ब्रह्माणं सा नमस्कृत्य प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्। किं कार्यं मयि भूतेश येनास्म्यद्येह निर्मिता
Having bowed to Brahma with joined palms, she spoke these words: 'O Lord of beings, what is to be done by me, for which I have been created today?'
गच्छ सुन्दोपसुन्दाभ्यामसुराभ्यां तिलोत्तमे। प्रार्थनीयेन रूपेण कुरु भद्रे प्रलोभनम्
Go, O Tilottama, with a form to be desired, and enchant the two Asuras, Sunda and Upasunda, O blessed one.
त्वत्कृते दर्शादेव रूपसंपत्कृतेन वै। विरोधः स्याद्यथा ताभ्यामन्योन्येन तथा कुरु
So that, because of your appearance and the wealth of your beauty, enmity may arise between them—do thus.
सा तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय नमस्कृत्य पितामहम्। चकार मण्डलं तत्र विबुधानां प्रदक्षिणम्
She, having promised 'So be it,' and having bowed to the Grandfather, made a circumambulation of the assembly of the gods.
प्राङ्मुखो भगवानास्ते दक्षिणेन महेश्वरः। देवाश्चैवोत्तरेणासन्सर्वतस्त्वृषयोऽभवन्
The Blessed Lord sat facing east, Maheshvara was to the south, and the gods were to the north; all the sages were everywhere.
कुर्वन्त्यां तु तदा तत्र मण्डलं तत्प्रदक्षिणम्। इन्द्रः स्थाणुश्च भगवान्धैर्येण तु परिच्युतौ
As she was making that circumambulation there, Indra and the Blessed Sthanu lost their composure.
द्रष्टुकामस्य चात्यर्थं गतायां पार्श्वतस्तथा। अन्यदञ्चितपद्माक्षं दक्षिणं निःसृतं मुखम्
As she went past, desiring greatly to see her, another face with lotus-like eyes appeared on the right side.
पृष्ठतः परिवर्तन्त्यां पश्चिमं निःसृतं मुखम्। गतायां चोत्तरं पार्श्वमुत्तरं निःसृतं मुखम्
As she turned behind, a face appeared at the back; and as she went to the north side, a face appeared on the north.
महेन्द्रस्यापि नेत्राणां पृष्ठतः पार्श्वतोग्रतः। रक्तान्तानां विशालानां सहस्रं सर्वतोऽभवत्
Even for Mahendra, a thousand wide eyes, red at the corners, appeared all over—at the back, the sides, and the front.
एवं चतुर्मुखः स्थाणुर्महादेवोऽभवत्पुरा। तथा सहस्रनेत्रश्च बभूव बलसूदनः
Thus, in ancient times, Sthanu, the great god, became four-faced, and the slayer of Bala became thousand-eyed.
तथा देवनिकायानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः। मुखानि चाभ्यवर्तन्त येन याति तिलोत्तमा
In the same way, faces appeared for all the hosts of gods and great sages, wherever Tilottama went.
तस्या गात्रे निपतिता दृष्टिस्तेषां महात्मनाम्। सर्वेषामेव भूयिष्ठमृते देवं पितामहम्
The gaze of those great souls fell upon her body, all of them except the god Grandfather.
गच्छन्त्यां तु तया सर्वे देवाश्च परमर्षयः। कृतमित्येव तत्कार्यं मेनिरे रूपसंपदा
As she departed, all the gods and supreme sages considered that the task had been accomplished by her beauty.
तिलोत्तमायां तस्यां तु गतायां लोकभावनः। `कृतं कार्यमिति श्रीमानब्रवीच्च पितामहः।' सर्वान्विसर्जयामास देवानृषिगणांश्च तान्
When Tilottama had gone, the creator of the worlds, the illustrious Grandfather, said, 'The task is done,' and dismissed all the gods and those hosts of sages.
जित्वा तु पृथिवीं दैत्यौ निःसपत्नौ गतव्यथौ। कृत्वा त्रैलोक्यमव्यग्रं कृतकृत्यौ बभूवतुः
Having conquered the earth, the two Daityas, free of rivals and free from distress, made the three worlds untroubled and considered their purpose fulfilled.
