Once, those who had been virtuous and well-behaved among the dwellers of Tripura turned to wicked ways, oppressing the gods and ascetics. Even when Maya sought to restrain them, they moved toward destruction, provoking quarrels and harming the Brahmins. Their violence spread across the sacred forests—Vaibhraja, Nandana, Caitraratha, Ashoka, Varaashoka, and the ever-flourishing groves—all fell under their assault. Heaven itself, the abode of the gods, and the forests cherished by ascetics, which had once belonged to the gods, were laid waste by the enraged Tripura-dwellers. Shrines and hermitages were ruined, and the worshippers of the gods and Brahmins scattered, as the world was beset by the wicked kings among the immortals, much like crops overwhelmed by swarms of locusts. When the impious, corrupt, and cruel Daityas prevailed, overthrowing the worlds and the forests of ascetics, their sky-roaring sent creatures trembling in fear. The three worlds, bewildered and terrified, were plunged into darkness. In their distress, the Adityas, Vasus, Sadhyas, Pitris, and hosts of Maruts—all the gods—sought refuge with Brahma, the grandsire. Approaching Brahma, who sat upon a golden lotus, they bowed together and addressed him, he of five faces and four heads. "Protected by your boon, the Daityas dwelling in Tripura oppress us," they said. "O sinless one, command your servants accordingly. Just as swans scatter at the coming of clouds, or deer flee from lions, so do we wander in fear of the Daityas. Driven about by them, we have forgotten even the names of our sons and wives, O sinless one. The destruction of divine dwellings and the ruin of hermitages are caused by the Daityas, blinded by the delusion of arrogance. If you do not quickly protect the world, overrun by the Daityas, it will be left without gods, without men, and without hermitages, due to their violence." Thus addressed, the lotus-born Grandsire, his face radiant like the moon, replied to the gods, including Indra. "The boon of fearlessness I granted has now reached its end, as I had previously declared, O gods. And that stronghold of theirs, Tripura, must not be destroyed by a shower of arrows but by a single arrow. Among you, O best of gods, I see no one who could destroy the city and its Daityas in a single attack. Tripura cannot be destroyed by one of little power with an arrow; except for Mahadeva, the great lord and progenitor, no one can do it. Therefore, if you and the others together beseech Hara, the destroyer of sacrifices, he, the god, will destroy Tripura." He continued, "A barrier of the ancient ones was made, a hundred yojanas in length; just as it can be destroyed in a single blow by Bhava, so too, when joined with the Puṣya constellation, all these can be annihilated in a single moment." Distressed, the gods said, "Let us go," and together with Pitāmaha, they entered the assembly of Bhava. There they beheld Bhava, lord of past and future, mountain-dweller, wielder of the trident, together with me and the great-souled Nandin. They saw the unborn god, shining like fire, whose eyes resembled fiery pits, radiant as a thousand suns and fires, adorned with fiery brilliance. With the splendor and gentleness of the moon, his face more gentle than the moon, they approached that unborn god, who was blue and red, and praised Śambhu, lord of cows, giver of boons, husband of Pārvatī. They offered salutations: "Salutations to Bhava, to Śarva, to Rudra, to the giver of boons, to the eternal lord of beasts, to the fierce one with matted hair. Salutations to the great god, to the formidable one, to Tryambaka for peace, to Īśāna, destroyer of fear, to the slayer of Andhaka. Salutations to the blue-necked, the formidable, the creator praised by the creator, to the destroyer of Kumāra's enemies, and to the father of Kumāra. Salutations to the red-hued, the smoky, the excellent, the fierce, to the ever blue-crested, the trident-bearer, the one who rests divinely. Salutations to the serpent, the three-eyed, the golden-semened, the inconceivable, the husband of Ambikā, praised by all the gods. Salutations to the bull-bannered, the skull-bearer, the matted-haired, the celibate, the one who is heated in water, the Brahmanical, the unconquered. Salutations to the soul of the universe, the creator of the universe, who pervades and stands within all; to the one of divine form, the lord, the divine Śambhu. Salutations to the approachable, the desirable, the praiseworthy, the worshipful always, the ever-compassionate to devotees, who grants whatever is in their minds." Praised by Brahmā and the other gods, Maheśvara addressed Prajāpati, "Where is this great fear among the gods? Welcome to you, O gods! Speak what is in your minds. I will grant it at once; for nothing is withheld by me from you. I will surely bring you welfare, O best of gods. I perform severe and supreme austerities. Those who hate you are hated by me—those of harsh and dreadful power. Their destruction must be accomplished for your sake, by Bhava." Thus addressed with affection, the gods together with Brahmā declared Rudra to be most fortunate and worthy of a share. They said, "O Lord, we have endured fierce austerities, and, oppressed by the violent might of the demons, we have sought refuge in you. There is one named Maya, son of Diti, three-eyed and fond of conflict, who built the fortress Tripura with pale towers." So the gods, having laid their plight before Mahadeva, awaited his grace and power to end the tyranny of Tripura.