In the sacred narration, the many divine forms and names of Shiva are described, each revered at holy sites and fords. He is renowned as Rupeshvara, celebrated as Brahmeshvara, and honored as Shambhu in the form of Pishacheshvara. Then, he is Sangameshvara, Karabeshvara, and Rajasthaleshvara. The god is worshipped as Pushpadanteshvara and Avimukteshvara, and known as Swapneshvara and Siddheshvara. He is called Kameshvara and Pratihareśvara, named Svarnajaleshvara and Manahkameshvara. He is Durvaseshvara and Nagachandeshvara, Pataleshvara and Gupteshvara, Bhīmeśvara and Sahasrābhidha, the supreme wielder of the bow. Shiva is further known as Gadādhareśvara, Vaijanātha the sovereign Shambhu, Somanātheśvara, Ghuṣmeśvara, Bhīmaśaṃkara, and Ghaṃṭeśvara. He is Ūṣareśvara and Candrādityeśvara, Rāmeśvara and Vālmīkeśvara, Vighnahasteśvara and Caṃcaleśa, Karṇeśvara and Pṛthukeśa, Avimukteśvara and Hanumatkeśvara, Biṃdukeśa and Vālukeśvara. All the sacred fords are the very liṅgas of Shiva, O noble one. At the gates, the four great-souled beings serve as the gatekeepers. At the southern gate is Kāyāvarohaṇeśvara; at the northern gate stands Dardureśvara. In the delightful Mahākālavana, these purifying forms are renowned, and the number of liṅgas in Mahākālavana, O Vyāsa, cannot be known. Each sacred ford bears the name of its presiding deity. Likewise, the nine auspicious planets are described, O sinless one. Shiva is worshipped as Narāditya and Someśvara, as Bṛhaspatīśvara and Śukreśvara. The planets themselves grant kingdoms and take them away. A man, having bathed at the holy place of the planets, should worship them. Thus, Vyāsa, the gods and sacred places have been described. In times of severe affliction caused by the planets, in poverty, and in terrible distress, those excellent men who perform worship within the field’s enclosure find blessings: a sonless man gains a son, a poor man attains wealth, his lineage becomes unending, and he is honored in the realm of Shiva. The greatness of the Avanti tīrtha is pure and established in accordance with the Vedas. Yet, again, a question arises: how many tīrthas exist here, O virtuous one? The dialogue between Umā and Maheśvara, and also the wise Nārada, seeks to reveal the details of these tīrthas. Thus, O sinless one, was I questioned by Nārada in times past. Now, O virtuous one, I shall tell you about the tīrthas that exist.