In the sacred region where Pārvatī was brought and where Hara—Lord Shiva—achieved his great accomplishment, a remarkable event unfolded. At this very spot, two mighty Dānavas, Caṇḍa and Pracaṇḍa, were born. It was here that the Lord of Mountains, holding dice and a dice-cup in his hand, was seen—absorbed in play. As he called out, “O goddess of gods! I am your servant,” his heart became enchanted. In that moment of divine affection, those two Dānavas, who were thorns to the gods, suddenly appeared. Without warning, Caṇḍa and Pracaṇḍa attacked Nandī, the devoted attendant of Shiva, piercing him with their tridents. Seeing Nandina, the noble son of Śilāda, struck down, Shiva declared, “Let these two great demons be slain; let them be destroyed.” And so, when the powerful Dānavas were vanquished before her, the goddess became renowned across the worlds. It was decreed that she would be known as Harasiddhi—she whose success was achieved by Hara—at the holy site of Mahākāla. From that time onward, it was proclaimed that whoever beholds the goddess Harasiddhi with supreme devotion will be blessed, for she is the primal accomplished one, the great and eternal goddess whose very form is space itself. Whoever remembers the sacred mantra “Hara-siddhi,” composed of four syllables, or worships her on the auspicious day of the great Navami, will receive her boundless grace. On this day, the goddess, beloved of Hara, is especially pure and holy, bestowing happiness everywhere. It is on this Navami that she is celebrated for slaying buffalo-demons and other evil beings. Thus, the nineteenth chapter of the Avanti section in the Skanda Purāṇa concludes, extolling the greatness of Hara-siddhi. The narrative continues: if one worships the goddess with offerings of golden flowers, their accomplishments shall never diminish. The glory of Vatayakshini is thus told: whoever gives sesame seeds in devotion will not be reborn as a demon. Every gift, when dedicated with devotion, becomes imperishable. By bathing in the name of the goddess, one is freed from all taint of demonhood, attaining eternal liberation, and ensuring that no ghost will arise in his lineage. All sins are shed, just as a serpent casts off its old skin. Such a devotee, O Vyasa, leaves the realm of Yama and attains the world of Rudra. Indeed, he gains the merit of performing an Ashvamedha sacrifice—there can be no doubt. The god worshipped here is known as Damarukeshvara. He who honors him need not fear disease, and at death, he will reach the city of Shiva. He may attain both a kingdom and heaven, just as Indra himself did, and will enjoy delights for countless aeons. Even in this world, success and victory follow him everywhere. Worshipping the god with gold frees him from all sins; he need not fear serpents, nor will poverty ever touch him. Freed from Viṣṇu’s illusion, he attains the supreme state, released from even the gravest sins, including the slaying of a Brahmin. Simply beholding this god grants the fruit of a hundred sacrifices. Thus concludes the twentieth chapter, describing the pilgrimage to the fourteen holy places in the Avanti region. There is yet another sacred place: Hanumatkeśvara, renowned as the bestower of both enjoyment and liberation. Whoever bathes in the holy Śaiva lake and beholds Hanumatkeśvara is blessed indeed. Now, let the ancient tale of this place be told, as it happened in times long past.