Tārakāksha in the Vāmana Purāṇa

Tārakāksha was a daitya vīra (a daitya hero). The Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa tells that he guarded the Aśvamedha horse of Bali during the great yajña (fire ritual) at Kurukshetra. After Bhagavān Vishṇu took the Trivikrama form and Bali went down to Sutala, Tārakāksha is named among the daityas who lived with Maya in his city of Tripura.

This is the Tārakāksha of the Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa, Chapters 62 and 65.

Guardian of the yajña horse

Bali began his great Aśvamedha at Kurukshetra. Śukrācārya let the sacrificial horse go free to roam the earth for the required time. Tārakāksha, called a daitya vīra, was chosen to go with the horse and protect it on its whole journey. At an Aśvamedha the safe return of the horse is needed to complete the yajña.

The Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa tells this in Chapter 62.

After the Trivikrama

Bhagavān Vishṇu in His Trivikrama form covered the three worlds, and Bali was sent to Sutala. After this, Maya, the great asura builder, made the golden, copper and iron triple city of Tripura. He settled there with Bāṇa and the Tārakāksha daityas as his companions.

The Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa tells this in Chapter 65.

Sources

• Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa, Chapters 62 and 65