Tripurasur and the Single Arrow

Tarakasur had three sons: Tarakaksha, Vidyunmali and Kamalaksha. They did severe tapasya and asked Brahma for a boon. When Brahma refused to grant immortality, they cleverly asked: let three cities be built for us that line up only once in a thousand years, and let only one who can pierce all three with a single arrow be able to kill us.

Maya, the architect of the asuras, built three wondrous cities: one of gold in heaven, one of silver in the sky and one of iron on earth. They were called Tripura, the three cities. At first the brothers lived righteously, but slowly, drunk on power, they began to torment the devas and sages.

The devas took refuge in Shiv. A wondrous chariot was made for him: the earth became the chariot, the sun and moon its wheels, and Brahma the charioteer. Mount Meru became the bow, Vasuki the king of snakes its string, and Lord Vishnu himself became the arrow. All of creation stood with Shiv.

The Shiv Puran also says that at first Shiv had not remembered Ganesh, so the task met obstacles; only after Ganesh was worshipped did the way open. Then came the moment when the three cities lined up. Shiv released a single arrow, and in an instant all three cities were burnt to ashes.

That is why Shiv is called Tripurari. In tradition, Kartik Purnima is also called Tripuri Purnima, and in many places lamps are lit on this day to celebrate that victory.