The god, having granted his consent, ascended to heaven after speaking with those who sought his favor. Then Maya, empowered by his own deep austerities, set about constructing the legendary cities of old. With his extraordinary skill, Maya created three magnificent cities: one of pure gold, suspended in the sky; one of gleaming silver, poised in the mid-air; and one of solid iron, resting upon the earth. Each of these cities was vast, a hundred yojanas in both width and length. The golden city in the heavens became the domain of Tārakākṣa, the silver city was given to Kamalākṣa, and the iron city on earth belonged to Vidyunmālī. Thus, Maya fashioned these three supreme fortresses, and he himself, honored and revered by the Daityas and Dānavas, took up residence among them. Within these golden, silver, and black iron cities, Maya built his own splendid abode, dwelling there in his might. In this way, O best of Brahmins, the three ancient and supremely fortified cities of the Daityas came into being, resembling a triple world in their grandeur. When the construction was complete, all the Daityas entered their respective cities, and their power grew immensely throughout the three worlds. The cities overflowed with wish-fulfilling trees, and were alive with elephants and horses. They were adorned with resplendent mansions and covered in intricate networks of jewels. Celestial palaces, radiant as the sun, faced every direction, their walls fashioned from pure ruby and shimmering with the cool glow of the moon. Divine mansions and lofty gateways, reminiscent of the peaks of Mount Kailāsa, graced Tripura, making it a vision of supreme architectural splendor. The cities teemed with celestial women, Gandharvas, Siddhas, and Cāraṇas. In every household, the foremost twice-born performed sacred fire rituals in shrines dedicated to Rudra. All around, wells, ponds, reservoirs, and long pools lay scattered, while herds of intoxicated elephants and glorious horses roamed freely. Chariots of wondrous forms stood ready, assembly halls and gateways abounded, and there were separate places set aside for sport and recreation. Encircling the cities were diverse schools for Vedic study, rendering the fortresses unassailable even in thought, all due to the power of Maya himself. The residents were attended by devoted wives, and even those who had committed great sins became purified through the worship of Śaṅkara. The great Daitya lords, together with their wives and sons, steadfastly engaged in the duties prescribed by the Vedas and Smṛtis, upholding their dharma with unwavering resolve. Having renounced the worship of all gods except the Great God, they stood firm in their devotion, broad-chested and strong-shouldered, always bearing every weapon. Among them were the hungry, those with eyes blazing like fire, some calm, others fierce, as well as the hunchbacked and the dwarfish. Their hair was as dark as blue lotus petals, curling and deep blue, reminiscent of the blue mountain and Meru, and their voices thundered like storm clouds. All were protected by Maya’s own warriors, skilled and eager for battle. Constantly surrounded by these battle-ready devotees, whose strength was easily increased through their worship of Śiva’s feet, the city shone with the energy of the sun, wind, and Indra. It was well-defended, its inhabitants firm and heroic. But then, O best of twice-born, calamity struck: the gods, along with Indra and even the trees, were scorched by the fire emanating from Tripura, just as a forest is consumed by wildfire. They perished, unable to withstand the might of the Daityas. In their distress and defeat, the gods approached Hari, the Lord of the gods, and praised him, for his radiance was unmatched. The glorious Nārāyaṇa pondered deeply within himself: what could be done for the sake of the gods? As he contemplated this, Janārdana, the very embodiment of sacrifice, remembered the sacred rites—he who enjoys the fruits of sacrifice, who grants rewards to those who offer, and who is the master of all sacrifices. Recalling the purpose of sacrifice for the gods’ benefit, the gods then bowed and praised that divine Person. The Blessed Lord, beholding the eternal sacrifice, addressed the gods, including Indra, and spoke: “With this approach, O gods, worship the Supreme Lord, so that the three cities may be destroyed and power restored to you over the three worlds.” Hearing the wise words of the Lord of gods, the gods let out a mighty roar and praised the Lord of sacrifice. Then, the blessed Janārdana, having reflected further, addressed all the assembled gods, he who is the Lord of the immortals. He declared, “Even if one kills, burns, or consumes beings unjustly, if he worships Mahadeva, he becomes free from sin—of this there is no doubt. The sinless must never be slain; only the truly sinful, without question, should be killed with every effort—how could the best of gods ever be fit for killing? The Asuras, though arrogant and sinful, are not to be slain by even the most powerful gods; therefore, due to the power of Rudra, the Supreme Lord, they cannot be killed by you. Who am I, or Brahma, or the gods, or the Daityas, or even the slayers of the enemies of the gods, or the great sages themselves—without the grace of the Lord? He, the eternal twenty-seventh, supreme among the supreme, Lord of the universe and the immortals, worthy of all worship, the upholder of all, the great Lord—he alone, the Lord of gods and benefactor of all, has divided the gods and the Daityas by his divine play. By worshipping even a portion of him, the gods attained divinity, Brahma became Brahma, and I myself attained the state of Vishnu. Who in this world, without worshipping him, could hope for success? Therefore, by the rite of worshipping the Linga, these foes must be slain by him alone. All of them are established in righteousness, performing both Vedic and Smriti rites; yet, by the fierce approach of the sacrificer, having duly worshipped Rudra, we shall conquer the foremost of the Daityas. Tripura, protected by the far-seeing Maya and shining like crystal, is secure—who indeed can destroy it except the one Lord with three eyes?” Having thus spoken, Hari performed the sacrificial approach and sat down, beholding before him thousands upon thousands of assembled beings.