Home | Biographies

A-J | K-M | N-S | T-Z | Others

In olden times, there was a great Daitya named Nikumbh in the family line of Hiranyakashyap. He had two mighty sons - Sund and Upasund, incapable to be slain by anybody else, unless one of them slew another. They ruled one kingdom, they lived in the same house, they slept on the same bed and ate from the same plate. But they killed each other for the sake of Tilottamaa.

Boon by Brahmaa Jee
In the olden days there was a Daitya named Nikumbh in the race of Hiranyakashyap. Sund and Upasund were his two mighty sons. They shared each other all happiness as well as sorrows and never went alone anywhere. Once they went to Vindhya Mountain and did severe penance. Even the Vindhya Parvat got heated by the heat of their penance. The celestials sent many Apsaraa to disturb their penance but they did not get disturbed, rather those Apsaraa cried - "Save us, Save us." At last Brahmaa Jee came there to bless them. They said - "If you are pleased with us, give us the knowledge of all weapons and all powers of illusion. Let us take any form we wish and let us also be immortal."

Brahmaa Jee said - "Except the immortality, you are given everything. You should ask your death in such a way that you become like immortal. Since you have done this penance with the desire of immortality, I cannot fulfill this desire of yours." Sund and Upasund said - "We should not fear from any created thing in the three worlds, except from each other." Brahmaa Jee granted them their desire boon and went away. Both brothers also went away to their home. Their all relatives were very happy to know about their boon. Now they could do anything - such as they could cause the Moon rise every night over their city.

One day they organized their army and set out on their expedition for the city of celestials in the Maghaa Nakshatra in ascendant. Hearing that they were coming the celestials took refuge in Brahmaa's Lok, they defeated Yaksh and Raakshas, Naag and Mlechchh. They killed all Braahman who were doing sacrifices, some escaped, still they took other forms and tried to kill them. The whole earth became frightful to look upon. After winning the whole world, they settled in Kurukshetra."

Naarad Jee continued - "Seeing all this destruction, some Rishi went to Brahmaa Jee, Som, Mahaadev, Vaayu, Soorya, Sakra were also sitting there. Those Braahman told their plight to Brahmaa Jee. Brahmaa Jee decided what he should do, he called Vishwakarmaa, the architect of Devtaa, and asked him to create a beautiful woman who could win everybody's heart. Vishwakarmaa first collected all the handsome features of all the damsels he created and created the most beautiful woman.

Brahmaa's Plan to Kill Sund and Upasund
Brahmaa Jee named her Tilottamaa and asked her to go to Sund and Upasund Daitya to tempt them in such a way that they should start quarreling among themselves as soon they saw her. Tilottamaa bowed him and set off for her journey. As she was passing by, only Indra and Mahaadev could control themselves, still Mahaadev's desire to see her was great. So as she was going round the court, four faces arose on Mahaadev's body to see her on all four sides; and a thousand eyes also grew on his body to watch her. From that time Mahaadev, the slayer of Bal, became four-faced and thousand-eyed. Tilottamaa went away and Brahmaa Jee sent all the celestials also."

Sund and Upasund now were free from any worry, because they had won the whole world, so they started enjoying every kind of object of merriment. Once they went to Vindhya Parvat and seating on a beautiful throne were watching a dance of beautiful girls. Meanwhile Tilottamaa came there clad in a single piece of red silk exposing her all beauty and plucking wild flowers on the way. The brothers were already intoxicated with wine, but as they saw Tilottamaa, they were just struck by love arrow. Both started claiming her as his own. Sund seized her by her right hand. Both took out their bows and maces and started fighting. In a little while both fell down bathing in blood. They had died. All Raakshas ran away from there. Brahmaa Jee came there along with Rishi and congratulated Tilottamaa. Being pleased with her he asked her to ask for a Var. But Brahmaa Jee said before she spoke anything - "You will be roaming in the worlds of Aaditya. Your splendor will be so great that nobody will be able to look at you for any length of time." And Brahmaa Jee went away to his Lok."

V-Raamaayan says that Maharshi Agastya killed Sund and since Taadakaa was the wife of Sund, she used to wander around Agastya's Aashram to disturb and trouble Rishi. That Sund was the son of Jambhaasur, and these Sund and Upasund are the sons of Nikumbh.

Home | Biographies

A-J | K-M | N-S | T-Z | Others