Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 119
फूल्कारैरुद्धतं वह्निं शमयामास तारकः । निरृतिंखड्गमादाय हत्वा तेन न्यपातयत्
phūlkārairuddhataṃ vahniṃ śamayāmāsa tārakaḥ | nirṛtiṃkhaḍgamādāya hatvā tena nyapātayat
Sa malalakas na bugso ng hininga, pinawi ni Tāraka ang naglalagablab na Apoy. Pagkaraan, kinuha niya ang tabak at sa tabak na iyon ay pinabagsak at pinatay si Nirṛti, saka inihagis sa lupa.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages
Scene: Tāraka exhales violent blasts that snuff out Agni’s flames, smoke curling into a dark sky; then he seizes a sword and cuts down Nirṛti, casting the dark goddess/force to the ground as embers die around them.
FAQs
Unchecked ego can even ‘extinguish’ sacred fire symbolically; hence inner discipline and divine grace are needed to restore sanctity.
None; the verse is part of the battle account.
None.