The Creation of Tilottama

Verse 1 (1.231.1)

ततो देवर्षयः सर्वे सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः । जग्मुस्तदा परमार्तिं दृष्ट्वा तत्कदनं महत् ॥

tato devarṣayaḥ sarve siddhāśca paramarṣayaḥ | jagmustadā paramārtiṃ dṛṣṭvā tatkadanaṃ mahat

Then all the divine seers, the Siddhas and the supreme seers, seeing that great slaughter, fell into deep distress.

Note on the text: Speaker set to Narada: his narration continues from the previous adhyaya (Wikisource prints no heading here; the critical edition opens 1.203 with नारद उवाच).

Verse 2 (1.231.2)

तेऽभिजग्मुर्जितक्रोधा जितात्मानो जितेन्द्रियाः । पितामहस्य भवनं जगतः कृपया तदा ॥

te'bhijagmurjitakrodhā jitātmāno jitendriyāḥ | pitāmahasya bhavanaṃ jagataḥ kṛpayā tadā

Having conquered anger, mastered themselves and subdued their senses, they went then to the abode of the Grandsire, out of compassion for the world.

Note on the text: Corrected भनं → भवनं (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara, as in the critical edition's bhavanaṃ).

Verse 3 (1.231.3)

ततो ददृशुरासीनं सह देवैः पितामहम् । सिद्धैर्ब्रह्मर्षिभिश्चैव समन्तात्परिवारितम् ॥

tato dadṛśurāsīnaṃ saha devaiḥ pitāmaham | siddhairbrahmarṣibhiścaiva samantātparivāritam

There they saw the Grandsire seated with the gods, surrounded on every side by Siddhas and brahmin seers.

Verse 4 (1.231.4)

तत्र देवो महादेवस्तत्राग्निर्वायुना सह । चन्द्रादित्यौ च शक्रश्च पारमेष्ठ्यास्तथर्षयः ॥

tatra devo mahādevastatrāgnirvāyunā saha | candrādityau ca śakraśca pārameṣṭhyāstatharṣayaḥ

There was the god Mahadeva; there was Agni with Vayu, the Moon and the Sun, and Shakra, and the seers sprung from the Supreme Lord,

Verse 5 (1.231.5)

वैखानसा वालखिल्या वानप्रस्था मरीचिपाः । अजाश्चैवाविमूढाश्च तेजोगर्भास्तपस्विनः ॥

vaikhānasā vālakhilyā vānaprasthā marīcipāḥ | ajāścaivāvimūḍhāśca tejogarbhāstapasvinaḥ

and the Vaikhanasas, the Valakhilyas, the forest-dwellers, the Marichipas, the Ajas, the Avimudhas and the Tejogarbhas, all men of austerity.

Note on the text: = 1.203.5ab–cd of the critical edition (Wikisource divides the verses of this stretch differently; the critical edition's 1.203.5 has a third line, given here in the next verse).

Verse 6 (1.231.6)

ऋषयः सर्व एवैते पितामहमुपागमन् । ततोऽभिगम्य ते दीनाः सर्व एव महर्षयः ॥

ṛṣayaḥ sarva evaite pitāmahamupāgaman | tato'bhigamya te dīnāḥ sarva eva maharṣayaḥ

All these seers had come to the Grandsire. Then the great seers, approaching him in their distress, all of them together

Note on the text: Lines correspond to 1.203.5e and 1.203.6a of the critical edition (Wikisource divides the verses differently).

Verse 7 (1.231.7)

सुन्दोपसुन्दयोः कर्म सर्वमेव शशंसिरे । यथा हृतं यथा चैव कृतं येन क्रमेण च ॥

sundopasundayoḥ karma sarvameva śaśaṃsire | yathā hṛtaṃ yathā caiva kṛtaṃ yena krameṇa ca

told him everything Sunda and Upasunda had done — what they had seized, how they had acted, and in what order.

Note on the text: Corrected सुन्दोपसुन्दयौः → सुन्दोपसुन्दयोः (misprint in Wikisource; wrong vowel sign in the genitive dual, as in the critical edition's sundopasundayoḥ). Lines correspond to 1.203.6c and 1.203.7a of the critical edition (Wikisource divides the verses differently).

Verse 8 (1.231.8)

न्यवेदयंस्ततः सर्वमखिलेन पितामहे । ततो देवगणाः सर्वे ते चैव परमर्षयः ॥

nyavedayaṃstataḥ sarvamakhilena pitāmahe | tato devagaṇāḥ sarve te caiva paramarṣayaḥ

They laid the whole matter before the Grandsire in full. Then all the hosts of gods and those supreme seers

Note on the text: Lines correspond to 1.203.7c and 1.203.8a of the critical edition (Wikisource divides the verses differently).

