Tripura – The Three Magnificent Cities

Lord Śiva is often glorified as Tripurāri or Tripurāntaka, meaning the foe or the destroyer of the three cities. The Śiva-Purāṇa amongst other Purāṇas elaborates the anecdote of the three famed cities. There was once an asura by name Tāraka who tormented the devas. Lord Śiva’s son, Kārtikeya, vanquished him and brought order to the world. Tārakāsura’s sons, however, Tārakākṣa, Vidyunmālī and Kamalākṣa were devastated by the death of their father. They gave up the pleasures of the world and resorted to a cave in mount Meru for penance. Thousands of years rolled by as the brothers engaged in stupendous penance. Finding that their minds were completely stilled in thoughts of him, Lord Brahmā appeared before them immensely pleased. He said, “why do you put yourself through such hardship? Seek of me that which you most desire, and I shall fulfil the longing of your heart.” The sons of Tāraka were delighted. They said, “if indeed you are pleased with us, please bless us with immortality and invincibility.” Lord Brahmā responded, “he who is born must indeed die. This is the law of creation. Think carefully and ask me for something else.” The three pondered a while and responded, “lord, if that is the case, bless us with three impregnable cities. Let these cities be mobile so that we may move about freely.” Tārakākṣa added, “may the celestial architect construct a city of gold for me.” Kamalākṣa said, “I want my city to be made of silver.” Vidyunmālī chimed, “I would like my city to be fashioned in iron and steel.” The three wicked brothers added in unison, “the cities must only be destroyed by a single arrow of Lord Śiva, released when he is seated in a special vehicle, and when the three cities are perfectly aligned.” Upon Brahmā’s command, Viśvakarma designed three exquisite cities that were fortified by three forts. The first fort could be seen only from heaven, the second from the sky, and the third from the earth alone. The brothers assumed charge of the magical cities that were guarded by the forts and began terrorizing the three worlds. With the support of Mayāsura, the rākṣasa overlord, they overpowered Indra and took charge of Indraloka. Deeply distressed, the celestials surrendered to lord Śiva and pleaded, “Mahādeva, the three sons of Tārakāsura now rule over the three worlds. Siddhas and sages live in fear as they unleash tyranny over the universe. We are striped of power and unrighteousness spreads like poison in the three worlds. You are our only recourse. Please vanquish them and bring peace to the world.” The lord responded with a smile, “how can I be ungrateful to the sons of Tāraka, who bear me such love? They worship me with great devotion and dedication. How can I possibly betray them?” Crestfallen, the celestials next resorted to lord Viṣṇu for succour. Listening to the supplication of the celestials Lord Viṣṇu responded, “the citizens of the three famed cities engage in worship of lord Śiva constantly. They are hence invincible. I shall devise a plan to turn them away from worship and vedic rites. When the power of prayer diminishes, the lord will intercede.” Having given the celestials leave, lord Viṣṇu created a māyāpuruṣa (an embodiment of illusion) from his body and commissioned him with the task of uprooting Vedic practices from the three cities. The māyāpuruṣa entered the three cities and began spreading false doctrines. When his efforts were not successful, sage Nārada went to Mayāsura upon lord Viṣṇu’s command and convinced him to listen to the teachings of the unique guru. The false guru initiated Mayāsura and began telling him, “there is no distinct god; each is god unto himself. The Vedas proclaim that joy is the embodiment of the Supreme. Therefore, man must seek pleasure until he lives.” The false guru further denounced the worship of the Śivaliṅga or any other deity, charity, and other Vaidika-dharmas. With Mayāsura influenced by the false guru, the three cities soon relinquished dharma and their loyalty to lord Śiva. Adharma spread through the three cities, and evil took residence in the hearts of the citizens. Viṣṇu seized this opportunity to appeal to Lord Śiva. He said, “O’ lord, you are the soul resting in all created beings. Please protect us. Mayāsura and the sons of Tāraka tyrannize us. They have fallen from dharma. We reveal to you their evil ways and plead with you to act as you see fit.” Lord Śiva responded mischievously, “anyone who transgresses dharma is deserving of an end at my hands, no doubt. However, I have no divine chariot, an expert charioteer, or masterly weapons to wage war against the formidable daityas. How do I slay them?” Relieved that the lord was willing to punish the daityas, the celestials chimed in unison, “we shall transform ourselves into a chariot and serve you.” His face blossoming in a smile, lord Śiva said, “consider the three cities reduced to shambles! Make haste and construct a chariot.” Upon the word of the lord, Viśvakarma hastened to create an astonishing chariot. It was a miniature of the created universe. Lord Brahmā was the charioteer. The four Vedas were the horses yoked to the chariot. The Mandara mount served as the formidable bow of the lord, and the king of serpents served as the bowstring. Lord Viṣṇu served as the arrows, and lord Agni served as their sharp tips. With the brilliant lord amount the chariot, it sped through the skies towards the three cities with a horde of celestials in tow. The lord reached the vicinity of the three cities, placed an arrow upon his mighty bow and drew his bowstring taut, awaiting the perfect moment. A hundred thousand years (earthly years) went by, but the three cities did not fall in a perfect line. At that juncture, a divine voice echoed in the sky – “O Śiva, unless you worship Gaṇeśa, you will not be able to destroy the three cities.” Hearing these words, the lord summoned Bhadra-Kālī and offered prayers to Gaṇeśa. As Mahādeva completed the adulation, the three cities appeared in perfect alignment in the sky. The lord then placed the Pāśupatrāstra upon his bow and released the arrow, filling the world with its tumult. The arrow sped through the sky and reduced the magical cities to cinders in the blink of an eye. Tārakākṣa who lay upon the floor within inches of death, pleaded mentally, "you must indeed be pleased with us otherwise you would not have slain us with your own hands, O’ lord. We have experienced your peerless magnificence today. May this tender devotion that bathes our hearts today stay with us birth after birth, compassionate one.” With these words upon his lips and with the three magnificent cities razed to the ground, the daitya was reduced to ashes by the will of lord Śiva. नमस्तेऽस्तु भगवन् विश्वेश्वराय महादेवाय त्र्यम्बकाय त्रिपुरान्तकाय त्रिकाग्निकालाय कालाग्निरुद्राय नीलकण्ठाय मृत्युञ्जयाय सर्वेश्वराय सदाशिवाय श्रीमन्महादेवाय नमः॥ namaste'stu bhagavan viśveśvarāya mahādevāya tryambakāya tripurāntakāya trikāgnikālāya kālāgnirudrāya nīlakaṇṭhāya mṛtyuñjayāya sarveśvarāya sadāśivāya śrīmanmahādevāya namaḥ|| May my salutations be unto you lord Mahādeva, the lord of the universe, the three-eyed one, the destroyer of the three cities who are the keeper of the three sacred fires, are formidable as the fire of cataclysm, bluish of hue in the throat, the vanquisher of Death, the overlord, and the embodiment of auspiciousness.

Tripura – The Three Magnificent Cities

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