8. Destruction of the three cities

When the daitya Tāraka was killed by kumār Kārttikeya, the three sons of Tārakāsura named Tārakākṣa, Vidyunmālī and Kamalākṣa began to perform a severe penance and obtained a boon from Brahmā to build three castles, the one of gold on heaven, another of silver in the sky and the third one of iron on the earth. Brahmā asked Maya dānava to build three cities. Then Maya dānava built three cities for them. These cities were abounded with many precious things. They began to flourish day by day. Indra and other gods were afraid of them. They went to Brahmā and Śiva and prayed to them to kill these three powerful Asuras. Brahmā and Śiva said to the gods that they are helpless to kill them since no sin was committed by them. Then the gods went to Viṣṇu for help. Viṣṇu suggested that if the daityas did not do anything wrong, the gods had to persuade the daityas to commit sin. Viṣṇu created a man and ordered him to go to the three Asura brothers and to teach them the lesson which is completely against the Vedas. Three Asuras, learning these wrong lessons did many wrong deeds. After that the gods again went to lord Śiva and began to pray to him in order to slay them. Śiva seated on his chariot, equipped with his bow and arrows, discharged his Pāśupata astra and reduced the three cities along with the three brothers into ashes.^[1]