Verse 9 (1.231.9)

तमेवार्थं पुरस्कृत्य पितामहमचोदयन् । ततः पितामहः श्रुत्वा सर्वेषां तद्वचस्तदा ॥

tamevārthaṃ puraskṛtya pitāmahamacodayan | tataḥ pitāmahaḥ śrutvā sarveṣāṃ tadvacastadā

pressed the Grandsire on that very matter. Then the Grandsire, having heard what they all said,

Note on the text: Lines correspond to 1.203.8c and 1.203.9a of the critical edition (Wikisource divides the verses differently).

Verse 10 (1.231.10)

मुहूर्तमिव संचिन्त्य कर्तव्यस्य च निश्चयम् । तयोर्वधं समुद्दिश्य विश्वकर्माणमाह्वयत् ॥

muhūrtamiva saṃcintya kartavyasya ca niścayam | tayorvadhaṃ samuddiśya viśvakarmāṇamāhvayat

reflected for a moment on what must be done and, with the brothers' death in view, summoned Vishvakarma.

Note on the text: Lines correspond to 1.203.9c and 1.203.10a of the critical edition (Wikisource divides the verses differently).

Verse 11 (1.231.11)

दृष्ट्वा च विश्वकर्माणं व्यादिदेश पितामहः । सृज्यतां प्रार्थनीयैका प्रमदेति महातपाः ॥

dṛṣṭvā ca viśvakarmāṇaṃ vyādideśa pitāmahaḥ | sṛjyatāṃ prārthanīyaikā pramadeti mahātapāḥ

When he saw Vishvakarma, the Grandsire of great austerity commanded him: "Let a woman be created whom all will desire."

Note on the text: = 1.203.10c–e of the critical edition (Wikisource divides the verses differently).

Verse 12 (1.231.12)

पितामहं नमस्कृत्य तद्वाक्यमभिनन्द्य च । निर्ममे योषितं दिव्यां चिन्तयित्वा पुनःपुनः ॥

pitāmahaṃ namaskṛtya tadvākyamabhinandya ca | nirmame yoṣitaṃ divyāṃ cintayitvā punaḥpunaḥ

Vishvakarma bowed to the Grandsire, welcomed his command and, pondering again and again, fashioned a divine woman.

Verse 13 (1.231.13)

त्रिषु लोकेषु यत्किंचिद्भूतं स्थावरजङ्गमम् । समानयद्दर्शनीयं तत्तदत्र स विश्ववित् ॥

triṣu lokeṣu yatkiṃcidbhūtaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam | samānayaddarśanīyaṃ tattadatra sa viśvavit

Whatever was beautiful to look on in the three worlds, among things moving and unmoving, that all-knowing craftsman brought together there.

Verse 14 (1.231.14)

कोटिशश्चैव रत्नानि तस्या गात्रे न्यवेशत् । तां रत्नसङ्घातमयीमसृजद्देवरूपिणीम् ॥

koṭiśaścaiva ratnāni tasyā gātre nyaveśat | tāṃ ratnasaṅghātamayīmasṛjaddevarūpiṇīm

He set gems by the crore into her body, and so created her, a goddess in form, made of a mass of jewels.

Verse 15 (1.231.15)

सा प्रयत्नेन महता निर्मिता विश्वकर्मणा । त्रिषु लोकेषु नारीणां रूपेणाप्रतिमाभवत् ॥

sā prayatnena mahatā nirmitā viśvakarmaṇā | triṣu lokeṣu nārīṇāṃ rūpeṇāpratimābhavat

Fashioned by Vishvakarma with great effort, she became unequalled in beauty among the women of the three worlds.

Verse 16 (1.231.16)

न तस्याः सूक्ष्ममप्यस्ति यद्गात्रे रूपसंपदा । नियुक्ता यत्र वा दृष्टिर्न सज्जति निरीक्षताम् ॥

na tasyāḥ sūkṣmamapyasti yadgātre rūpasaṃpadā | niyuktā yatra vā dṛṣṭirna sajjati nirīkṣatām

There was not the smallest part of her body that lacked loveliness, nor any part where the eyes of those who looked at her, once turned there, did not linger.

Verse 17 (1.231.17)

सा विग्रहवतीव श्रीः कामरूपा वपुष्मती । पितामहमुपातिष्ठत्किं करोमीति चाब्रवीत् ॥

sā vigrahavatīva śrīḥ kāmarūpā vapuṣmatī | pitāmahamupātiṣṭhatkiṃ karomīti cābravīt

Like Shri herself in bodily form, beautiful and able to take any shape she wished, she came before the Grandsire and said, "What shall I do?"

