| One More
Evil Though the angels were freed from a lot of
harassment with the death of Taraka, their
happiness and peace were short-lived. There was that other
Rakshasa, Shura- padma, as strong as Taraka himself. He lived in the city called
Veeramahendra. He had married Padmakomala, the daughter of Vishwakarma, the architect of
the angels. He had sons by name Bhanukopa, Agnimukha, Hiranyaka, Vajrabahu and others who
were all valiant and wicked. He had brought for them brides from among the Devas,
Rakshasas, Gandharvas, Siddhas, Vidyadharas, humans and Nagas and made the Rakshasa group
increases and multiplies. And all those members of the community were harassing good men,
doing wicked deeds and spreading injustice and vice.
Even as people felt a little relieved that at last
Tarakasura had died and they had
escaped his oppression, the torture by Shurapadma and his
clan began. Who could put an end to this now? The sage Narada thought that Kartikeya, who
had killed the wicked Taraka, should himself destroy Shurapadma too.
So Narada, singing the praise of the Lord as usual, went
to the city of Veera- mahendra. He told Shurapadma- "Indra's wife Shachidevi is a gem
among women. If you are able to bring her and keep her with you for yourself, then you
would also have avenged the death of your brother Taraka at the hands of Kartikeya, as
planned by Indra."
Narada knew that tendering good advice to the wicked
Rakshasas was useless. Such
Rakshasas had to be provoked into further evil deeds so that
they would be destroyed by their own sins. This
was the method followed by Narada.
Shurapadma with his Rakshasa qualities felt that the
advice of the sage was a favor to him. He began efforts to capture Shachidevi. |
