Which is told of in the holy "Mahabharata," written by
the blessed Rishi Krishna-Dvaipayana, who composed it
in twenty-four thousand slokas[1], and who composed six
millions of slokas likewise. Of the latter are three
millions in the keeping of the gods; and one million five
hundred thousand in the keeping of the Gandharvas, who
are the musicians of Indra's Heaven; and one million four
hundred thousand in the keeping of the Pitris, who are the
ghosts of the blessed dead; and one hundred thousand in the
keeping of men.... And the guiltiest of men who shall hear
the recital of the "Mahabharata" shall be delivered from all
his sins; neither sickness nor misfortune shall come nigh
him.
Now I shall tell you how it happened that the great gods once became
multiple-faced and myriad-eyed by reason of a woman's beauty, as the
same is recounted in the Book of Great Weight--in the Mahabharata.
In ancient years there were two Daityas, twin brothers sprung from the
race of the Asouras, the race of evil genii; and their names were
Sounda and Oupasounda. Princes they were born; cruel and terrible they
grew up, yet were ever one in purpose, in thought, in the pursuit of
pleasure, or in the perpetration of crime.
And in the course of time it came to pass that the brothers resolved
to obtain domination over the Three Worlds, and to practice all those
austerities and sacrifices by which the holiest ascetics elevate
themselves to divinity. So they departed to the solitude of the
mountain Vindhya, and there devoted themselves to contemplations and
to prayer, until their mighty limbs became slender as jungle-canes,
and their joints like knots of bone. And they ceased all the actions
of life, and fore bore all contact with things earthly--knowing that
contact with earthly things begetteth sensation, and sensation desire,
and desire corruption, and corruption existence. Thus by dint of
meditation and austerity the world became for them as non-existent.
By one effort of will they might have shaken the universe; the world
trembled under the weight of their thoughts as though laboring in
earthquake. Air was their only nourishment; they offered up their own
flesh in sacrifice; and the Vindhya, heated by the force of their
austerities, smoked to heaven like a mountain of fire.
Therefore the divinities, being terrified, sought to divert them from
their austerities, and to trouble their senses by apparitions of women
and of demons and of gods. But the Asouras ceased not a moment to
practice their mortifications, standing upon their great toes only, and
keeping their eyes fixed upon the sun.
Now, after many years, it came to pass that Brahma, Ancient of Days,
Father of the Creator of Worlds, appeared before them as a Shape of
light, and bade them ask for whatsoever they desired. And they made
answer, with hands joined before their foreheads: "If the Father of the
Father of Worlds be gratified by our penances, we desire to acquire
knowledge of all arts of magic and arts of war, to possess the gifts of
beauty and of strength, and the promise of immortality."
But the Shape of Brahma answered unto them: "Immortality will not
be given unto you, O Princes of Daityas, inasmuch as ye practiced
austerities only that ye might obtain dominion over the Three Worlds.
Yet will I grant ye the knowledge and power and the bodily gifts ye
desire. Also it shall be vouchsafed you that none shall be able to
destroy you; neither among creatures of earth nor spirits nor gods
shall any have power to do you hurt, save ye hurt one another."
Thus the two Daityas obtained the favor of Brahma, and became
unconquerable by gods or men. And they returned to their habitation,
and departed utterly from the path of righteousness, eating and
drinking and sinning exceedingly, more than any of their evil race
had done before them; so that their existence might be likened to one
never-ending feast of unholy pleasures. But no pleasures could satiate
these Asouras, though all mortals dwelling with them suffered by reason
of monstrous excesses.
By the two Daityas, indeed, repose and sleep were never desired nor
even needed--night and day were as one for them; but those mortals
about them speedily died of pleasure, and the Daityas were angry with
them because they died.
Now, at last, the two Asouras resolved to forego pleasure awhile, that
they might make the conquest of the Three Worlds by force of that
magical knowledge imparted to them by will of Brahma. And they warred
against Indra's Heaven; for it had been given them to move through air
more swiftly than demons. The Souras, indeed, and the gods knowing of
their coming and the nature of the powers that had been given them,
passed away to the Brahmaloka, where dwell the spirits of the holiest
dead. But the Daityas, taking possession with their army of evil genii,
slew many of the Yakshas, who are the guardians of treasures, and the
Rakshasas, which are demons, and multitudes of all the beings which
fly through the airs. After these things they slew all the Nagas, the
human-visaged serpents living in the entrails of the world; and they
overcame all the creatures of the sea.