देवगन्धर्वयक्षाणां नागपार्थिवरक्षसाम्। आदाय सर्वरत्नानि परां तुष्टिमुपागतौ
Taking all the jewels of the gods, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Nagas, kings, and Rakshasas, they attained supreme satisfaction.
यदा न प्रतिषेद्धारस्तयोः सन्तीह केचन।। निरुद्योगौ तदा भूत्वा विजह्रातेऽमराविव
When there was no one to restrain them here, the two, free from all concerns, enjoyed themselves like the immortals.
स्त्रीभिर्माल्यैश्च गन्धैश्च भक्ष्यभोज्यैः सुपुष्कलैः। पानैश्च विविधैर्हृद्यैः परां प्रीतिमवापतुः
With women, garlands, perfumes, and abundant foods and delicacies, and with various delightful drinks, they attained supreme pleasure.
अन्तःपुरवनोद्याने पर्वतेषु वनेषु च। यथेप्सितेषु देशेषु विजह्रातेऽमराविव
In the inner chambers, in gardens, on mountains, and in forests, in whatever places they desired, they sported like the immortals.
ततः कदाचिद्विन्ध्यस्य प्रस्थे समशिलातले। पुष्पिताग्रेषु सालेषु विहारमभिजग्मतुः
Then once, on a level stone terrace on the Vindhya, amidst blossoming śāla trees, they went for recreation.
दिव्येषु सर्वकामेषु समानीतेषु तावुभौ। वरासनेषु संहृष्टौ सह स्त्रीभिर्निषीदतुः
There, in a divine place where all pleasures had been brought together, the two, delighted, sat on splendid seats together with women.
ततो वादित्रनृत्ताभ्यामुपातिष्ठन्त तौ स्त्रियः। गीतैश्च स्तुतिसंयुक्तैः प्रीत्या समुपजग्मिरे
Then women attended upon them with music and dance, approaching joyfully with songs joined to praise.
ततस्तिलोत्तमा तत्र वने पुष्पाणि चिन्वती। वेषं सा क्षिप्तमाधाय रक्तेनैकेन वाससा
At that time, Tilottamā, gathering flowers in the forest, wore a garment thrown over her, a single red cloth.
नदीतीरेषु जातान्सा कर्णिकारान्प्रचिन्वती। शनैर्जगाम तं देशं यत्रास्तां तौ महासुरौ
As she picked karṇikāra flowers growing on the riverbanks, she slowly approached the place where those two great asuras were.
तौ तु पीत्वा वरं पानं मदरक्तान्तलोचनौ। दृष्ट्वैव तां वरारोहां व्यथितौ संबभूवतुः
Having drunk excellent wine, their eyes reddened with intoxication, the two, seeing her of exquisite form, became agitated.
तावुत्थायासनं हित्वा जग्मतुर्यत्र सा स्थिता। उभौ च कामसंमत्तावुभौ प्रार्थयतश्च ताम्
Rising from their seats and leaving them behind, both, overcome by desire, went to where she stood and both sought her.
दक्षिणे तां करे सुभ्रूं सुन्दो जग्राह पाणिना। उपसुन्दोपि जग्राह वामे पाणौ तिलोत्तमाम्
Sunda seized her right hand with his own, O beautiful-browed one, and Upasunda took Tilottamā by her left hand.
वरप्रदानमत्तौ तावौरसेन बलेन च। धनरत्नमदाभ्यां च सुरापानमदेन च
Intoxicated by the granting of boons, by their own strength, by the pride of wealth and jewels, and by the intoxication of wine,
सर्वैरेतैर्मदैर्मत्तावन्योन्यं भ्रुकुटीकृतौ। मदकामसमाविष्टौ परस्परमथोचतुः
Maddened by all these intoxications, frowning at each other, possessed by drunken passion, they spoke to one another.
मम भार्या तव गुरुरिति सुन्दोऽभ्यभाषत। मम भार्या तव वधूरुपसुन्दोऽभ्यभाषत
"She is my wife, she is your elder," said Sunda; "She is my wife, she is your sister-in-law," said Upasunda.