After bathing at the sacred Bhutalaya and beholding the venerable Bhutalaya banyan tree, a pilgrim is graced by Bhuteshvara and becomes forever free from the fear of spirits. Such is the power of the Bhuteshvara Tirtha. Beyond this holy place lies another, known as Ghateshvara. To bathe there and gaze upon its sanctity is to surely attain liberation. At the place where the sacred river Abhramati flows stands the great Ghata. There, the sight of Mahadeva removes all bondage, leaving no doubt of one’s freedom. Whoever journeys to this spot and offers special worship to the Plaksha tree finds that all earthly wishes, conceived in the mind, are fulfilled. Thus is the glory of the Ghateshvara Tirtha. From there, the devoted should proceed with reverence to the place renowned as Vaidyanatha. Bathing at this sacred site and worshipping Shiva with devotion, one who honors their ancestors here obtains the fruit of all sacrifices. Victory, as granted by the gods, destroys all sins, and those who behold Shiva at this place always see their desires fulfilled. Mahadeva then spoke to the great goddess: "Next, one should go to the place where the mountain maiden, the slayer of Vritra, and Indra the virtuous attained union. Here, those who control their minds and bathe in the waters gain merit equal to that of ten horse sacrifices. Whoever performs the ancestral rites here, offering sesame flour balls, purifies their lineage for seven generations—past and future. By properly worshipping and bathing at the confluence, and honoring the leader of the hosts, one is never overcome by obstacles or deprived of prosperity." Curious, Parvati asked: "For what action did Purandara come here from the world of the gods? By what name is the river Vārtraghnī known? In Purandara’s city, resounding with the proclamations of Brahma, what is the story of those who constantly honor this union with the river?" Mahadeva replied: "This very question arose long ago in this world. There was a king, Yudhishthira, famed for his righteousness. He asked Bhishma, the wise and virtuous, and what Bhishma told him, I now recount to you. "For ten thousand and one thousand years, a hair-raising battle raged between Vritra and Vasava. At last, defeated, Shakra (Indra) made a pact with Vritra, abandoning the struggle without deceit, and came to seek refuge in me. At the sacred confluence with Vārtraghnyā, he pleased Shankara, and I appeared to him in the sky, granting him a vision. "From my body, ashes fell upon the bank of the Kasyapi river, and there a sacred linga called Bhasmagatra was established. Bhuteshvara Bhasmagatra was installed by Brahma himself, and by merely seeing it, one is freed from the sin of killing a Brahmana. By performing ancestral rites at the dawn of the ages, all sins are washed away. Thus, I was greatly pleased with Indra, the great-souled, and said, ‘Whatever you desire, I grant it. With this union with the thunderbolt, you will swiftly slay Vritra.’ "Shakra replied, ‘O Lord, by your grace, I will slay the formidable son of Diti with the thunderbolt, as you witness, O best of gods.’ "Having spoken, Indra advanced toward the demon. At that moment, kettledrums thundered throughout the army of the gods. Mridangas, dimdim drums, bheris, and many other instruments resounded. Among the demons, a great desire for victory arose. Mighty Maghavan was instantly born anew, and the sages and serpents recognized the divine possession in him. They praised Shakra with hymns and cries of triumph. As Indra strode forth, eager for battle, surrounded by the sages’ praises, his form became unbearably radiant. "At the height of the battle with Vritra, various lingas appeared upon my body: a fierce, blazing mouth, an extreme pallor, trembling limbs, and heated breath. Horripilation and intense trembling seized me, and a great exhalation arose. Terrifying meteors fell and struck the earth. Vultures, bats, hawks, and herons uttered dreadful cries, circling above Vritra like a wheel. "Indra arrived, mounted upon his elephant, hand raised high with the thunderbolt. The Lord of the gods released an inhuman roar, and as Vritrasura strove, Shakra hurled the thunderbolt. That weapon, blazing like the fire of destruction, struck Vritra upon the shore of the ocean. A great sound rose up on all sides as Vritra was slain, terrifying all the gods. A shower of flowers descended upon Indra’s head, and the blessed one, destroyer of the terrible lord of the Danavas, was praised by the immortals as he entered the divine city. "Yet from Vritra’s body emerged a supreme, terrible energy—the personification of Brahmanicide. Fierce and monstrous, with a deformed, dark, and tawny face, adorned with a garland of skulls, emaciated, blood-stained, and dreadful with a fishy stench, this great goddess began to seek out Indra, the best of the gods. Upon seeing mighty Shakra, she rushed forward, seized the lord of the gods by the throat, and held him fast.