Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.2050

c8.2050

Varāṅgī became pregnant and after twelve months was born a son to her named Tārakāsura. Tāraka did severe penance sitting in the midst of Pañcāgni (five fires) for a long time and Brahmā was pleased and appeared before him. Tāraka then said : "If I were to die I must die at the hands of a seven-day old babe. You must grant me a boon like that." Brahmā granted the boon. Tāraka became arrogant with that boon and joined hands with such fierce demons as Prasena, Jambha and Kālanemi to create havoc in the three worlds of Svarga, Bhūmi and Pātāla. They blessed the wicked and killed the virtuous. It was the time when Śiva was sadly roaming about in search of his lost wife Satī.