VIDURAGAMANA-RAJYALABHA PARVA: Chapter 211

Creation of Tilottama

नारद उवाच ततो देवर्षयः सर्वे सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः। जग्मुस्तदा परामार्ति दृष्ट्वा तत् कदनं महत्॥
Narada said: Thereupon the tranquil and self-restrained celestials Rishi, Siddhas and the Paramhansas, became exceedingly sorry on seeing that great massacre.

तेऽभिजग्मुर्जितक्रोधा जितात्मानो जितेन्द्रियाः। पितामहस्य भवनं जगतः कृपया तदा॥
Being moved by compassion, they with their passions, senses and souls under complete control, went to the abode of the Grandsire.

ततो ददृशुरासीनं सह देवैः पितामहम्। सिद्धैर्ब्रह्मर्षिभिश्चैव समन्तात् परिवारितम्॥
They then saw the Grandsire seated with the celestials, surrounded by the Siddhas and the Brahmarshis.

तत्र देवो महादेवस्तत्राग्निर्वायुना सह। चन्द्रादित्यौ च शक्रश्च पारमेष्ठ्यास्तथर्षयः॥ वैखानसा बालखिल्या वानप्रस्था मरीचिपाः। अजाश्चैवाविमूढाश्च तेजोग स्तपस्विनः॥ ऋषयः सर्व एवैते पितामहमुपागमन्। ततोऽभिगम्य ते दीनाः सर्व एव महर्षयः॥ सुन्दोपसुन्दयोः कर्म सर्वमेव शशंसिरे। यथा हृतं यथा चैव कृतं येन क्रमेण च॥ न्यवेदयंस्ततः सर्वमखिलेन पितामहे। ततो देवगणाः सर्वे ते चैव परमर्षयः॥ तमेवार्थं पुरस्कृत्य पितामहमचोदयन्। ततः पितामहः श्रुत्वा सर्वेषां तद् वचस्तदा॥ मुहूर्तमिव संचिन्त्य कर्तव्यस्य च निश्चयम्। तयोर्वधं समुद्दिश्य विश्वकर्माणमाह्वयत्॥
There was the Deity Mahadeva (Shiva), there was Agni with Vayu. There were Chandra, Aditya, Indra and the Rishis devoted to the contemplation of the Supreme. (There were) the Vaikhanasas, the Balkhilyas, the Vanaprasthas, the Marichipas, the Ajanma, the Avimudas and many other greatly effulgent ascetics. All the Rishis came to the Grandsire and those great Rishis all approached him with sorrowful hearts. They represented to him all the acts of Sunda and Upasunda. The celestials and the great Rishis told the Grandsire of the universe in details what they had done and how and in what order they had done it. They all pressed the matter to the Grandsire and the Grandsire, having heard what they said, reflected for a moment and settled what ought to be done. Resolving to kill them, he summoned Vishvakarma.

दृष्ट्वा च विश्वकर्माणं व्यादिदेश पितामहः। सृज्यतां प्रार्थनीयैका प्रमदेति महातपाः॥
Seeing Vishvakarma, the Grandsire commanded him saying, “O great ascetic, create a damsel who will be captivating to all hearts?"

पितामहं नमस्कृत्य तद्वाक्यमभिनन्द्य च। निर्ममे योषितं दिव्यां चिन्तयित्वा पुनः पुनः॥
Bowing down to the Grandsire and receiving his command with reverence, he created a celestials damsel after good deal of thought.

त्रिषु लोकेषु यत् किंचिद् भूतं स्थावरजङ्गम्। समानयद् दर्शनीयं तत् तदत्र स विश्वजित्॥
Vishvavita (Vishvakarma) first collected whatever handsome there was in mobile or immobile things in the three worlds.

कोटिशश्चैव रत्नानि तस्या गात्रे न्यवेशयत्। तां रत्नसंघातमयीमसृजद् देवरूपिणीम्॥
He placed millions of gems on the body of the damsel. The celestials beauty that he created was a mass of gems and jewels.

सा प्रयत्नेन महता निर्मिता विश्वकर्मणा। त्रिषु लोकेषु नारीणां रूपेणाप्रतिमाभवत्॥
She was created by Vishvakarma with good deal of care. She became matchless in beauty amongst the women of the three worlds.

न तस्याः सूक्ष्ममप्यस्ति यद् गात्रे रूपसम्पदा। नियुक्ता यत्र वा दृष्टिर्न सज्जति निरीक्षताम्॥
There was not the minutest part of her body which by its wealth of beauty did not rivet the gaze of the beholder directed towards it.