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (backtick) from the second line. The first line = 1.203.16a; the second line is not in the critical edition's text (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.203.16*2003).

Verse 18 (1.231.18)

प्रीतो भूत्वा स दृष्ट्वैव प्रीत्या चास्यै वरं ददौ । कान्तत्वं सर्वभूतानां साश्रियानुत्तमं वपुः ॥

prīto bhūtvā sa dṛṣṭvaiva prītyā cāsyai varaṃ dadau | kāntatvaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ sāśriyānuttamaṃ vapuḥ

Pleased at the very sight of her, he lovingly granted her a boon: that she would be dear to all beings, and that her body would be of unsurpassed splendour.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.203.16*2003).

Verse 19 (1.231.19)

सा तेन वरदानेन कर्तुश्च क्रियया तदा । जहार सर्वभूतानां चक्षूंषि च मनांसि च ॥

sā tena varadānena kartuśca kriyayā tadā | jahāra sarvabhūtānāṃ cakṣūṃṣi ca manāṃsi ca

Through that boon, and through the skill of her maker, she then captured the eyes and hearts of all beings.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (a quote mark and danda) from the end of the first line. The first line is not in the critical edition's text (CE apparatus 1.203.16*2003); the second line = 1.203.16c.

Verse 20 (1.231.20)

तिलंतिलं समानीय रत्नानां यद्विनिर्मिता । तिलोत्तमेति तत्तस्या नाम चक्रे पितामहः ॥

tilaṃtilaṃ samānīya ratnānāṃ yadvinirmitā | tilottameti tattasyā nāma cakre pitāmahaḥ

Because she was made by gathering gems bit by bit, "tila by tila", the Grandsire gave her the name Tilottama.

Verse 21 (1.231.21)

ब्रह्माणं सा नमस्कृत्य प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत् । किं कार्यं मयि भूतेश येनास्म्यद्येह निर्मिता ॥

brahmāṇaṃ sā namaskṛtya prāñjalirvākyamabravīt | kiṃ kāryaṃ mayi bhūteśa yenāsmyadyeha nirmitā

She bowed to Brahma and, with joined palms, said: "Lord of beings, what task is laid on me, for which I have been made here today?"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.203.17*2004).

Verse 22 (1.231.22)

गच्छ सुन्दोपसुन्दाभ्यामसुराभ्यां तिलोत्तमे । प्रार्थनीयेन रूपेण कुरु भद्रे प्रलोभनम् ॥

gaccha sundopasundābhyāmasurābhyāṃ tilottame | prārthanīyena rūpeṇa kuru bhadre pralobhanam

Go, Tilottama, to the asuras Sunda and Upasunda, and with your desirable beauty, good lady, tempt them.

Verse 23 (1.231.23)

त्वत्कृते दर्शनादेव रूपसंपत्कृतेन वै । विरोधः स्याद्यथा ताभ्यामन्योन्येन तथा कुरु ॥

tvatkṛte darśanādeva rūpasaṃpatkṛtena vai | virodhaḥ syādyathā tābhyāmanyonyena tathā kuru

Act in such a way that, from the mere sight of you and the wealth of your beauty, the two of them fall into enmity with each other on your account.

Note on the text: Corrected दर्शादेव → दर्शनादेव (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara leaves the line a syllable short, as in the critical edition's darśanād eva).

Verse 24 (1.231.24)

सा तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय नमस्कृत्य पितामहम् । चकार मण्डलं तत्र विबुधानां प्रदक्षिणम् ॥

sā tatheti pratijñāya namaskṛtya pitāmaham | cakāra maṇḍalaṃ tatra vibudhānāṃ pradakṣiṇam

Promising "So be it", she bowed to the Grandsire and there walked around the assembled gods, keeping them on her right.

Verse 25 (1.231.25)

प्राङ्मुखो भगवानास्ते दक्षिणेन महेश्वरः । देवाश्चैवोत्तरेणासन्सर्वतस्त्वृषयोऽभवन् ॥

prāṅmukho bhagavānāste dakṣiṇena maheśvaraḥ | devāścaivottareṇāsansarvatastvṛṣayo'bhavan

The Lord Brahma sat facing east, Maheshvara to the south; the gods were to the north, and the seers all around.

Verse 26 (1.231.26)

कुर्वन्त्यां तु तदा तत्र मण्डलं तत्प्रदक्षिणम् । इन्द्रः स्थाणुश्च भगवान्धैर्येण तु परिच्युतौ ॥

kurvantyāṃ tu tadā tatra maṇḍalaṃ tatpradakṣiṇam | indraḥ sthāṇuśca bhagavāndhairyeṇa tu paricyutau

As she made her circuit around them there, Indra and the Lord Sthanu both lost their composure.

