Slow-poison of Atheism by Arihan led to the killings of Tripurasuras by MahaDeva

As Skanda Kumara killed the most dreaded Tarakasura, his sons Tarkasha, Vidyunmali and Kamalaksha who were dejected at their father’s death were anxious to take revenge against the Devas who planned for the birth of Shiva’s son Kartikeya. They all resorted to extreme tapasya to please Brahma and secured boons to construct three invincible forts built of gold, silver and iron situated in the Skies, Earth and the Lower Worlds and dominated the universe, tormenting the three lokas and tormenting the Devas and Rishis. The Devas had to vacate the higher lokas and approached Brahma and subsequently to Vishnu for succor. Vishnu realised that the Asuras were adept in Karmakanda or performing rituals as per Vedas and Scriptures and as such some another method of deviating from the rituals. Vishnu created from his body an athiest called Arihan who made way to the Asuras and in the garb of teaching them rituals, taught the medium of Reasoning and created confusion in their minds: the concepts of faith versus logic or religion versus skepticism. Thus, the slow poison of non-belief was spread from the Asura kings to their subjects. Thus, firm grounds were prepared for the destruction of their castles in which rituals were abolished and the ‘why and what’ kind of so-called rationalism prevailed. Then it was a very easy situation of the invincible forts to be destroyed in one go by MahaDeva himself by his most potent weapon viz. the Pashupataastra to terminate the Asuras and uproot their followers.

Demon Jalandhar supported by Lakshmi but fascinated with Parvati and killed by Shiva

Even as a child born at Gangasagar, the terminal point of Ganga and the Ocean, Jalandhar was so mighty and energetic that when he kicked Brahma in his neck who fondled the child, the latter had tears in his eyes! Samudra brought up the child and thus Lakshmi, the daughter of Samudra had a soft corner for her brother. As Jalandhar grew up, he was married to Vrinda, the daughter of another Asura king, Kalanemi and the became the most cruel king of Asuras himself and forced Indra and other Devas to vacate their positions in Swarga. Vishnu remained neutral due to Lakshmi’s reluctance to harm Jalandhar; instead the latter had access to Ksheera Samudra, the abode of Lakshmi-Narayana. Narada Muni meanwhile created a problem for Jalandhar on two counts that Shiva’s riches and powers were by far the most superior and that his wife Parvati was the prettiest woman in the Universe. Jalandhar sent Rahu as an emissary to Parvati with a proposal to wed him and the latter was motionless at the Asura’s audacity and kicked out Rahu as he was a mere emissary. She complained to Vishnu about this incident and the latter adopted the same technique of approaching Jalandhar’s wife, Vrinda, disguised as a Brahmana with a similar proposal of marrying her. Sometime later, Vishnu impersonated as Jalandhar and approached Vrinda and on knowing the truth later, she cursed Vishnu before her self-immolation that he too would face a similar situation later; indeed, Rama was looking for Sita all over as she was abducted by Ravanasura! Jalandhar instigated the Shubh-Nikumbh brothers to attack Shiva who, no doubt, subdued them but assured them that eventually they would be terminated by Devi Bhagavati herself. Finally, Jalandhar faced Shiva in a battle and the latter slit his throat by a fiery chakra produced from his left toe! Vishnu suffered a guilt complex at the self-immolation of Vrinda and performed penance. MahaDeva asked Parvati to rally the support of Lakshmi and Saraswati in this context and the three Devis materialised three seeds of trees viz. Amla, Tulsi and Malati and sprayed them at the place where Vrinda self-immolated. The seeds sprayed at Vrinda’s immolation place grew to become big trees and they were sent to Vaikuntha as tokens of blessings to Vrinda’s soul there!

Demon Shankhachooda was terminated by Shiva while Vishnu impersonated the Demon to cheat the latter’s wife, Tulasi!

