Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v2.c20.83

v2.c20.83

This "incomparable might" of the woman shows itself still powerful and effective where everything else fails, overcomes the wildest and strongest of men. There once lived two giants, the enormously strong Daitya brothers Sunda and Upasunda. "Always theirs was but one sorrow and one joy. They ate not one without the other, they spoke not one without the other; lovingly they spoke to one another, lovingly did they deal with one another, one only was their character and life, they were but one being split into two." In the burning ambition to make all the three worlds to serve them they practised such dread asceticism that the Vindhya mountains began to smoke, and then they won from Brahma the favours they yearned after, and this one especially, that no one could harm them unless it were themselves. No arrow now harmed them, no stone hurt them, they felt no weapon, even the curses of holy men fell away from them powerless. They now wielded a reign of terror over the whole of creation, drove the gods out of paradise, brought death and wrong on the Brahmans, turned all into a wilderness of woe. The gods naturally called for help, and at Brahma’s bidding Viçvakarman now had to make a woman glorious beyond words. The sculptor brought together what was most worth beholding out of all that was most lovely in the world, and thus shaped a maiden in whom there was not one small part anywhere but held fast the ravished eye—Tilottamā. Brahma sent her off to sow strife between the inseparable brothers. They were taking their delight with women and other pleasures in a great forest on Vindhya. “Then went Tilottamā slowly to the place where the two Asuras were, plucking flowers and blossoms in the forest, and wearing a bewitching ¹ garb, consisting of but one red garment. The two, who had drunk most excellent drink, saw with intoxicated red eyes this woman with the lovely hips, and were at once violently excited.” Each one now wanted her, and so they fell to strife, grasped hold of their clubs, and beat one another to death (i, 209-212).