सा विग्रहवतीव श्रीः कामरूपा वपुष्मती। जहार सर्वभूतानां चढूंषि च मनांसि च॥
She was like Lakshmi himself; and that extraordinarily beautiful damsel captivated the eyes and hearts of all creatures.

तिलं तिलं समानीय रत्नानां यद् विनिर्मित।। तिलोत्तमेति तत् तस्या नाम चक्रे पितामहः॥
Because she was created with the portions of every gem in every minute portion, the Grandsire gave her the name of Tilottama.

ब्रह्माणं सा नमस्कृत्य प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्। किं कार्यं मयि भूतेश येनास्म्योह निर्मिता॥
She bowed down to Brahma and spoke to him with joined hands, “O lord of creatures, what task am I to accomplish and for what purpose am I created?"

पितामह उवाच गच्छ सुन्दोपसुन्दाभ्यामसुराभ्यां तिलोत्तमे। प्रार्थनीयेन रूपेण कुरु भद्रे प्रलोभनम्॥
The Grandsire said : O Tilottama, go to the Asuras, Sunda and Upasunda. O amiable girl, tempt them with your desirable beauty.

त्वत्कृते दर्शनादेव रूपसम्पत्कृतेन वै। विरोधः : स्याद् यथा ताभ्यामन्योन्येन तथा कुरु॥
Act in such a way that as soon as they saw you they may quarrel with each other in consequence of your wealth of beauty.

नारद उवाच सा तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय नमस्कृत्य पितामहम्। चकार मण्डलं तत्र विबुधानां प्रदक्षिणम्॥
She promised to do it; and bowing down to the Grandsire, she walked round the celestials assembly.

प्राङ्मुखो भगवानास्ते दक्षिणेन महेश्वरः। देवाश्चैवोत्तरेणासन् सर्वतस्त्वृषयोऽभवन्॥
The illustrious Deity (Brahma) was then sitting facing eastwards; Mahadeva (Shiva) also was sitting facing eastwards; all the other celestials with their faces northwards and the Rishis with their faces towards all directions.

कुर्वत्या तु तदा तत्र मण्डलं तत् प्रदक्षिणम्। इन्द्रः स्थाणुश्च भगवान् धैर्येण प्रत्यवस्थितौ॥
When she was walking round the assembly, Indra and the illustrious Sthanu (Shiva) alone succeeded in preserving their tranquility of mind.

द्रष्टुकामस्य चात्यर्थं गतया पार्श्वतस्तया। अन्यदञ्चितपद्माक्षं दक्षिणं निःसृतं मुखम्॥
Because he (Shiva) was very much desirous of seeing her, therefore when she came at his side, another face came out on the southern side of his body with eyes like fullblossomed lotuses.

पृष्ठतः परिवर्तन्त्या पश्चिमं निःसृतं सुखम्। गतया चोत्तरं पार्श्वमुत्तरं निःसृतं मुखम्॥ महेन्द्रस्यापि नेत्राणां पृष्ठतः पार्श्वतोऽग्रतः। रक्तान्तानां विशालानां सहस्रं सर्वतोऽभवत्॥
When she came behind him, another face appeared on his western side; and when she came on the northern side, a fourth face appeared on his northern side. Indra also came to have one thousand eyes before, behind and on his flanks, each large and reddish.

एवं चतुर्मुखः स्थाणुर्महादेवोऽभवत् पुरा। तथा सहस्रनेत्रश्च बभूव बलसूदनः॥
Thus in days of yore, Sthanu (Shiva) the great Deity, came to have four faces and the slayer of Vala (Indra) one thousand eyes.

तथा देवनिकायानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः। मुखानि चाभ्यवर्तन्त येन याति तिलोत्तमा॥
All the celestials and the Rishis turned their faces to that direction where Tilottama went in her walking round the assembly.

तस्या गात्रे निपतिता दृष्टिस्तेषां महात्मनाम्। सर्वेषामेव भूयिष्ठमृते देवं पितामहम्॥
Except those of the Deity, the divine Grandsire, the eyes of all those illustrious begins fell on her body.

गच्छन्त्या तु तया सर्वे देवाश्च परमर्षयः कृतमित्येव तत् कार्य मेनिरे रूपसम्पदा॥
When that great beauty went away, the celestials and the great Rishis regarded the task already accomplished.

तिलोत्तमायां तस्यां तु गतायां लोकभावनः। सर्वान् विसर्जयामास देवानृषिगणांश्च तान्॥
After Tilottama had departed, the First Cause of the creation (Brahma) sent away all the celestials and the Rishis.