In his earlier birth, the Demon Shankhacooda was Sudama, the Chief Attendant of Lord Krishna’s Raasa mandali (the dance group of Gopikas and Krishna at Brindavana), he was a Jatismara (a person with the knowledge of previous birth). He was cursed by Radha Devi due to an indiscretion to become a demon. Sudama fell in love with Devi Tulasi and she too was cursed to be born along with Sudama as his wife and she too was a jatismara. Shankachooda was fortified with constant recitation of Narayana Kavacha and thus became an invincible demon with enormous strength and fortitude; he defeated the Devas and dislodged Indra and the other Devas from their thrones. The latter approached MahaDeva who sent Pushpadanta with a warning to Shankhachooda but the demon had the audacity of attacking MahaDeva himself! Shiva sent Shivaganas along with Bhadrakaali but to no avail. Then Ganesha and Kartikeya led the Devas along with the Eleven Rudras, Dwadasha Bhaskaras and a huge contingent of Pramatha Ganas. While Shankachooda was waging the battle, Vishnu spread out his Maya and entered Devi Tulasi’s chamber as Shankhachooda and pretended that there was a victory in the battle and that he was tired to rest with her. In the course of their union, Tulasi cursed Vishnu even as the news of her husband’s death was learnt. The distraught Tulasi who lost her chastity gave a curse to Vishnu to turn into a stone. Vishnu however blessed Tulasi to accept her as his consort and become immortal as a Tree who was worthy of daily worship all over the world. As a result of Tulasi’s curse, Vishnu turned out to be a Salagrama, worthy of daily worship too.

Andhakasura’s each blood drop was drenched out by Chandika Devi as instructed by MahaDeva

Originally a darling boy of Devi Parvati, Andhakasura bacame a menace to the universe. In a playful mood, she closed Shiva’s eyes and the perspiration on the latter’s forehead created a boy of muscular strength called Andhaka. Parvati nurtured the boy with affection and care. When the Asura King Hiranyaksha pleased MahaDeva with rigorous tapasya for several years and obtained the boons of longevity and invincibility, Lord Shiva also gifted Andhaka to the King to assist him and treat him as his own son. Together, both Hirankasha and Andhaka conquered the Three worlds and the former even sought to pull down Bhumi besides Vedas and scriptures to rasatala and Vishnu had to assume the form of Varaha and destroyed Hiranyaksha. Andhaka then resorted to rigorous tapasya and obtained the boon that none other than Shiva could kill him. Empowered with the boon, Andhaka became arrogant and tormented the Devas and Rishis, even ignoring Parvati and Shiva. Meanwhile, Asura Guru Shukracharya pleased MahaDeva with his meditation and secured ‘Mrita Sanjeevani’ Vidya and stalled the killings of Daitya-Danavas and revived the dead ones also. A fiery Shiva was incensed that the vidya was being misused and killed Shukracharya; as he was being killed, the Guru expressed his sincere regret and the merciful Shiva released the Guru through his semen. Shiva then applied his Trident and killed Andhakasura, but thanks to his boon of Brahma, the demon multiplied himself with each drop of his blood. MahaDeva had then to instruct Devi Chandika to expand her tongue and drench out the blood of Andakasura’s body totally. Shiva lifted the body of the demon as the latter prayed to MahaDeva to grant him admission to the Siva Ganas.

Gajasura’s boon to reside in his belly and got killed to attain Shiva Ganatwa

Ajasura, an Asura and an ardent devotee of Shiva, performed severe penance and secured the boon of getting Shiva to reside in his belly. A highly agitated Parvati requested Vishnu to locate the missing Shiva. Vishnu disguised himself as a street player and, along with Nandeeswara, searched all over the kingdom of Gajasura and came to learn that Shiva was inside his belly. The dance of Nandi pleased the Asura and Vishnu requested the latter to release Shiva on the condition that Shiva could exit from the belly by making him secure everlasting glory. That was how Shiva wore the skin of the Elephant-Demon as ‘Gajambara dhaari’ and assumed the name of Krittivaseshwara. (Another interpretation is that having pierced out of the Asura’s belly, Shiva blessed the latter to let his head get fixed on his son’s shoulders and make Gajasura’s memory as permanent as Ganesha!)