Verse 27 (1.231.27)

द्रष्टुकामस्य चात्यर्थं गतायां पार्श्वतस्तथा । अन्यदञ्चितपद्माक्षं दक्षिणं निःसृतं मुखम् ॥

draṣṭukāmasya cātyarthaṃ gatāyāṃ pārśvatastathā | anyadañcitapadmākṣaṃ dakṣiṇaṃ niḥsṛtaṃ mukham

As she passed to his side, from Sthanu, who longed intensely to see her, another face sprang out to the south, with lovely lotus eyes.

Verse 28 (1.231.28)

पृष्ठतः परिवर्तन्त्यां पश्चिमं निःसृतं मुखम् । गतायां चोत्तरं पार्श्वमुत्तरं निःसृतं मुखम् ॥

pṛṣṭhataḥ parivartantyāṃ paścimaṃ niḥsṛtaṃ mukham | gatāyāṃ cottaraṃ pārśvamuttaraṃ niḥsṛtaṃ mukham

As she turned behind him, a face sprang out to the west; and when she went to the northern side, a face sprang out to the north.

Verse 29 (1.231.29)

महेन्द्रस्यापि नेत्राणां पृष्ठतः पार्श्वतोऽग्रतः । रक्तान्तानां विशालानां सहस्रं सर्वतोऽभवत् ॥

mahendrasyāpi netrāṇāṃ pṛṣṭhataḥ pārśvato'grataḥ | raktāntānāṃ viśālānāṃ sahasraṃ sarvato'bhavat

Great Indra too grew eyes behind, at his sides and in front, a thousand of them on every side, large and red at the corners.

Note on the text: Corrected पार्श्वतोग्रतः → पार्श्वतोऽग्रतः (missing avagraha in Wikisource, as in the critical edition's 'grataḥ).

Verse 30 (1.231.30)

एवं चतुर्मुखः स्थाणुर्महादेवोऽभवत्पुरा । तथा सहस्रनेत्रश्च बभूव बलसूदनः ॥

evaṃ caturmukhaḥ sthāṇurmahādevo'bhavatpurā | tathā sahasranetraśca babhūva balasūdanaḥ

Thus in ancient times Sthanu, the great god, became four-faced, and the slayer of Bala became thousand-eyed.

Verse 31 (1.231.31)

तथा देवनिकायानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः । मुखानि चाभ्यवर्तन्त येन याति तिलोत्तमा ॥

tathā devanikāyānāṃ maharṣīṇāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ | mukhāni cābhyavartanta yena yāti tilottamā

So too the faces of the hosts of gods and of the great seers all turned towards wherever Tilottama went.

Verse 32 (1.231.32)

तस्या गात्रे निपतिता दृष्टिस्तेषां महात्मनाम् । सर्वेषामेव भूयिष्ठमृते देवं पितामहम् ॥

tasyā gātre nipatitā dṛṣṭisteṣāṃ mahātmanām | sarveṣāmeva bhūyiṣṭhamṛte devaṃ pitāmaham

The gaze of all those great-souled ones fell on her body and mostly stayed there, of all except the god, the Grandsire.

Verse 33 (1.231.33)

गच्छन्त्यां तु तया सर्वे देवाश्च परमर्षयः । कृतमित्येव तत्कार्यं मेनिरे रूपसंपदा ॥

gacchantyāṃ tu tayā sarve devāśca paramarṣayaḥ | kṛtamityeva tatkāryaṃ menire rūpasaṃpadā

As she went on her way, all the gods and supreme seers judged from the wealth of her beauty that the task was as good as done.

Verse 34 (1.231.34)

तिलोत्तमायां तस्यां तु गतायां लोकभावनः । कृतं कार्यमिति श्रीमानब्रवीच्च पितामहः । सर्वान्विसर्जयामास देवानृषिगणांश्च तान् ॥

tilottamāyāṃ tasyāṃ tu gatāyāṃ lokabhāvanaḥ | kṛtaṃ kāryamiti śrīmānabravīcca pitāmahaḥ | sarvānvisarjayāmāsa devānṛṣigaṇāṃśca tān

When Tilottama had gone, the illustrious Grandsire, maker of the worlds, said, "The task is done," and dismissed all the gods and the hosts of seers.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (a backtick, a quote mark and danda) around the middle line. The first and last lines = 1.203.30ac; the middle line is not in the critical edition's text (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.203.30*2007).