Lord Shiva, the blessed Rudra, spoke to the goddess with deep affection, describing the sacred places most dear to him. He named Bhairaveshvara, Ishana, the one called Aumkara, Amareshvara, Mahakala, Jyotisha, and Bhasmagatraka among them. Beyond these, he mentioned all his holy sites upon the earth—sixty-eight renowned tirthas, and others established in their fullness. All these holy places, he revealed, converge into him at Varanasi during every sacred festival. “This,” he confided, “is a most secret truth.” Because of this, Shiva explained, anyone who, at the end of their life, bathes in the Ganga and beholds him in this place attains the divine, immortal state. The fruit of all sacrifices—equal to hundreds of thousands of desired offerings—is gained instantly here. “What could be more wonderful than this?” he asked. All the foremost shrines in heaven, on earth, and upon mountains, he declared, are surpassed by this place, the highest of the high. He explained further to the goddess: “The word ‘Avi,’ as spoken by the twice-born and prescribed in the Veda, means ‘free from sin.’ Because I have accepted it as pure, this place is called Avimukta.” Having thus spoken, the Lord of all worlds, Rudra himself, said, “O goddess of the gods, let my house of Avimukta be well seen.” Then, with gentle grace, Shiva, the consort of Uma, revealed to her the most excellent Śrīparvata. There, at Avimukteśvara, he ever resides with her, for he pervades all, being the Self of all—composed of both existence and non-existence. Having reached Śrīparvata with the goddess, Hara, the Lord of gods and master of all beings, showed her the sacred fields. He pointed out the supreme, divine Kuṇḍīprabha, Vaiśravaṇeśvara, Āśāliṅga, the divine Lord of gods, and also the divine Bileśvara. He showed her the supreme Rāmeśvara, established by Viṣṇu, and at the southern gate’s side, Kuṇḍaleśvara, the Lord. Near the eastern gate, he indicated the excellent Tripurāntaka, grown together with the mountain and worshipped by the Lord of gods. There, too, is Madhyameśvara, renowned in the three worlds, and Amareśvara, the bestower of boons, established of old by the gods. Shiva showed Gocarmeśvara, Īśāna, the wondrous Indreśvara, and the great Karmeśvara, which Brahmā created for the sake of action. He then revealed the glorious Siddhavaṭa, his eternal abode, and the divine Ajabila, directly created by the unborn one, ever auspicious. At the divine Pāduke and at his own Bileśvara, in the middle of Śṛṅgāṭācala shaped like a pinnacle, stands Śṛṅgāṭakeśvara, established by the blessed goddess, and Mallikārjunaka, his auspicious abode. He showed Rajeśvara, established with dust, Gajeśvara in Vaiśākha, and the imperishable Kapoteśvara. He pointed out Koṭīśvara, the great pilgrimage site, once served by hosts of Rudras—“See it today, O goddess,” he said, “most auspicious and surpassing all.” He showed the one called Dvidevakula, auspicious on the southern side and established by Brahmā, and on the northern side, the mountain established by Viṣṇu. He revealed the great liṅga of vast measure, established by himself, and on the western mountain, Brahmeśvara and Maleśvara. “Adorned by you, O Brahman, in front together with sages,” he said, and remained in that house, known as Alaṃgṛha. There too, Shiva said, “O knower of holy places, see the sacred tīrtha and my Vyomaliṅga, and Kadambeśvara, which was established by Skanda himself.” He showed Gomaṇḍaleśvara, well established by Nandā and others, and all the gods led by Śakra established these, O beautiful-faced one. He invited the goddess to behold these sacred places at the edge of illustrious Devahrada, and likewise in Hārapura, where her necklace had fallen. For the welfare of the worlds, she had created this necklace-tank, and in the city of Śiva and Rudra, it was placed upon that body. There, by his father Suśaila, the Lord of the Mountain was established, adorned by Shiva himself, O Brahmā, together with the sages in front. Shiva then described the shrine of Caṇḍikeśvara, and Caṇḍikeśā, the goddess’s own daughter, and the place established by Caṇḍikā, the supreme Ambikā-tīrtha. He pointed out the shrine of Rucikeśvara, and the auspicious Kapilā stream. “O Goddess, in these places and in the various sacred fords, one should always worship me with devotion; together with me, he rejoices. If a Brāhmaṇa, freed from sin, gives up his body at Śrīśaila, he is liberated—of this there is no doubt—just as in Avimukta. And whoever performs the great ablution with ghee, according to the proper method, attains union with me in these places, O virtuous one.” He explained the sacred measures: “The bath is to be known as a hundred palas, and the anointing as twenty-five. A great ablution is declared to be of two thousand palas. One should bathe my liṅga with cow’s milk and with ghee. Having purified it with all substances, one should sprinkle with water; by cleansing, the merit of a hundred sacrifices is gained, and likewise by bathing, ten million.” He continued, “By worship with a hundred thousand songs and musical instruments, the great ablution is especially praised; the bath is remembered as eightfold in merit. With only water, or with fragrant water, with devotion, all the anointing is to be done with twenty-five palas. Śamī flowers, according to rule, bilva leaves, and lotuses, and other flowers as well—one should not neglect bilva leaves. With four droṇas for the Great God, or with eight droṇas, or with ten droṇas for the offering, or with eight droṇas as well.” Thus, Lord Shiva revealed to the goddess the greatness of his sacred abodes, the power of devotion, and the highest paths of worship, bestowing his grace upon all who seek him with a pure heart.