpa

O king, they fed all eighteen thousand twice-born residents of Dharmaranya, together with their sons.

Verse 27 (skanda.3.75.27)

प्रतिदिनं तदा देवा भोजयंति स्म वाडवान् एवं वर्षसहस्रं वै कृत्वा यज्ञं तदामराः

pratidinaṁ tadā devā bhojayanti sma vāḍavān evaṁ varṣasahasraṁ vai kṛtvā yajñaṁ tadāmarāḥ

Every single day the gods fed those brahmins. Thus, having performed the sacrifice for a thousand years, the immortal gods —

Verse 28 (skanda.3.75.28)

कृत्वा दैत्यवधं राजन्निर्भयत्वमवाप्नुयुः स्वर्गं जग्मुस्ते सहसा देवाः सर्वे मरुद्गणाः

kṛtvā daityavadhaṁ rājan nirbhayatvam avāpnuyuḥ svargaṁ jagmus te sahasā devāḥ sarve marudgaṇāḥ

O king, having slain the daityas, they attained fearlessness, and then all the gods and the marut hosts swiftly returned to heaven.

Verse 29 (skanda.3.75.29)

तथैवाप्सरसः सर्वा ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः कैलासशिखरं रम्यं वैकुंठं विष्णुवल्लभम्

tathaivāpsarasaḥ sarvā brahmaviṣṇumaheśvarāḥ kailāsaśikharaṁ ramyaṁ vaikuṇṭhaṁ viṣṇuvallabham

Likewise all the apsarases departed, and Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara went, respectively, to lovely Mount Kailāsa and to Vaikuṇṭha, beloved of Vishnu —

Verse 30 (skanda.3.75.30)

ब्रह्मलोकं महापुण्यं प्राप्य सर्वे दिवौकसः परं हर्षमुपाजग्मुः प्राप्य नंदनमुत्तम्

brahmalokaṁ mahāpuṇyaṁ prāpya sarve divaukasaḥ paraṁ harṣam upājagmuḥ prāpya nandanam uttamam

and Brahma to the most sacred Brahmaloka — thus all the celestials, reaching their own realms and the excellent Nandana grove, attained supreme delight.

Verse 31 (skanda.3.75.31)

स्वेस्वे स्थाने स्थिरीभूत्वा तस्थुः सर्वे हि निर्भयाः

sveve sthāne sthirībhūtvā tasthuḥ sarve hi nirbhayāḥ

All of them settled, established once more each in his own place, and dwelt there free of fear.

Verse 32 (skanda.3.75.32)

ततः कालेन महता कृताख्ययुगपर्यये लोहासुरो मदोन्मत्तो ब्रह्मवेषधरः सदा

tataḥ kālena mahatā kṛtākhyayugaparyaye lohāsuro madonmatto brahmaveṣadharaḥ sadā

Long afterward, at the turning of the Kṛta Yuga, a demon named Lohāsura, drunk with pride, who always wore the guise of a brahmin —

Verse 33 (skanda.3.75.33)

आगत्य सर्वान्विप्रांश्च धर्षयेद्धर्मवित्तमान् शूद्रांश्च वणिजश्चैव दंडघातेन ताडयेत्

āgatya sarvān viprāṁś ca dharṣayed dharmavittamān śūdrāṁś ca vaṇijaś caiva daṇḍaghātena tāḍayet

came there and began to torment all the brahmins, even the most learned in dharma, and struck the śūdras and merchants with a club.

Verse 34 (skanda.3.75.34)

विध्वंसयेच्च यज्ञादीन्होमद्रव्याणि भक्षयेत् वेदिका दीर्घिका दृष्ट्वा कश्मलेन प्रदूषयेत्

vidhvaṁsayec ca yajñādīn homadravyāṇi bhakṣayet vedikā dīrghikā dṛṣṭvā kaśmalena pradūṣayet

He destroyed the sacrifices, devoured the oblation-materials, and, whenever he saw an altar or a pool, defiled it with filth.

Verse 35 (skanda.3.75.35)

मूत्रोत्सर्गपुरीषेण दूषयेत्पुण्यभूमिकाः गहनेन तथा राजन्स्त्रियो दूषयते हि सः

mūtrotsargapurīṣeṇa dūṣayet puṇyabhūmikāḥ gahanena tathā rājan striyo dūṣayate hi saḥ

By voiding urine and excrement he defiled sacred grounds; and, O king, he violently violated the women there as well.

