The Rotating Cities Destroyed By Lord Shiva (Tripura)

Tripura meaning three cities, was constructed by the great Asura architect Mayasura. They were great cities of prosperity, power and dominance over the world.

• The three cities were made of iron, silver and gold and were located on earth, in the sky and in heaven, respectively.
• The cities were extremely luxurious and prosperous

History of Tripura:

Following the death of Tarakasura, who was killed by Kartikeya, his sons Tarakaksha, Vidyunmali and Viryavana undertook severe penances by which they pleased Lord Brahma.

They requested that they may become immortal, resisting it, Brahma said to them that nothing can be immortal, then they requested to create 3 fast moving cities(planets) which should be too difficult to destroy, then Brahma granted that boon and warned that the destruction of the cities could be done by a single arrow when and only all the 3 cities come in the same line(one-arrow-one-shot and cities should be destroyed). 

Asura's hoping that it was impossible for anyone to shoot such an arrow.

The three cities were moving in such a way that they would never be in a single line. For around a thousand years they will be aligned in a single line, that too only for some amount of time.

Reason for the fall of Tripura:

After several years of joy, the demons attacked sages and the Devas and shattered the peace of the worlds. Finally, when Indra and the rest of the Devas despondently approached Lord Brahma for help, Lord Brahma redirected them to Shiva.

The destruction of Tripura:

Shiva ordered that a chariot be made from which he would battle the three demons.

The war-chariot designed for Shiva was different. 

The Earth or Prithvi became the chariot with the Sun and Moon its wheels. Brahma was holding the reins. Mount Meru became the bow and the serpent Vasuki was the bow string. Vishnu was the arrow, and Agni was the tip of the arrow. Vayu was inside the feathers on rear of the arrow. All other Devas had their own places and forms in the chariot.

Just as the cities aligned, when the Pushya nakshatra positioned appropriately, Lord Shiva was about to strung the mighty bow, the Pinaka with the arrow, the Devas were overjoyed that Tripura was going to be destroyed because of them (because they were part of the war-chariot, without which Shiva cannot destroy).

Lord Shiva, knowing what the Devas were thinking and did not fire the arrow instead he just smiled then all the three cities were started burning immediately. 

Shocked at this act, Brahma said that Devas thought wrong and requested Shiva to forgive devas and release the arrow, or else the Devas would have a permanent bad name and the reason behind making this chariot would become meaningless. Shiva then fired the arrow on the already burning Cities.

The Devas then understood:

•   Lord Shiva does not require a huge Chariot with Mount Meru as bow, Vishnu as arrow etc. He could simply destroy/create anything even without moving his eyes.

• Shiva can take the power of anyone/anything because it is his power that is already existing in first place.

•  Even though the boon granted was "one-arrow-one-shot and cities should be destroyed", Shiva has the ultimate power to rule them over.