O Devi, listen as I recount the glory of this sacred land. Here flows the river Varuṇā, sanctified and known to remove all sin. She graces this holy field and, in her purity, unites with the revered Jāhnavī, the Ganga herself. At their confluence, Brahma once established a most excellent liṅga, renowned throughout the world as Saṃgameśvara. It is said that anyone who bathes at this divine meeting of rivers, and worships Saṃgameśvara with a pure heart, need not ever fear rebirth. This place is a great and holy field, the supreme abode sought by yogis. Indeed, in the very heart of this field, I, Shiva, have taken the foremost seat. All the gods and even the demons know this as Madhyameśvara, truly the dwelling place of perfected beings and those who follow my sacred vows. Yogis who yearn for liberation, whose minds are absorbed in the yoga of knowledge, upon seeing this Madhyameśāna, are freed from all sorrow concerning birth. There is also a liṅga here, established by Śukra, the son of Bhṛgu; it is called Śukreśvara and is worshipped by all the perfected beings and immortals. If a disciplined soul beholds this liṅga, he is instantly freed from all sins and, after death, is no longer bound by the cycle of saṃsāra. In ancient times, the demon Devakaṇṭaka, taking the form of a jackal and fearing bondage even after gaining a boon from Brahmā, was slain by me, the daughter of Himavat, in the form of Jambūkeśa. Thus, to this day, I am worshipped as Jambūkeśvara by gods and demons alike. Simply by seeing these Lords of the gods—established by the planets, with Śukra at their head—all desires are fulfilled. Behold these meritorious liṅgas, O Pārvatī, for they grant every wish. In this way, these sacred sites are my abodes. I have described these holy places within my field. Now hear a further secret: this field extends four krośas in all directions, measuring a yojana, and at the time of death, it bestows immortality. I am ever established here, on the great mountain and in Kedāra. By beholding this place, one attains the state of a Gaṇa; here, liberation is truly obtained. From this, one reaches the state of Gāṇapatya, the highest liberation. Therefore, O beautiful-faced one, among all sacred fields—Mahālaya, Kedāra, and Madhyama—this one is remembered as the most sacred of all: Avimukta. Kedāra, the central field, and Mahālaya—these are my holy places on earth, but Avimukta is supreme among them. From this very field, the worlds themselves were created; thus it is most auspicious. I have never abandoned it, and for this reason, it is called Avimukta, the never-forsaken. By seeing my liṅga here, known as Avimukteśvara, a person is instantly freed from sin and released from the bonds of saṃsāra. Here are the sacred liṅgas: Śaileśa, Saṃgameśa, Svarlīna, Madhyameśvara, Hiraṇyagarbha, Īśāna, Goprekṣa, Vṛṣabhadhvaja, Upaśānta, Śiva, the ancient resident, the renowned Śukreśvara, Vyāghreśa, and Jambukeśvara. Whoever beholds these is never again born into the ocean of suffering that is saṃsāra. Having spoken thus, Mahādeva gazed in all directions. At that moment, the great Lord of the gods, Maheshvara, appeared established there, and suddenly the entire place shone with radiant light, as if illumined by his presence. Then, the accomplished followers of Pashupati arrived—bodies gleaming white with sacred ash, steadfast in their vows, the great-souled devotees of Maheshvara. Hundreds approached, bowing in reverence before Maheshvara, gazing upon the Lord of Yoga, wholly absorbed in meditation. They stood, established in their true selves, as if merging into Ishvara himself. In that moment, the Lord of gods, the husband of Uma, was present among them, manifesting his supreme form, as if encompassing the entire world within himself. When the Lord assumed this supreme form, the daughter of the mountain—her hair standing on end in awe—was unable to gaze upon him. Realizing that this form was beyond her perception, the supreme goddess, abiding in her own nature, through the power of yoga, assumed the form of Prakriti. In that form, she was able to see both him and the great-souled Hara; and the yogis, having established dissolution, perceived the Purusha. All of them, their seeds of worldly existence burned away, entered the heart, beautifully remembering the five-syllabled seed-mantra. That divine form, destroyer of all sins, which had been revealed before, now took on an auspicious body, radiant in blue and red. Seeing him, the daughter of the mountain was filled with joy, her whole being thrilled. She praised him, bowed at his feet, and asked, “O Lord, who are these?” Then the best of gods addressed her, “O beautiful one, these devoted and excellent twice-born souls have followed my vow. By whatever yogas they have practiced here, in a single birth, through the power of this sacred place and devotion to me, they have attained this state.” “By my own form, I grant them favor. Therefore, this great sacred place, served by Brahma and others, is worshipped by learned brahmins and accomplished ascetics every month on the eighth and fourteenth days.” “In Varanasi, O goddess, it is especially worshipped during both fortnights, at the eclipses of the moon and sun, and in the month of Kartika. At all sacred festivals, solstices, and equinoxes, all the holy places on earth are found at Varanasi, and there flows the Jahnavi—the sacred river that moves north, issuing from my crest and from your father, O daughter of the Himalaya, the auspicious daughter of the snowy mountain.” Thus is the glory of this sacred field revealed.