Verse 36 (skanda.3.75.36)

ततस्ते वाडवाः सर्वे लोहासुरभयातुराः प्रनष्टाः सपरीवारा गतास्ते वै दिशो दश

tatas te vāḍavāḥ sarve lohāsurabhayāturāḥ pranaṣṭāḥ saparīvārā gatās te vai diśo daśa

Then, tormented by fear of Lohāsura, all those brahmins fled with their families, scattering in all ten directions.

Verse 37 (skanda.3.75.37)

वणिजस्ते भयोद्विग्ना विप्राननुययुर्नृप महाभयेन संभीता दूरं गत्वा विमृश्य च

vaṇijas te bhayodvignā viprān anuyayur nṛpa mahābhayena saṁbhītā dūraṁ gatvā vimṛśya ca

O king, the merchants too, agitated by fear, followed after the brahmins; terrified by great fear, having gone far, they deliberated —

Verse 38 (skanda.3.75.38)

सह शूद्रैद्विजैः सर्व एकीभूत्वा गतास्तदा मुक्तारण्यं पुण्यतमं निर्जनं हि ययुश्च ते

saha śūdrair dvijaiḥ sarva ekībhūtvā gatās tadā muktāraṇyaṁ puṇyatamaṁ nirjanaṁ hi yayuś ca te

and, joining together with the śūdras, all the twice-born went as one and arrived at Muktāraṇya, a most sacred but uninhabited forest.

Verse 39 (skanda.3.75.39)

निवासं कारयामासुर्नातिदूरे नरेश्वर वजिङ्नाम्ना हि तद्ग्रामं वासयामासुरेव ते

nivāsaṁ kārayāmāsur nātidūre nareśvara vajiṅnāmnā hi tadgrāmaṁ vāsayāmāsur eva te

O lord of men, not far from there they established their dwelling, and settled that village under the name Vajiṅ.

Verse 40 (skanda.3.75.40)

लोहासुरभयाद्राजन्विप्र नाम्ना विनिर्मितम् शंभुना वणिजा यस्मात्तस्मात्तन्नामधारणम्

lohāsurabhayād rājan vipra nāmnā vinirmitam śaṁbhunā vaṇijā yasmāt tasmāt tannāmadhāraṇam

O king, out of fear of Lohāsura this settlement, founded under a brahmin's name, was named for the fact that a devotee of Shambhu among the merchants had settled it.

Verse 41 (skanda.3.75.41)

शंभुग्राममिति ख्यातं लोके विख्यातिमागतम् अथ केचिद्भयान्नष्टा वणिजः प्रथमं तदा

śaṁbhugrāmam iti khyātaṁ loke vikhyātim āgatam atha kecid bhayān naṣṭā vaṇijaḥ prathamaṁ tadā

It became renowned in the world as Śambhugrāma. Then, some of the merchants who had earlier fled in fear —

Verse 42 (skanda.3.75.42)

ते नातिदूरे गत्वा वै मंडलं चक्रुरुत्तमम् विप्रागमनकांक्षास्ते तत्र वासमकल्पयन्

te nātidūre gatvā vai maṇḍalaṁ cakrur uttamam viprāgamanakāṅkṣās te tatra vāsam akalpayan

Not going too far, they formed an excellent settlement-circle (maṇḍala) there, and, hoping for the brahmins' arrival, established their dwelling there.

Verse 43 (skanda.3.75.43)

मंडलेति च नाम्ना वै ग्रामं कृत्वा न्यवीवसन् विप्रसार्थपरिभ्रष्टाः केचित्तु वणिजस्तदा

maṇḍaleti ca nāmnā vai grāmaṁ kṛtvā nyavīvasan viprasārthaparibhraṣṭāḥ kecit tu vaṇijas tadā

Naming that village Maṇḍala, they settled there. Meanwhile some other merchants, who had become separated from the brahmins' company —

Verse 44 (skanda.3.75.44)

अन्यमार्गे गता ये वै लोहासुरभयार्दिताः धर्मारण्यान्नाति दूरे गत्वा चिंतामुपाययुः

anyamārge gatā ye vai lohāsurabhayārditāḥ dharmāraṇyān nāti dūre gatvā cintām upāyayuḥ

Those, tormented by fear of Lohāsura, who had gone by a different road, not going far from Dharmaranya, fell into anxious thought —

Verse 45 (skanda.3.75.45)

कस्मिन्मार्गे वयं प्राप्ताः कस्मिन्प्राप्ता द्विजातयः इति चिंतां परं प्राप्ता वासं तत्र त्वकारयन्

kasmin mārge vayaṁ prāptāḥ kasmin prāptā dvijātayaḥ iti cintāṁ paraṁ prāptā vāsaṁ tatra tv akārayan

"By which road have we come, and by which road did the twice-born go?" — sunk deep in this anxiety, they settled their dwelling right there.

