with diverse weapons. When Shiva's army reached the battlefield, the three forts were about to merge into a single Tripura, which condition would last for just a second. At the exact time, Lord Shiva invoked the most destructive weapon controlled by Him, the Pashupatastra. The Destroyer's capable arms fired a single arrow into the three forts at the exact instant they merged into one, thus burning to ashes the three forts of the asuras. Shiva thus earned Himself the epithet Tripurantaka - the one who ended Tripura. He also earned the epithet Tripurari. Another version that is widely quoted in Tamil literature has Lord Shiva destroying Tripura with a mere smile. When all the battlefield was filled with warriors, with Brahma and Vishnu in attendance, there occurred the instant when the forts came together. Lord Shiva merely smiled. The forts were burned to ashes. The battle was over before it began! In Tamil, Lord Shiva has the epithet, "Sirithu Purameritha Peruman" which means, He who burnt the cities with a mere smile. While the celebrations were going on, the shaven-headed religious teachers arrived. "What are we supposed to do now?" they asked. Brahma and Vishnu told them to go the desert where there are no humans. The last of the four eras was Kali Yuga and in Kali Yuga, evil would reign supreme. When Kali Yuga arrived, they were to come back and begin their teaching afresh. And once they reached at their peak god will take rebirth and will wipe them from earth and once again the world will be free from all kinds of evil and asuras. See also Adharma Atheism Nastika Mleccha References A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism (Klaus K. Klostermaier) Publisher, Oxford (One World Publications) A Tripurasura's Past Life: http://www.harekrsna.com/philosophy/associates/demons/siva/tarakasura.htm Asura