Brahmā, the grandsire of all, looked upon the Daitya—his son—and asked gently, “For what reason, my child, do you again wish to undertake such harsh discipline? O Daitya, so intent on austerity and fasting, tell us your purpose, you who so faithfully keep your vows.” The Daitya replied, sharing his insight: “O Lord, the fruit that is gained by a thousand years of fasting can, in truth, be obtained in a single moment by renouncing food at the right time. For to let go of a desire already attained is far more significant than relinquishing something never possessed, O lotus-eyed one.” Hearing these words, Brahmā’s heart was moved. The Daitya, reflecting deeply on Brahmā’s message, joined his palms in reverence and spoke, his mind absorbed in thoughts of austerity. He recounted, “As I rose from my meditation at your command, O Lord, I saw my queen—frightened, distressed, and weeping beneath a tree. Troubled, I approached her, slender-limbed and trembling, and asked, ‘Why are you like this, O timid one? Tell me, what is it you wish to do?’ Addressed thus, she replied in faltering words, her voice trembling with fear. ‘I have been frightened, cast away, harassed, and tormented by the fierce king of the gods, left without a protector again and again. Seeing no end to my suffering, I am resolved to give up my life. Grant me a son, Tāraka, to rescue me from this vast ocean of misery.’ Hearing her plea, my heart was agitated. For the sake of her son, I resolved: I will undertake fierce austerity to triumph over the dwellers of heaven.” Pleased with his steadfastness, Brahmā, the four-faced one born from the lotus, spoke to the king of the demons with a serene face: “Enough of austerity, my child; do not subject yourself to such hardship. Your son will indeed be named Tāraka, and he will possess great strength.” With these words, the liberation of Dhammilla among the divine women was assured. The lord of the demons bowed to the grandsire in gratitude. Returning to his queen, his face radiant with joy, he delighted her. Their wish fulfilled, the happy couple went to their own hermitage, content and at peace. Varāṅgī, splendid and beautiful, carried within her the embryo placed by Vajrāṅga for a full thousand years. When the thousand years had passed, Varāṅgī gave birth to a son. As the lord of demons was born, he became a terror to the worlds. At his birth, the whole earth trembled, the oceans quaked, all the mountains shook, and fierce winds swept the land. The great sages recited sacred chants, wild beasts roared, the sun and moon lost their radiance, and the directions grew misty and unclear. When that mighty demon was born, all the powerful Daityas and their women gathered there, delighted at the arrival. The demon women, filled with joy, sang and danced in celebration, and a great festival arose among the Dānavas. But the gods, with Indra at their head, became despondent. Varāṅgī, seeing her son, was filled with happiness, caring little for Indra’s past victory. The newborn lord of demons, Tāraka, was fierce in valor. All the demons—Kujambha, Mahiṣa, and others—anointed him as their supreme king, fit to shake the earth itself. Having attained this great kingdom, Tāraka, O best of sages, addressed the foremost Dānavas with words full of reason. He said, “Hear me, O mighty demons, all of you. Let us deliberate together for the welfare and proper conduct of our affairs. The gods bring destruction to our lineage; it is in our very nature to have unending enmity with them. Today, relying on our own strength of arms, we shall go forth together to subdue the gods—there is no doubt. Yet, I do not think it right to confront the gods without first performing austerity. I shall undertake ascetic practice, and then the sons of Diti will wage fierce battle. After that, we shall defeat the gods and enjoy the three worlds, for a man with steadfast resolve surely attains lasting fortune. But one who is fickle cannot protect, for prosperity itself is unstable.” Hearing this, all the Dānavas listened intently to the words of that mighty Asura. Amazed, the Daityas exclaimed, “Well said! Well said!” and Tāraka set out to the finest cave of the Pāriyātra mountain. This cave was adorned with flowers of every season, illuminated by many radiant herbs, filled with streams of minerals, and dotted with diverse caves and dwellings. Hidden on all sides by dense thickets, sheltered by wondrous wish-fulfilling trees, teeming with countless forms and flocks of birds, the cave was a place of beauty and seclusion. It was endowed with many springs and reservoirs of various waters. There, Tāraka undertook great austerity. He fasted, practiced the fivefold austerity, and subsisted on leaves and water; for hundreds upon hundreds of years, he performed these severe ascetic practices. Day by day, he even cut flesh from his own body and offered it into the fire, until he became devoid of flesh. When he had become fleshless and amassed immense ascetic power, all beings in the universe blazed with the radiance of his energy. The gods were troubled and frightened by his austerity, but Brahmā was supremely satisfied. Desiring to grant Tāraka a boon, Brahmā came from the abode of the gods. Finding him in the cave of the mountain king, Brahmā addressed Tāraka with sweet words: “Enough, my child, with your austerity. Nothing is unattainable for you now. Choose a splendid boon—whatever dwells in your mind.