O Vyasa, listen as I recount this sacred narrative, just as it is revealed in the scripture. Lord Narayana himself declares: if one attains the holy Malimluce yet neglects to worship there, then, despite all their efforts, true devotion to Narayana is not accomplished in this world. There are those who, lacking wisdom, perform rituals everywhere except in the great forest of Mahakala. But in the auspicious extra month, O Vyasa, at the revered site known as Purushottama, great merit is attained. One who worships Purushottama—whose divine feet are cherished by Lakshmi—gains a hundred cherished desires and is honored in the world of Vishnu. Such a devotee, having fasted with discipline and kept vigil through the night, should worship Vishnu with utmost reverence and perform the sacred water procession. By observing these rites properly, one is blessed with sons, a devoted wife, abundant wealth, a long life, health, and prosperity. In the eastern part of this holy region stands Jaṭeśvara, the great lord, who, through intense austerity, achieved supreme merit and became the foremost among the virtuous. At this sacred place, a pilgrim should bathe and offer a cow with sesame seeds as charity. Across from there resides Rama, the illustrious descendant of Bhrigu. Flowing nearby is Kauśikī, the best of all rivers, who grants the highest blessings among all sacred waters. Simply by beholding Rāmeśvara, a person is freed from all sin. Thus concludes the chapter in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, within the fifth Avantya Khanda, describing the greatness of the Avantī region and the sanctity of Puruṣottameśvara, focusing on the merits of bathing, giving, and other sacred acts during the extra month. Now, O wise one, let me tell you a supreme story that destroys sin, as once described to me—the tale of the eternal Gomati pool. In the sacred forest of Naimisha, the sages led by Shaunaka were seated together. At that auspicious moment, the supreme glory of Kashi was recounted. Blessed indeed is the city of Varanasi, the holy place where all sins are destroyed. Between the rivers Asi and Varuna, within a five-krosha area, lies land that yields great spiritual fruit. Recalling this, Vyasa, the self-born sage, spoke: “No river equals the Gomati, and no goddess compares to Krishna.” The sages, led by Shaunaka, heard and understood this truth with certainty. There, on the banks of the Gomati, those steadfast in their vows performed sacrifices, maintaining their discipline for a long period. Desiring the fulfillment of their wishes, Rama and Janardana, eager for knowledge, approached their teacher and took up residence in his home. At dawn, they noticed their teacher was absent. Upon inquiring, the teacher’s wife explained, “Your teacher goes there every day for his morning bath.” Hearing this, Krishna and Rama were united in purpose and waited for their teacher at the river, wishing to remain with him. When their teacher arrived, the two heroes rose and paid their respects, then spoke: “O great ascetic, please hear the reason for our stay here. O Brāhmaṇa, in the morning, we have no set duties.” The venerable Vyasa then explained his practice: “Bathing in the Gomati should always be performed in the morning by the wise. Having understood this, do what is proper for you accordingly.” Thus, Vyasa performed worship of the Gomati at Kuśasthalī. To the north of Kaṃthaḍeśvara, the sacred river Gomati was found, sanctifying all who approached her waters.