Narada Recounts the Creation of Tilottama to Destroy Sunda and Upasunda

Narada said, "On witnessing the great destruction wrought by Sunda and Upasunda, all the devarshis, siddhas, and supreme rishis were extremely distressed. Stirred by compassion for the universe, they went to the grandfather's abode." He described the august assembly: Brahma seated with the gods, surrounded by every order of sage and ascetic. There, the maharshis recounted the deeds of the asura brothers in full detail and pressed Brahma to act. "Hearing their words," Narada continued, "the grandfather thought for an instant. Determining how they might be killed, he summoned Vishvakarma." He relayed Brahma's command to create "a lady who will be desired," and Vishvakarma's meticulous work: collecting the essence of all beauty in the three worlds, crafting a divine damsel who was the very essence of gems, unmatched in form. Brahma named her Tilottama and sent her to seduce the brothers and create dissension between them. "But before she left," Narada said, "she paid homage and circumambulated the assembly." He then told of the stunning consequence. As she walked, only Indra and the god Sthanu (Shiva) kept their composure — at first. Shiva's desire to see her as she passed was so great that new faces emerged from the south, west, and north of his head, giving him four faces. Indra sprouted a thousand eyes all over his body. Every being in the hall turned to watch her. "When the one with richness of beauty left for her task," Narada concluded, "all the gods and supreme rishis thought the act had already been accomplished. After she departed, Brahma asked them all to leave."