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Narakasura

Narakasura is a demon king in Hindu mythology, regarded as a powerful asura who ruled from Pragjyotishapura (often associated with Kamrupa in present-day Assam). Accounts of his origins and deeds vary across texts. In many versions he is described as the son of the earth goddess Bhudevi and a formidable demon sovereign, who performed penance to obtain boons from Brahma (and in some tellings from Shiva) that made him nearly invincible. He is said to have conquered both heaven and earth and to have oppressed gods and sages. A common motif is that he abducted thousands of women, including celestial maidens, which spurred the gods to seek his downfall.

The most widely known episode holds that Krishna, accompanied by his wife Satyabhama, slew Narakasura after

In literature, Narakasura appears in various Puranic and epic sources, where he is interpreted as a symbol

a
war.
In
some
regional
or
later
versions,
the
goddess
Kali
(Bhadrakali)
is
said
to
have
aided
in
his
defeat.
Upon
Narakasura’s
death,
the
captive
women
are
released,
and
the
event
is
remembered
as
Naraka
Chaturdashi,
a
festival
observed
on
the
day
before
Diwali
in
many
parts
of
India.
of
arrogance
and
darkness
overcome
by
divine
power
and
the
liberation
of
the
oppressed.
The
narrative
of
Narakasura
provides
the
basis
for
the
festival
of
Naraka
Chaturdashi
and
is
part
of
the
broader
set
of
traditions
surrounding
the
Diwali
season.