Verse 46 (skanda.3.75.46)

अन्यमार्गे गता यस्मात्तस्मात्तन्नामसंभवम् ग्रामं निवासयामासुरडालंजमिति क्षितौ

anyamārge gatā yasmāt tasmāt tannāmasaṁbhavam grāmaṁ nivāsayāmāsur aḍālaṁjam iti kṣitau

Because they had gone by a different road, from this very fact they founded and named their village Aḍālaṁja on that spot.

Verse 47 (skanda.3.75.47)

यस्मिन्ग्रामे निवासी यो यत्संज्ञश्च वणिग्भवेत् तस्य ग्रामस्य तन्नाम ह्यभवत्पृथिवीपते

yasmin grāme nivāsī yo yatsaṁjñaś ca vaṇigbhavet tasya grāmasya tannāma hy abhavat pṛthivīpate

O lord of the earth, whichever village a merchant of a particular name settled in, that village came to bear his very name.

Verse 48 (skanda.3.75.48)

वणिजश्च तथा विप्रा मोहं प्राप्ता भयार्दिताः तस्मान्मोहेतिसंज्ञास्ते राजन्सर्वे निरब्रुवन्

vaṇijaś ca tathā viprā mohaṁ prāptā bhayārditāḥ tasmān moheti saṁjñās te rājan sarve nirabruvan

O king, tormented by fear, both the merchants and the brahmins fell into confusion (moha); therefore all of them declared themselves by the name Mohe (Moheraka).

Verse 49 (skanda.3.75.49)

एवं प्रनषणं नष्टास्ते गताश्च दिशो दिश धर्मारण्ये न तिष्ठंति वाडवा वणिजोऽपि वा

evaṁ pranaṣaṇaṁ naṣṭās te gatāś ca diśo diśa dharmāraṇye na tiṣṭhanti vāḍavā vaṇijo 'pi vā

Thus, fleeing in this manner, they scattered in every direction; no brahmins nor merchants remained in Dharmaranya any longer.

Verse 50 (skanda.3.75.50)

उद्वसं हि तदा जातं धर्मारण्यं च दुर्लभम् भूषणं सर्वतीर्थानां कृतं लोहासुरेण तत्

udvasaṁ hi tadā jātaṁ dharmāraṇyaṁ ca durlabham bhūṣaṇaṁ sarvatīrthānāṁ kṛtaṁ lohāsureṇa tat

Dharmaranya — that ornament of all the sacred places — thus became desolate and deserted; Lohāsura had reduced it to this.

Verse 51 (skanda.3.75.51)

नष्टद्विजं नष्टतीर्थं स्थानं कृत्वा हि दानवः परां मुदमवाप्यैव जगाम स्वालयं ततः इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां तृतीये ब्रह्मखण्डे पूर्वभागे धर्मारण्यमाहात्म्ये ज्ञातिभेदवर्णनं नाम त्रयोविंशोऽध्यायः

naṣṭadvijaṁ naṣṭatīrthaṁ sthānaṁ kṛtvā hi dānavaḥ parāṁ mudam avāpyaiva jagāma svālayaṁ tataḥ iti śrīskānde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṁ saṁhitāyāṁ tṛtīye brahmakhaṇḍe pūrvabhāge dharmāraṇyamāhātmye jñātibhedavarṇanaṁ nāma trayoviṁśo 'dhyāyaḥ

Having made that place bereft of brahmins and bereft of sacred sites, the demon, filled with supreme delight, then returned to his own abode. Thus ends the twenty-third chapter, called "The Scattering of the Community," within the Glory of Dharmaranya, in the earlier portion of the third Brahma Khanda, in the Skanda Mahapurana's Samhita of eighty-one thousand verses.