It appears that the earliest version of the Tripura myth ("three-city"; not to be confused with the real state of Tripura), appearing in the Krishna Yajurveda, does NOT have the different "citadels" of the city in different worlds, for example the highest citadel of gold being located in the heavens and the lowest of iron located on earth or in the underworld.
The oldest version also lacks the motif of the three citadels only being able to be destroyed once every 1,000 years, when they all align.
To me, this suggests a kernel of historical narrative which has since taken on a more mythologized and symbolic bent in later versions.
Also note in the post above this one, according to wikipedia, the protection of Mayasura bears striking resemblance to the protection of Noah and other mythological survivors of cataclysms.
The oldest version also lacks the motif of the three citadels only being able to be destroyed once every 1,000 years, when they all align.
To me, this suggests a kernel of historical narrative which has since taken on a more mythologized and symbolic bent in later versions.
Also note in the post above this one, according to wikipedia, the protection of Mayasura bears striking resemblance to the protection of Noah and other mythological survivors of cataclysms.
We find reference also to the "wealth of the Asuras which is to be won beyond the seven hills"
Which reminded me of a curious reference to "seven metal mountains in the west" in the Book of Enoch, which are to be destroyed along with the fallen angels by a flood.
Likewise, in the earliest version of the Tripura myth in the Krishna Yajurveda, we have Tripura being destroyed by Rudra, and in later versions by Shiva (with help from Vishnu's machinations to turn the Asuras into, basically, atheists, to get Shiva to turn on them). But in neither case is this done alone, there is always a convocation or committee of sorts by the gods (daevas) to discuss and determine how best to vanquish the "evil" city.
We find a parallel in Plato's account of the destruction of the three-ringed city of Atlantis in the Critias dialogue. Zeus calls a meeting of the gods to mete out punishment on the fallen Atlanteans, and this is right where the dialogue is cut off, remaining unfinished. Although, Plato says elsewhere that the island was destroyed by earthquakes and floods some time after their failed war with the proto-Athenians.
Lastly, we see a parallel between Atlantis and Tripura in the concentric, tripartite, metal walled citadels. Tripura having the lowest citadel of iron, the next of silver, then the highest one of gold.
Atlantis is described as having two land rings (which were "some height above the sea") which surrounded a central island. The outermost ring had a wall covered in bronze, the next ring had a wall covered in tin, and then the central island itself had a wall covered in "orichalc gleaming like fire" which surrounded the acropolis, which in turn had within it a sacred shrine surrounded by a golden wall
Which reminded me of a curious reference to "seven metal mountains in the west" in the Book of Enoch, which are to be destroyed along with the fallen angels by a flood.
Likewise, in the earliest version of the Tripura myth in the Krishna Yajurveda, we have Tripura being destroyed by Rudra, and in later versions by Shiva (with help from Vishnu's machinations to turn the Asuras into, basically, atheists, to get Shiva to turn on them). But in neither case is this done alone, there is always a convocation or committee of sorts by the gods (daevas) to discuss and determine how best to vanquish the "evil" city.
We find a parallel in Plato's account of the destruction of the three-ringed city of Atlantis in the Critias dialogue. Zeus calls a meeting of the gods to mete out punishment on the fallen Atlanteans, and this is right where the dialogue is cut off, remaining unfinished. Although, Plato says elsewhere that the island was destroyed by earthquakes and floods some time after their failed war with the proto-Athenians.
Lastly, we see a parallel between Atlantis and Tripura in the concentric, tripartite, metal walled citadels. Tripura having the lowest citadel of iron, the next of silver, then the highest one of gold.
Atlantis is described as having two land rings (which were "some height above the sea") which surrounded a central island. The outermost ring had a wall covered in bronze, the next ring had a wall covered in tin, and then the central island itself had a wall covered in "orichalc gleaming like fire" which surrounded the acropolis, which in turn had within it a sacred shrine surrounded by a golden wall
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Library of Atlantis pinned «We find reference also to the "wealth of the Asuras which is to be won beyond the seven hills" Which reminded me of a curious reference to "seven metal mountains in the west" in the Book of Enoch, which are to be destroyed along with the fallen angels by a…»