Among all mothers, Aditi is foremost; among all women, Parvati shines supreme. The greatest one, who wanders through the groves of Vrindavana in the beauty of autumn, is praised above all. She is Lakshmi, beloved of the fortunate, and the Yakshini honored by Kubera. She is the altar in every sacrificial hall, the auspicious fire in all offerings, the sacred gift at every initiation, and the bestower of every desired fruit. Thus, when these glories were extolled, the goddess herself—she who dwells upon the Vindhya mountains—appeared directly before them. She addressed the best of the twice-born, saying, “Ask from me whatever boon your heart desires.” At that time, she spoke of the river Reva, saying, “This Reva has grown powerful in the world, striking fear into the hearts of all beings. She has flooded the universe—go now, take hold of her.” Then, O Vyasa, that virtuous lady made her way to the auspicious Mahakala forest. She declared, “O sage, I shall swiftly restrain the supreme goddess, who is ever increasing. As long as you remain at the gate of Trikuta, best of sages, know that in Kusasthali—a supremely holy, pure place that destroys all sin—I dwell for a long time with the Mothers. There, you shall always have lordship over the field of Siddhas. Wherever the virtuous reside, goddesses gather by the millions, and they worship me with devotion, offering incense, lamps, and fire oblations. “For my devoted worshippers, nothing in the three worlds is difficult to obtain. They enjoy pleasures even rare for the gods themselves. No harm from weapons, fire, or floods shall ever touch them. With all sins cleansed from their souls, those who die here go to the city of Shiva.” Thus, Vyasa reached the delightful and auspicious city of Ujjayini, where the goddess Vindhyavasini is ever sought. Women afflicted by menstrual impurity, those who are barren, and others—like crows and cranes—even those considered impure, upon bathing and beholding Vindhyavasini, find their wishes fulfilled: the childless gain sons, young women secure heroic husbands, Brahmins become learned, and Kshatriyas gain victory. This sacred account grants every desired boon. Thus concludes the fifty-fifth chapter, “The Description of the Glory of the Vimaloda Tirtha and Vindhyavasini,” in the Avanti section of the Fifth Book of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahapurana. In this holy place, merely by bathing, one is freed from even the gravest sins. On a new moon that falls on a Saturday, if one arrives with a focused mind and beholds with reverence the supreme emblem of the god, both moving and unmoving, the benefit is immense. A seeker inquired further, “O ascetic rich in austerity, please tell me more in detail. Just by hearing of this, great sins are destroyed.” It is told that the Reva, Carmanvati, and Ksata—three rivers—were once, O sinless one, holy, filled with sacred waters, delightful, pure, and destroyers of sin. In a beautiful grove within the excellent field of Mandhatri, a slight fault arose in their association, causing them to separate. In the delightful forest of Mahakala, these noble rivers spent time together. Among all sacred waters, Rudrasara is remembered as the foremost. There, having arrived and mingled together, they took refuge in the Sipra; where the dust was cleansed, the fire was instantly declared. The seeker asked, “I wish to know more of this from you, O foremost among those who know Brahman.” Sanatkumara replied, “In ancient times, Tvashtri gave his own daughter, Savitri, to Surya.