Introduction No one knows how many years,
centuries or probably millenia have passed since the incident took place. But the memories
of the great struggle and its aftermath still remain. It happened like this. There was an
asur by name Tripura. An inordinately ambitious fellow, his sole aim in life became the
conquest of the Universe. But unlike his predecessors and successors who pursued the same
grand objective, he never launched himself on a blood and iron course.
Instead, he chose a path that was totally peaceful but made success practically certain.
He undertook a severe penance. In the best traditions of
the tapasvins he discarded even the ordinary necessities of life like food and water, not
to speak of luxuries. With arms raised towards the sky he stood erect on the mountain
Meru. He was fed by nothing more than air. Centuries passed by. But the rigid form on the
mountaintop did not bend or break. Every passing moment added to his moral strength. And
it soon reached a stage when it caused anxiety to the gods. They became apprehensive of
Tripuras growing strength and warned their leader Indra, about the danger.
Author - M.S.Mate
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