Above the sphere of Śanaiścara—Saturn—lies the sacred circle of the Seven Sages, and beyond them is the steadfast star Dhruva, the pole star. Higher still, above Dhruva, stretches the entirety of heaven. Each planet is situated above the circle of the constellations, separated by thousands of yojanas and more, rising one above the other in the vastness of space. Between the stars and planets, the regions are arranged layer upon layer. The planets, the Moon, and the Sun all shine in the sky, radiant with divine light. Joined with the constellations, they move in a fixed and orderly manner, each—Moon, Sun, planets, and stars—occupying their own appointed realms, whether high or low. When these celestial bodies converge or part, people witness their movements together, for they are thus positioned and interconnected. The wise understand these conjunctions without confusion, for this is the arrangement of the earth and the heavenly lights. Upon the earth, there are continents, oceans, mountains, regions, and rivers, each with their own inhabitants. All this—this arrangement of the luminaries—exists through the power of the Sun. It is a revolving system, with an inner space, compact at its center, and fixed from the point of Dhruva. These spheres are vast, circular, and elevated, all created by the Lord for the order and conduct of the world. At the beginning of the kalpa, the Self-born established this cosmic order with foresight; thus was the arrangement of all things composed of light set in place. This is said to be the universal form of the primordial substance, its vast extent. None can truly measure their comings and goings, nor can a person with mortal eyes perceive the full movement of the celestial lights. Now, let us turn to another tale. The sages gathered and asked: “How did the blessed Lord Maheśvara become the destroyer of cities? How did the god burn them? Tell us in detail. Again and again, with great reverence, we ask: How was Tripura, the formidable city built by Maya the magician, burned by the god with a single arrow? Tell us, O giver of honor.” Hear, then, the story of how the god destroyed Tripura. Maya, the great magician, an asura and master of illusion, was its creator. After being defeated in battle, Maya undertook intense austerities. While he was deep in penance, the Daityas, moved by compassion for him, themselves began severe austerities on his behalf. Among them were Vidyunmali, mighty of strength, and Taraka, famed for valor. Endowed with Maya’s own energy and standing by his side, these two performed their austerities, shining like three embodied worlds, or three blazing fires. The Danavas, burning with the heat of their penances, seemed to set the three worlds aflame. They lay upon water during winter and endured the fivefold heat in summer. During the rains and under the open sky, they wore away their bodies, living on fruits, roots, flowers, and water—sustenance dear to ascetics. At other times, they survived on whatever food they could find, clad in bark and smeared with mud, immersing themselves in ponds, whether clear or muddy. In this way, they became fleshless and thin, their veins standing out, their radiance dimmed by the severity of their austerities. The worlds themselves grew dim; speech faltered, as all was scorched by the three fires of the Danavas’ penance. Then, before them appeared the grandsire of the world, Pitamaha Brahma. The heroes, seeing him arrive suddenly, praised their grandsire. Brahma, seeing the Danavas radiant with the heat of their austerity, spoke with a joyful face and eyes: “I am pleased by your penance, O children, and have come to grant you a boon. Ask for whatever you desire, whatever you wish—let it be spoken.” Visvakarma Maya, his eyes wide with delight, stepped forward and spoke: “O god, in the battle of Taraka, the Daityas were defeated by the gods. Struck and slain by weapons, they fled in fear, pursued by enmity. We found no refuge or safety, though we sought shelter. By the power of our austerity and our devotion to you, I wish to build a fortress that even the gods cannot overcome. In that triple fortress, O bestower of boons, let it be invulnerable to those born of earth, of water, to the curses of sages, to the weapons of the gods, and to the gods themselves, O Lord of creatures. Let Tripura be unassailable, if it pleases you.” Brahma, hearing this, laughed and replied to Maya, the leader of the demon hosts: “Immortality is not granted to those of wicked conduct, O Danava. Instead, let the construction of the fortress begin at once.” Hearing the grandsire’s words, Maya set about the task. With folded hands, Maya again addressed Brahma: “Whoever destroys the fortress with a single arrow, released just once—let him slay equally in battle; let the remainder be invulnerable.” “So be it,” said Brahma to Maya. As if in a dream, the vision was granted and then vanished. When the grandsire departed, the demons left with Maya as their leader. Rejoicing in the boon, and empowered by their ascetic merit, the Danavas celebrated, but Maya, the great-minded, was foremost among them. He resolved to build the fortress and pondered deeply: “How might such a fortress be made by me, since Tripura was constructed by me before? That divine city will be inhabited by me alone, not by others, without doubt; and as it cannot be destroyed by a single arrow, so it shall be.