By the power and grace of the supreme goddess, the god of gods—true Rudra, the great lord—established himself for the welfare of all the worlds. This Rudra, who is also known as Paśupati, once burned the formidable triple city; by his immense energy, all the gods and living beings came under his dominion, as if they were his own cattle. It is said that whoever recites or listens to this sacred account of the original creation, or causes it to be heard by the foremost of the twice-born, attains the world of Brahmā. Having described the auspicious creation both briefly and in detail, a question was raised: How did Paśupati, the great lord, burn the triple city? And how did the gods, together with Brahmā, become as cattle? It was known that by Maya’s severe austerity, a most extraordinary and difficult city had been constructed in times past—a city of gold, one of silver, and one of divine iron, all of which were said to have been burned by the god of gods. Curiosity arose: How did the blessed one, the destroyer of Bhaga’s eye, burn all three cities at once with a single divine arrow? It was not by beings produced by Viṣṇu that these triple cities were destroyed. While the origins of the cities and the granting of boons had already been heard, the listeners implored: “O virtuous one, tell us now the entire story of the burning of those cities.” Hearing their words, Sūta, the foremost of bards, spoke as he had learned from Vyāsa, the revealer of the meaning of the universe. For, due to a curse upon this threefold world, the triple city had arisen from mind, speech, and body. Long ago, when the mighty demon Tāraka, son of Tāra, and his kin were slain by Skanda after great effort, Tāraka’s sons—Vidyunmālī, Tārakākṣa, and the valiant Kamalākṣa—were left behind. These powerful and heroic souls undertook severe austerities, subjecting themselves to intense penance and strict discipline, tormenting their bodies with their devotion. Pleased with their unwavering penance, the Grandsire, Brahmā, the bestower of boons, appeared before them and granted them a boon: that none among all beings could ever slay them. United in purpose, the three brothers sought further favor from Brahmā, the lord of all worlds. But the imperishable Lord said to them, “Immortality for all is not possible. Turn away from this desire, O Asuras. Choose another boon, whatever you wish.” The Daityas, conferring among themselves, bowed to Brahmā and made their request: “O Lord of the worlds, by your grace, let us dwell upon this earth, each in one of three ancient cities. After a thousand years, let these cities unite as one. And let it be that only whoever destroys these united cities with a single arrow shall be the cause of our death.” Brahmā assented, saying, “So be it,” and then ascended to heaven. Thereafter, Maya, by the power of his own austerity, constructed the three wondrous cities: one of gold in the sky, one of silver in the mid-air, and one of iron upon the earth. Each city was a hundred yojanas in width and length. The golden city belonged to Tārakākṣa, the silver to Kamalākṣa, and the iron city to Vidyunmālī. Thus, these supreme triple fortresses were created, and Maya, honored by Daityas and Dānavas, resided among them. In each city—golden, silver, and black iron—Maya built his own abode and dwelled there in might. Thus, these three ancient, supremely fortified cities of the Daityas came into being, resembling another triple world. When the three cities were completed, all the Daityas entered them and grew exceedingly powerful, dominating the three worlds. These cities were filled with wish-fulfilling trees, crowded with elephants and horses, adorned with splendid mansions, and covered with networks of dazzling jewels. Celestial palaces, radiant like the sun, faced in all directions, fashioned from pure ruby and shining with the luster of the moon, adorned the cities. Divine mansions and lofty gateways, resembling the peaks of Mount Kailāsa, made Tripura splendid and distinct with supreme structures. The cities teemed with celestial women, Gandharvas, Siddhas, and Cāraṇas, and in every home, the foremost twice-born performed sacred fires in shrines of Rudra. Surrounded on all sides by wells, ponds, reservoirs, and long pools, as well as herds of intoxicated elephants and splendid horses, the cities also boasted wondrous chariots of many forms and assembly halls, gateways, and pleasure grounds. Encircled everywhere by schools for Vedic study, the cities were unassailable even in thought, protected by the power of Maya alone. Within, devoted wives attended their lords, and even those who had committed great sins became sinless through the worship of Śaṅkara. The great Daitya lords, with their wives and sons, always engaged in the duties of the Vedas and Smṛtis, steadfast in their dharma. They abandoned all gods except the Great God and stood firm in his worship—broad-chested, bull-shouldered, always bearing every weapon. Among them were the hungry, with eyes blazing like fire, calm or enraged, and also the hunchbacked and dwarfish. Their hair was dark as blue lotus petals, curled and deep blue, resembling the blue mountain and Meru, their voices like thunderclouds. All were guarded by Maya’s warriors, trained and eager for battle. Thus, always surrounded by those devoted to war, whose strength came from worship of Śiva’s feet, resembling the sun, wind, and Indra in their firmness and heroism, that city was well protected—a marvel of might and splendor in all the worlds.