"In the Linga Purana, which is believed to have been composed between the fifth and tenth centuries ce, Bhagwan Shiva tells his consort Devi Parvati about this ‘holy centre’: One whose mind is fixed in me, one who is devoted to me, one who has always dedicated his holy rites to me, does not attain liberation anywhere else in the same manner as here. O! fair lady! A creature that dies here becomes competent to attain salvation … this holy centre will never be abandoned by me nor has it been eschewed by me. This holy centre, therefore, is known as ‘Avimukta’ … this Avimukta is more auspicious than even Prayaga which is the foremost of all holy centres."