Tārakākṣa

Tārakākṣa was one of the three dānava chiefs of Tripura. Tripura was the set of three cities that Maya built after Brahmā gave him a vara (a boon). Tārakākṣa ruled the lowest of the three, the iron city, called Kṛṣṇāyas-pura, which stood on the surface of the earth. He did tapas (austerity) with Maya and Vidyunmāli, and he was the chief of the largest part of the dānava forces. Nandīśvara slew him in the battles that came before Bhagavān Śiva’s final destruction of Tripura.

The Matsya Mahā Purāṇa tells his story in Chapters 127 to 139.

Origin and tapas

The dānavas had been beaten in the Tāraka war. After that, Tārakākṣa joined Maya and Vidyunmāli in their tapas. The Matsya Purāṇa says that the power (tejas) of Maya drew him to austerity, and that his purpose matched the purpose of Maya. The three did very severe tapas together until Brahmā appeared and gave the boon of the triple fortress that no enemy could break.

The Matsya Mahā Purāṇa tells this in Chapter 127.

The iron city

Tārakākṣa received the iron city, Kṛṣṇāyas-pura. It was the city on the earth that formed the base of the triple fortress. Like the other two cities, it was a hundred yojanas (a measure of distance) wide, and it had all the splendour of a divine realm. Crores of dānavas settled in his city with their families and wealth.

The Matsya Mahā Purāṇa tells this in Chapter 128.

His death

In the battles before the final destruction of Tripura, Nandīśvara slew Tārakākṣa. Nandīśvara is the great attendant of Bhagavān Śiva and the commander of His forces.

The Matsya Mahā Purāṇa tells this in Chapter 136.

Sources

• Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapters 127–139