Tilottamā
Tilottamā was an apsarā (a heavenly dancer). Viśvakarma made her on the instruction of Brahmā. Her purpose was to bring about the end of the asura brothers Sunda and Upasunda, who had conquered the three worlds and whom no power could destroy. She was sent to them. Each brother wanted her for himself alone, and they killed each other.
Creation by Viśvakarma
Sunda and Upasunda had conquered the three worlds, the devas, humans and rākshasas. Brahmā had given them the vara (a boon) that only they themselves could destroy each other. Brahmā then thought of a plan. He would make a being so beautiful that desire would do what weapons could not.
He told Viśvakarma, the divine architect and craftsman, to make a woman of the highest beauty. Viśvakarma took the finest particle, the most concentrated essence, from every beautiful thing in creation: every gem, every flower, every beautiful being and every shining substance. From this gathering of beauty he made Tilottamā.
Her name carries this meaning. Tila is a sesame seed, the smallest measure. Uttamā means finest. She was put together from the finest particle of every beauty.
The Mahābhārata says this in the Ādi Parva, Chapter 210.
The effect on the devas
Tilottamā walked past the devas, who were assembled, to receive her instruction from Brahmā. Even the devas were moved. Indra grew four faces so that he could watch her from every side as she circled him. Śiva also turned to look. Brahmā too was moved. Even those of divine nature and high spiritual attainment could not keep their calm before her beauty.
The end of Sunda and Upasunda
Tilottamā was sent to Sunda and Upasunda at a time of leisure. They were in a forest with women and wine, at ease after conquering the worlds. Both brothers saw her at the same moment. Both wanted her with total and consuming desire. Both claimed her as his own wife.
Neither would give way. The two brothers had never in their lives raised a hand against each other. They had shared everything and had conquered devas and asuras together. Yet in one moment, over Tilottamā, they turned on each other. Each struck the other with his club. Both died.
Brahmā’s plan worked as he meant it to. This is told in the Ādi Parva, Chapter 211.
The four faces of Śiva
The Anuśāsana Parva gives another account that ties Tilottamā to Śiva’s four faces. It comes in the Umā-Maheśvara Saṃvāda, the talk between Umā and Maheśvara. Umā asked Śiva about his form, and Śiva himself told the origin of his four faces.
In this account Brahmā had made Tilottamā from the finest particle (tila) of every precious and beautiful thing in creation. As she circled Śiva in devotion, a face appeared toward each direction she passed. By his yogic power he came to have four faces, one for each of the four directions:
- The eastern face holds Indra’s station.
- The northern face takes pleasure with Umā.
- The western face is gentle and kind to all beings.
- The southern face is raudra (fierce) and brings death.
So Tilottamā’s beauty was the cause of the death of Sunda and Upasunda in the Ādi Parva. In the Anuśāsana Parva it is also the occasion for one of Śiva’s best-known forms, Caturmukha, the four-faced.
Nārada’s warning to the Pāṇḍavas
Nārada told this story to the Pāṇḍavas to show why they needed a firm agreement about Draupadī. Two brothers whose bond was complete, who had never known a quarrel, destroyed each other over a woman in one moment of unchecked desire. So desire was the one force that could break even the deepest bonds of love. The Pāṇḍavas heard this and understood.
This is told in the Ādi Parva, Chapter 211.
Sources
- Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapters 210–211
- Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 141