Then they made resolve to extend their evil power over the whole
earth, and to destroy all worshipers of the gods. For the prayers
and the sacrifices offered up by the Rajarshis and the Brahmans
continually augmented the power of the gods; and these Daityas
therefore hated exceedingly all holy men. Because of the power given
the wicked princes, none could oppose their will, nor did the mighty
imprecations of the hermits and the Brahmans avail. All worshipers of
the gods were destroyed; the eternal altar-fires were scattered and
extinguished; the holy offerings were cast into the waters; the sacred
vessels were broken; the awful temples were cast down; and the face
of the earth made vast with desolation, as though ravaged by the god
of death. And the Asouras, changing themselves by magical art into
the form of tigers, of lions, of furious elephants, sought out all
those ascetics who lived in the secret hollows of the mountains or the
unknown recesses of the forest or the deep silence of the jungles, and
destroyed them. So that the world became a waste strewn with human
bones; and there were no cities, no populations, no smoke of sacrifice,
no murmur of prayer, no human utterance--vast horror only, and hideous
death.
Then all the holy people of air--the Siddhas and the Devarshis and the
Paramarshis--aghast at the desolation of the world, and filled with
divinest compassion for the universe, flocked to the dwelling-place
of Brahma, and made plaint to him of these things which had been
done, and besought him that he would destroy the power of Sounda and
Oupasounda. Now Brahma was seated among the gods, surrounded by the
circles of the Siddhas and the Bramarshis; Mahadeva was there, and
Indra, and Agni, Prince of Fire, and Vayou, Lord of Winds, and Aditya,
the Sun-god, who drives the seven-headed steeds, and Chandra, the
lotus-loving god of the Moon. And all the elders of heaven stood about
them--the holy Marichipas and Ajas and Avimoudhas and Tejogharbas;
the Vanaprasthas of the forest, and the Siddhas of the airs, and
the Vaikhanas who live upon roots, and the sixty thousand luminous
Balakhilyas--not bigger than the thumb of a man--who sprang from the
hairs of Brahma.
Then from the violet deeps of the eternities Brahma summoned unto
him Viswakarman, the Fashioner of the Universe, the Creator of
Worlds--Viswakarman, Kindler of all the lights of Heaven. And
Viswakarman arose from the eternities as a star-cloud, and stood in
light before the All-Father.
And Brahma spake unto him, saying: "O my golden son, O Viswakarman,
create me a woman fairer than the fairest, sweeter than the
sweetest--whose beauty might even draw the hearts of all divinities, as
the moon draweth all the waters in her train.... I wait!"
So Viswakarman, veiling himself in mists, wrought in obedience to
the Father of Gods, invisibly, awfully, with all manner of precious
gems, with all colors of heaven, with all perfume of flowers, with all
rays of light, with all tones of music, with all things beautiful and
precious to the sight, to the touch, to the hearing, to the taste, to
the sense of odors. And as vapors are wrought into leafiest lacework of
frosts, as sunbeams are transmuted into gems of a hundred colors, so,
all mysteriously, were ten thousand priceless things blended into one
new substance of life; and the substance found shape, and was resolved
into the body of a woman. All blossom-beauty tempted in her bosom;
all perfume lingered in her breath; all jewel-fires made splendor for
her eyes; her locks were wrought of sunlight and of gold; the flowers
of heaven rebudded in her lips; the pearl and the fairy opal blended
in her smile; the tones of her voice were made with the love-songs
of a thousand birds. And a name was given unto her, Tilottama, which
signifies in that ancient Indian tongue, spoken of gods and men,
"Fair-wrought of daintiest atoms."... Then Viswakarman passed away as
the glory of evening fades out, and sank into the Immensities, and
mingled with the Eternities where no time or space is.
