Śrī Tārakāri

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Tārakāri (Slayer of Tāraka)
Tārakāsura was the younger brother of Surapadman. He was an adept in in deluding his enemies through his Māyā. When Deva, the chief among the nine heros (nava vīrar) associated with Murukan, entered into the hill region, Tārakāsura mesmerized them and made them to swoon. When Murukan came to know about this magical delusion made by Tāraka, he made his Māyā useless by throwing his Jñāna Vēl and disposed of Tārakāsura once and for all. This is mentioned in the line Kuruku Pēyariya Kunram Konron Murukan. 'Kuruku' stands for krauñcam (Skt: 'stork').

In Kumāra Tantra this form of Murukan is depicted with six faces and twelve hands. One of his right hands is in the abhaya pose and in the rest five right hands, he bears śakti, the pestle, sceptre, disc and noose. One of the left hands is in the varada pose, and in the remaining five left hands he holds the thunderbolt, bow, shield, creeper and a demigod.

This Tārakāri image is in Virālimalai mūlasthānam. The Tanikaip Purānam also corroborates the Kumāra Tantra description. We find this same image at Uttaramērūr Murukan temple in Chengleput district.

From "In the Footsteps of Saint Arunagirinathar: Pilgrimage to the sacred places in the Tiruppukal" by Vallayapettai Ra. Krishnan

Tarakari