In a realm where darkness prevails, there is nothing that brings illumination to those who dwell there. Bereft of companions, spouses, support, or guides, the souls who suffer in this place are utterly alone. This domain is renowned for its twenty-eight dreadful hells, places of great torment and despair. How, O Krishna, can such suffering souls ever find happiness in such a state? Moved by compassion, a divine voice spoke words that were pleasing and granted the fruits of desire. “Hear, all you gods, what I am about to say,” he announced. “In Avanti, there exists a sacred place, famed for its power to instantly remove even the gravest of sins.” He described a path for redemption: On the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Kārtika, one should approach with focused mind, devoted to the ancestors and self-controlled. Gathering black sesame seeds, the devotee turns to the left and offers them with mantras to Yama, the lord of death, as well as to Vaivasvata, Kāla, Dakṣa, Manu, Hara, the son of the Sun, and the brother of Kālindī. Each offering is accompanied by mantras beginning with ‘salutation’ and the sacred syllable Oṃ, most auspicious. With concentrated mind, the devotee satisfies god Yama with a vessel of sesame seeds. Whoever performs this act, pleasing the mighty Yama, spends the night there, filled with desire and hope. They offer salutations to Sūrya, to Rudra, and to the lord of the end of time. Throughout the month of Kārtika, the prosperity of such a person increases. At sunset, when the sun has set at midday, the devotee prepares the wick of a lamp to be of a man’s length. Placing it on the ground, measuring a hand’s length, and on the head two hands, the lamp is adorned with eight petals. In its center, a great light is offered, with supreme devotion. A new, spotless cloth—white or bright red, or pure white—is placed upon rice flour so that it neither spills nor trembles. The cloth is arranged beautifully on the petals, for splendor and the fulfillment of desires. The ground is smeared with cow dung and anointed with fragrant water. Then, cool water is brought to fill eight beautiful water pots, each filled with honey, ghee, curd, and milk, from the southwest corner to the southern end. With devotion, these offerings are made in order to the Prajapatis, the departed, Indra, and the ancestors. Gifts of cows, gold, silver, cloth, fruits, roots, barley, and grain are given to the foremost twice-born who are learned, to those versed in the Puranas, and likewise to the Brahmins. Those who perform these sacred rites are blessed. They are attended by celestial vimanas, surrounded by hosts of Apsaras, the heavenly dancers. Among all sacred bathing places, one stands foremost, renowned in the three worlds. There, one who bathes and becomes pure, who beholds the great Lord, is freed from all sins—together with his own lineage. Having bathed at Jaṭāśṛṅga, becoming pure with senses controlled, and having performed the great penance at the beginning, the devotee proceeds towards Shiva. Bathing at Indratirtha and beholding Indreshvara Shiva, or beholding Kundeshvara with devotion to Shiva, or bathing at Gopatirtha and beholding Gopeśvara Shiva, or bathing at Cipiṭātirtha and bowing to the god Shiva—each act brings purification and divine grace, leading the soul from darkness to light, from suffering to liberation.