And Tilottama, clothed only with light as with a garment, joining her
hands before her luminous brows in adoration, bowed down to the Father
of Gods, and spake with the sweetest voice ever heard even within the
heaven of heavens, saying: "O thou universal Father, let me know thy
will, and the divine purpose for which I have been created."
And the deep tones of gold made answer, gently: "Descend, good
Tilottama, into the world of men, and display the witchcraft of thy
beauty in the sight of Sounda and Oupasounda, so that the Daityas may
be filled with hatred, each against the other, because of thee."
"It shall be according to thy desire, O Master of Creatures," answered
Tilottama; and, having prostrated her beautiful body thrice before
Brahma, she glided about the circle of the gods, saluting all as she
passed.
Now the great god Siva, the blessed Maheswara, was seated in the
south, with face turned toward the east; the other gods were looking
toward the north; and the seven orders of the rishis--the Devarshis,
Bramarshis, Maharshis, Paramarshis, Rajarshis, Kandarshis, and
Sroutarshis--sat upon every side. And while Tilottama passed around
the circle, the gods strove not to gaze upon her, lest their hearts
should be drawn irresistibly toward that magical beauty, created not
for joy, indeed, but verily for destruction. So for a moment Indra and
the blessed Sthanou made their hearts strong against her. But as she
drew near to Maheswara, who kept his face to the east, there came to
Maheswara another face, a face upon the south side, with eyes more
beautiful than lotus-flowers. And when she turned behind him, there
came to him yet another face upon the west side; and even as she turned
to the north, there came to him a face upon the north side, so that
he could not choose but gaze upon her. And even great Indra's body,
as she turned around him, blossomed with eyes, before, behind, on
every side, even to the number of a thousand eyes, large and deep and
ruddy-lidded. Thus it was that Mahadeva became the Four-Faced God,
and Balasoudana the God with a Thousand Eyes. And new faces grew upon
all the divinities and all habitants of heaven as Tilottama passed
around them; all became double-faced, triple-faced, or myriad-faced,
in despite of their purpose not to look upon her, so mighty was the
magic of her loveliness! Only Brahma, Father of all the Gods, remained
impassive as eternity; for unto him beauty and hideousness, light and
darkness, night and day, death and life, the finite and the infinite,
are ever one and the same....
Now Sounda and Oupasounda were diverting themselves with their wicked
women among the mountains, when they first perceived Tilottama
gathering flowers; and at the sight of her their hearts ceased to
pulsate. And they forgot not only all that they had done, and their
riches and their power and their pleasures, but also the divine
provision that they could die only by each other's hands. Each drew
near unto Tilottama; each sought to kiss her mouth; each repulsed his
brother; each claimed her for himself. And the first hatred of each
other made flame in their eyes. "Mine she shall be!" cried Oupasounda.
"Wrest her from me if thou canst!" roared Sounda in mad defiance. And
passing from words to reproaches, and from reproaches to mighty blows,
they fell upon each other with their weapons, and strove together until
both were slain.
Then a great fear came upon all the evil company, and the women fled
shrieking away; and the Asouras, beholding the hand of Brahma in these
things, trembled, and took flight, returning unto their abode of fire
and darkness, even unto the Patala, which is the habitation of the
damned.
But Tilottama, returning to the Brahmaloka, received the commendation
of the gods, and kindly praise from Brahma, Father of Worlds and Men,
who bade her ask for whatsoever grace she most desired. But she asked
him only that she might dwell forever in that world of splendors and
of light, which the blessed inhabit. And the Universal Father made
answer, saying: "Granted is thy prayer, O most seductive among created
beings! thou shalt dwell in the neighborhood of the sun, yet not among
the gods, lest mischief be wrought. And the dazzle of thy beauty shall
hinder the eyes of mortals from beholding thee, that their hearts be
not consumed because of thee. Dwell therefore within the heaven of the
sun forevermore."
And Brahma, having restored to Indra the dominion of the Three Worlds,
withdrew into the infinite light of the Brahmaloka.
[Footnote 1: According to the exordium in the _Adi-Parva_ of the
_Mahabharata_, this now most gigantic of epics at first consisted of
24,000 slokas only. Subsequent additions swelled the number of its
distiches to the prodigious figure of 107, 389.--L. H.]