Once the demon Tarakasur was meditating upon Shiva. Pleased with his penance, Shiva appeared before him and told him to ask for a boon. Tarakasur asked for an Atmalingam for which Shiva replied that it would come to him on its own after the devas had finished churning the ocean for the Amirthalingam. So saying he disappeared. Just as promised, after the churning of the ocean, the Atmalingam went directly to Tarakasur. Tarakasur was jubilant. Now he could conquer all three worlds, he thought and he started destroying the yagnas conducted by sages and the Devas in the forests. The Devas went to Vishnu and complained about Tarakasur and how he was troubling them. Vishnu told them to be patient and that the son of Shiva and Parvati, Kartikeya, would soon come to their rescue.
As predicted Kartikeya was born and at the right time, he went to war with Tarakasur along with the Devas.
But the Devas could not continue their warfare with Tarakasur and they drew back in fear. At that moment, Kartikeya prayed to his father and threw his spear at the atmalingam, which adorned the neck of Tarakasur. The spear hit the lingam and broke it to smithereens. Tarakasur lost his power and fell down and Kartikeya kills him. The broken pieces of lingam fell in five different places of worship, the first being Draksharamam. This is also the place where Dakshayini had earlier fallen into the yagna fire. The lingam in Draksharamam is also known as Bheemalingeswar. (See previous post)
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