Once, a celestial being, draped in blue and burdened by a profound purity, journeyed forth to purify the three worlds. Yet, her state was not one of joy; through wicked conduct and transgressions, she had come to this afflicted condition. The remnants of her impurity lingered within me, as they do in all embodied beings, manifesting as a blue hue—discolored and estranged from the path of dharma. Having turned away from me, she left behind a world where all beings could become completely pure, yet for us, O Dhātṛ, there arose great suffering—the height of impurity. For one so sinful and impure, there seemed to be no place in the world. In her anguish, she wondered, “What shall I do? Where shall I go, that I might find peace? By what means may I, whose body is smeared with sin, regain my true nature?” It was then revealed that in the delightful Mahākālavana stood Amarāvatī, a splendid city. There, on earth, flowed the Śiprā, the best of rivers, renowned for its purifying power. “Go there at once, O highly fortunate one, for your own purification,” she was advised. Recognizing this guidance, she made her way to the auspicious Mahākālavana. In the northern part of the Vindhya mountains, she found the excellent hermitage of Añjanā—a place revered by all devoted wives and celibate husbands alike. The hermitage was enchanting, adorned with lotus-filled lakes and resonant with the songs of intoxicated bees. It was a pure and meritorious place, known to destroy sin. There, her transformation was immediate: she became clad in white garments, her sins and impurities vanished, and she was rendered auspicious. She established an ashram there, bringing great joy to the hearts of all who visited. O Vyasa, know that this holy place is called Nilaganga, famed for destroying sins. Anyone who comes here will surely accomplish their aims—there is no doubt. At Nilaganga, on the new moon day, one should perform the great ancestral rites, offering śrāddha to the forefathers. Even those ancestors born in the same lineage who now dwell in hell may be uplifted. After bathing, one should offer a handful of sesame seeds to the ancestors with devotion, then perform śrāddha with milk-rice and feed seven Brahmins. But hear further, Vyasa, of another holy place, even more meritorious, whose greatness I shall tell you. It removes all sins, bestows merit, and grants all desired boons. Here, all milk is regarded as a sacred offering, conferring life to all. After bathing in the pond, drinking milk, and giving away a milch cow, one is blessed to be reborn at all times, and upon death, ascends to the heavenly city. With a mind purified of all sins, one attains the fruit of Puṣkara. Thus, in the eighty-one-thousand-verse Samhita of the glorious Skanda Mahapurana, within the fifth Avantya section, in the description of the Avanti region, is the fifty-fourth chapter, named ‘Description of the Greatness of Nilaganga.’ Now, Vyasa, you may wonder: in the delightful Mahakala forest, by whom, and for what reason, was he formerly sent? At that time, the venerable sage Agastya, together with all the gods, worshipped the illustrious one for the protection of the earth. With single-pointed devotion, Agastya worshipped Bhavani, the resplendent dweller upon Vindhya—she who caused the flight of Kamsa, who brought destruction to the demons; she who was born from the womb of Yashoda, who crushed the might of Chanura; the mother of Devasena, the sovereign of the poets’ speech; for Indra, she was the thousand-eyed one, and for the sage, she was the supreme Arundhati. Such is the sacred tale of purity, transformation, and the greatness of the holy places, as revealed in the Skanda Purana.