At the command, a fierce voice rang out, "This wicked one, with harsh voice, should be seized alive!" The demons, obedient and swift, surged forward to capture her. Yet, with nothing but her piercing glance, the goddess reduced those demons instantly to ashes. Their leader, enraged and desperate, raised his terrible sword and shouted, "Stop! Stop!" But in that very moment, he too was consumed to ashes, like a moth drawn into a blazing fire. Terrified by her power, the remaining demons fled, plunging into the depths of Pātāla, the netherworld. Witnessing this display of divine might, all the hosts of gods gathered and praised her, the queen of the gods. The goddess graciously declared, "Here itself, on Mount Arbuda, I shall remain, O best of gods. Heaven has become defiled, lacking sacrifices and gifts." The gods, filled with gratitude, replied, "We shall see you there always, O pure one, on the eighth day of the bright fortnight." Thus, the goddess journeyed to the mountain called Arbuda. There, dwelling in the heart of a cave, she continually acts for the welfare of the world. O king of kings, whoever beholds her with focused devotion on the eighth day of the bright fortnight is truly blessed. This concludes the account of the greatness of Kātyāyanī, as told in the third Arbuda section of the seventh Prabhāsa division of the Skanda Mahāpurāṇa. Now, hear of the holy place where once Maṃki and a brāhmaṇa performed austerities. Long ago, Maṃki was a brāhmaṇa only in name, O king, and he lived upon a beautiful mountain. In time, he gained wealth there. He subdued a pair of oxen and, seizing a tied camel, held it by the neck. With the pair of oxen hanging from the camel’s neck, Maṃki, having grown detached from the world, left the village and retreated to the forest. There, he performed ritual bathing three times a day and recited the sacred Gāyatrī mantra. It was then that Śaṃkara, the great Lord, happened to pass along that path. He was suddenly seen by Piṃḍāra, a soul of great merit. Piṃḍāra addressed him, "Let my seeing you not be in vain; grant me a boon, O brāhmaṇa. Do as I ask, O Lord; nothing else remains in my heart. Let this place be renowned as a sacred ford by my name." Śaṃkara granted the boon: "This place shall be a holy site called Piṇḍāraka. On the great eighth day, I shall reside here; those who come shall attain the supreme abode where I eternally dwell." Thus, Maṅki, henceforth known as Piṇḍāraka, performed austerities there day and night. After a long time, having relinquished his mortal body, he ascended to heaven. Therefore, one should bathe here with devotion and proper mantras, and especially on the eighth day, offer the gift of a cow. In this way, the greatness of Piṇḍāraka Tīrtha is established. Now, O king, listen to another wondrous event. There is a mountain named Kanakhala, destroyer of sins. During a solar eclipse, a king went to the sacred ford at Kanakhala. In a moment of carelessness, a great amount of gold slipped from his possession and fell into the water. After bathing, he returned home, filled with regret over his loss. When another solar eclipse occurred, he returned to that very spot again to bathe, hoping for redemption. Thus, the sacred tales of these holy places and their greatness have been recounted, as preserved in the Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.