Moved by his son’s words, which were as sweet as nectar, the twice-born sage Mārkaṇḍa resolved, “I will worship the Four-faced One in the same way.” Without delay, Mārkaṇḍa journeyed to the delightful Arbuda mountain, seeking its sacred hermitage. There, in the holy month of Śrāvaṇa, he knew that the full fruit of ancestral rites would certainly be obtained. It was said that whoever, by following the practices of the ancient sages, satisfied the foremost Brāhmaṇas at Arbuda, and whoever bathed there with true faith, would reap immense rewards. From there, the wise advised, “O best of kings, one should go to the supreme linga that removes sin.” When a pilgrim touched, saw, or especially worshipped this linga, all sins would be washed away, and the devotee would be honored in Shiva’s realm. Thus concluded the forty-second chapter, ‘The Description of the Glory of Uddalakeshvara,’ in the third Arbudakhanda of the seventh Prabhasa section of the Skanda Mahapurana. Nearby, the linga established by the Siddhas was renowned for destroying all transgressions. There was a beautiful pond, its waters pure and clear. It was believed that whatever desire a person contemplated while bathing there, O king, would be fulfilled. Thus ended the forty-third chapter, ‘The Description of the Glory of Siddheshvara,’ in the same section. Pulastya then spoke: “Where once the diggajas, those mighty elephants whose souls were purified, practiced austerity, and others who bear the weight of the earth, led by Airavata, O king, there lies a powerful tirtha.” Thus concluded the forty-fourth chapter, ‘The Description of the Power of Gaja Tirtha.’ At a place whose fame was established by all the gods themselves, whoever performed the shraddha, especially on the new moon day, would deliver their ancestors—even those who had reached the most difficult state. Thus ended the forty-fifth chapter, ‘The Description of the Glory of the Origin of Shri Devakha.’ It was said that upon seeing him, a mortal would become intelligent, wise, and pure. Thus concluded the forty-sixth chapter, ‘The Description of the Glory of Vyasa Tirtha.’ There was another sacred site, where the great-souled sage Gautama had practiced austerity. Long ago, Gautama, supremely righteous, worshipped with deep devotion. As he worshipped, the earth split open, and at that very moment, a bodiless voice spoke: “Choose a boon, auspicious one, whatever is in your mind.” Gautama replied, “If you, O Lord, are pleased, may your presence always be here.” The divine voice granted, “Whoever sees you with true devotion shall go to the world of Brahma. On the new moon, he shall attain the highest state.” After these words, the voice vanished. It was believed that bathing at this tirtha would at once deliver one’s entire lineage; performing śrāddha there, especially at the waning of the moon, brought great merit. The foremost sages praised the gift of sesame seeds given at this site. At Arbuda, the journey to the Gautamī, and when Jupiter was in Leo, bathing in the Bhāgīrathī there was said to equal six thousand years of spiritual merit. Thus ended the forty-seventh chapter, ‘The Greatness of the Gautama Āśrama Tīrtha.’ Wherever a man bathed properly at these sacred places, he delivered his entire lineage—ten ancestors, both past and future, as well as himself. There was once a king named Aprastuta, whose actions were wrongful. Under his rule, the people never found happiness. He amassed wealth by both just and unjust means. Thus, the sacred tales of Arbuda’s holy sites, their glory, and the power of faith and ritual, are revealed in the Skanda Mahapurana.