Killing of Narakasura - Kalika Puran

There is a version of the killing of Narakasura which is detailed in the Kalika Purana. Kalika Purana talks about Kamakhya, the goddess of Assam. 

It is said that when Vishnu, in his incarnation as the boar, had rescued the earth, a child was born from the union. The time was bad and the child born was destined to be evil. He was born from the earth and was found by King Janaka of Mithila. Janaka brought up the boy. When the boy was sixteen, he was taken to Pragjyotishpur where the presiding deity, Kamakhya (picture below) was worshipped. Shiva secretly lived in that place. 

Naraka was advised to reside in the kingdom and rule justly. He was asked to worship Kamakhya and be kind to all holy saints. He was also told that the day Kamakhya vanished from his land, his death would follow.

Sage Vashishtha used to worship in the Sandhyachal hills that lay in the kingdom of Narakasura. One day, he came to visit the shrine of the Mother Goddess. Naraka was not ken on anyone else worshiping the goddess and  expressed his grudge towards the goddess and prevented the sage from visiting the goddess. Consequently, Sage Vashishtha cursed him that the goddess would no longer stay in his kingdom. Narakasura was no longer favored by the goddess.

 Naraka then , in course of time, attacked and stole the ear rings of Aditi, the mother of the Devas,

One night, Naraka observed Goddess Kamakhya dancing in her temple. He was stunned by the beauty of the Goddess, and losing his senses, he approached her and asked to marry him. She laughed at him and told that it will happen if Naraka constructs temple, tank, and stair case from the foot of Nilachal hill to her place, before the cock crow  He started the task and almost completed it. Vishnu appeared in the form a rooster and started crowing, signifying starting of the day. Naraka became frustrated, and stopped. In the mean while the day really came. Naraka failed to reach the goal and got angry on  Kamakhya. Kamakhya disappeared .

In the meantime, Bhudevi, Naraka's mother, who was pained by the sufferings Naraka was causing, started praying to the Gods for his end. Krishna agreed to end Naraka with the blessings of Kalika.

Sri Krishna went with Satyabhama to kíll Narakasura. In the fight that ensure, with the blessings of Kamakhya, Krishna killed Narakasura. When Krishna was about to kill Naraka, the asura saw Kali standing there, sometimes appearing as Krishna, sometimes as Kamakhya.

Seeing her son fall, Bhudevi appeared before Krishna, lamenting the death of her son. She then handed over the earrings of Aditi, that had been stolen by Naraka, to Krishna. Krishna consoled her, saying she herself had prayed for Naraka's end.


Kamakhya is pictured as a  goddess with twelve arms and six heads of varying colors, representing a powerful goddess who is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. She is ornately dressed, typically wearing a red sari.

She holds in each of her ten hands a lotus, trident, sword, bell, discus, bow, arrows, club or scepter, goad, and shield. In of her remaining hands, she holds a bowl, and the other hand is for blessings.

She is seated upon a lotus, which emerges from the navel of Lord Shiva, who in turn lies atop a lion.
To each side of her sit Brahma and Vishnu, who are each seated upon a lotus, as well.