O treasure of austerity, listen as I recount in detail this sacred account. In ancient times, the great sage Marīca Kaśyapa undertook severe austerities, the most difficult of all. Sustaining himself only on fallen leaves and air, subsisting on wind alone, he mastered his senses completely. Hear now my unsurpassed words, O best of the twice-born. From you, O dear one, a lineage will arise that shall endure as long as the sun and the moon shine in the heavens. Your virtuous wife, Aditi, practiced austerity alongside you, her devotion unwavering. In time, all your sons will be born, led by Viṣṇu himself, with Indra among them. You, foremost of seers, will become a sinless progenitor of all beings. Having thus spoken, the goddess vanished from that place. Thereafter, Kaśyapa, together with Dakṣa’s daughter and accompanied by sacred fire, took refuge in that holy spot. From Marīci was Kaśyapa born, and from him, all things in creation were established. Nandana, too, was present in that most excellent Mahākāla forest, where she always served Mahākāla, the great Lord, with devotion. Within that region lies the renowned Bindu Lake, celebrated as the supreme Mānasa Lake. It is adorned with clusters of pearls and shines with the brilliance of many jewels. Whatever divine things exist within the sphere of the universe are found there. By the union of self and spirit in that sacred place, humans themselves are established and ennobled. All beings mingle together there, each resembling the immortals. The women are as radiant as celestial maidens, always youthful and vigorous. Gods, demons, gandharvas, kinnaras, serpents, and rākṣasas all dwell there together. This is the encampment of the immortals; thus arose Amarāvatī, the city of the gods. Those who perform sacred bathing, gifts, and other rites in that place behold the great Lord. They attain all enjoyments in this world, and upon death, they journey to the city of Śiva. Thus concludes the forty-sixth chapter, the account of Amarāvatī, in the section extolling the glory of the Avantī region, from the fifth Avantī book of the great eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahāpurāṇa. Now, Viśālā is renowned and sung of in all the worlds. I shall declare what was formerly spoken by Brahmā himself. The god Śiva, united with Umā, wandered alone in the forest. There, Viṣṇu appeared in ten forms, and the goddesses, mothers of the worlds, were present as well. The manifestations of the kalpas and the forms of the liṅgas number eighty-four in that sacred place. The ancestors, the guardians of the worlds, and the siddhas who grant accomplishments all gathered there. Alongside them were kinnaras, divine gandharvas, and apsaras of exquisite beauty, as well as yakṣas, hosts of guhyakas, piśācas, serpents, and rākṣasas. All these beings worshipped the god of gods, the consort of Umā, and addressed Śaṃkara, the refuge of the world, with gentle words: “Behold these greatly fortunate ones, absorbed in meditation and devoted to your praise. Let none of those afflicted by wind, rain, or heat be neglected. Grant, O Lord, a most splendid place for their residence, suited to each as appropriate. “This is our wish, O Lord, if it pleases you: let there be established a delightful city, enchanting to all beings. Let it be vast, stretching many yojanas, divine and beloved by the celestials. May it be endowed with divine intentions and possess a charming, divine location. Let it be filled with bustling markets, grand towers, and lively crossroads.” Thus, the gods and all beings entreated the great Lord for the establishment of a wondrous, celestial city, a fitting abode for the immortals and the blessed.