Tarakasur
Encyclopedia
Tarakasur or Taraka was a powerful asura
and the son of Vajranaka in Hindu belief. Tarakasur repeatedly defeated the gods until heaven was on the verge of collapse. Yet he had a clever boon that he could be defeated only by the son of Shiva
, who was a complete yogi
, given to severe austerities, far from any thoughts of marriage.
Eventually, the gods sent Parvati
to woo Shiva. Madana
, the god of love, was sent in advance and created an untimely spring around Shiva and broke his dhyana
with a flower-arrow. On awakening, Shiva's fiery gaze burnt Madana to ashes, and the disembodied spirit of love was disseminated across the universe. However, Parvati was successful in her venture, and eventually their son Kartikeya was born. Kartikeya killed Tarakasur and his brothers Simhamukhan and Surapadman
, who eventually became the mounts of Durga
and Kartikeya.
(lit., birth of Kartikeya) by Kalidasa
(c. 4th c. AD). The theme of the vaporised love spirit roaming free in the universe was adopted by the Vaishnavas (c. 16th c.) who believe it was reincarnated in Vasudeva
. This is also the theme of the poem madanbhasmer par (মদনভস্মের পর) by Rabindranath Tagore
.
Asura
-In Hinduism:In Hinduism, the Asuras constitute a group of power-seeking deities, sometimes considered sinful and materialistic. The Daityas and Danavas were combinedly known as Asuras. The Asura were opposed to the Devas. Both groups are children of Kasyapa...
and the son of Vajranaka in Hindu belief. Tarakasur repeatedly defeated the gods until heaven was on the verge of collapse. Yet he had a clever boon that he could be defeated only by the son of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
, who was a complete yogi
Yogi
A Yogi is a practitioner of Yoga. The word is also used to refer to ascetic practitioners of meditation in a number of South Asian Religions including Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.-Etymology:...
, given to severe austerities, far from any thoughts of marriage.
Eventually, the gods sent Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
to woo Shiva. Madana
Kamadeva
Kāmadeva is the Hindu god of human love or desire. Other names for him include; Atanu , Ragavrinta , Ananga , Kandarpa , Manmatha , Manasija ,...
, the god of love, was sent in advance and created an untimely spring around Shiva and broke his dhyana
Dhyana in Hinduism
According to the Hindu Yoga Sutra, written by Patanjali, dhyana is one of the eight limbs of Yoga, ....
with a flower-arrow. On awakening, Shiva's fiery gaze burnt Madana to ashes, and the disembodied spirit of love was disseminated across the universe. However, Parvati was successful in her venture, and eventually their son Kartikeya was born. Kartikeya killed Tarakasur and his brothers Simhamukhan and Surapadman
Surapadman
Surapadman is a demon of Sri Lanka who was almost slain by Lord Muruga in Hindu mythology....
, who eventually became the mounts of Durga
Durga
For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...
and Kartikeya.
Literary references
This story is the basis for the epic KumarasambhavaKumarasambhava
Kumārasambhava is a Sanskrit epic poem by Kālidāsa; the first eight cantos are accepted as his authorship...
(lit., birth of Kartikeya) by Kalidasa
Kalidasa
Kālidāsa was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language...
(c. 4th c. AD). The theme of the vaporised love spirit roaming free in the universe was adopted by the Vaishnavas (c. 16th c.) who believe it was reincarnated in Vasudeva
Vasudeva
In Hindu itihasa , Vasudeva is the father of Krishna, the son of Shoorsen, of the Yadu and Vrishni dynasties. His sister Kunti was married to Pandu. He was a partial incarnation of Rishi Kashyap....
. This is also the theme of the poem madanbhasmer par (মদনভস্মের পর) by Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
.