Trishiras ( sa, त्रिशिरस्, , Triśiras, One with three heads), also referred to as Vishvarupa, was the three-headed son of the craftsman god
Tvashta
Tvashtr ( sa, त्वष्टृ, Tvaṣṭṛ) is a Vedic artisan god or fashioner. He is also mentioned in later literature of Hinduism like the ''Harivamsa''. Sometimes, Tvashtr is identified with another deity named Vishvakarma. In Hindu L ...
. He was killed by
Indra
Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...
, the king of the
devas
Devas may refer to:
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* Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter
* Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist
* Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club
* Devas (band), ...
. To avenge his death, Tvashta later created the demon
Vritra
Vritra () is a danava in Hinduism. He serves as the personification of drought, and is an adversary of the king of the devas, Indra. As a danava, he belongs to the race of the asuras. Vritra is also known in the Vedas as Ahi (Sanskrit: ', li ...
.
''
In Hindu Scriptures
Vedic
In the ''
Rigveda
The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts (''śruti'') known as the Vedas. Only one Sh ...
'', Vishvarupa is the son of the god
Tvashta
Tvashtr ( sa, त्वष्टृ, Tvaṣṭṛ) is a Vedic artisan god or fashioner. He is also mentioned in later literature of Hinduism like the ''Harivamsa''. Sometimes, Tvashtr is identified with another deity named Vishvakarma. In Hindu L ...
and the guardian of cows.
He is an enemy of
Indra
Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...
, the king of the gods, who comes into conflict with him. Indra is victorious in the conflict and Aptya (an ally of Indra) kills Vishvarupa and is later beheaded by Indra.
Another verse states that Indra stole Vishvarupa's cattle and released them.
The ''
Brihaddevata'' narrates that Vishvarupa is the son of Tvashta and his asura wife, and the twin of
Saranyu
Sanjna (Sanskrit: संज्ञा, IAST: ''Saṃjñā''), also known as Saranyu ( sa, सरन्यू, IAST: ''Saraṇyū''), is a Hindu goddess and the chief consort of Surya, the Sun god. She is mentioned in the ''Rigveda'', and also app ...
.
He is sent by the demons to become the priest of the devas, desiring to destroy them. Indra suspected his intentions and beheaded him. His three heads turn into three different birds.
Furious by the demise of his son, Tvashtr creates a demon called
Vritra
Vritra () is a danava in Hinduism. He serves as the personification of drought, and is an adversary of the king of the devas, Indra. As a danava, he belongs to the race of the asuras. Vritra is also known in the Vedas as Ahi (Sanskrit: ', li ...
to avenge his death.
Epic and Puranic
According to the ''
Udyoga Parva
The Udyoga Parva ( sa, उद्योग पर्वः), or ''the Book of Effort,'' is the fifth of eighteen books of the Indian Epic Mahabharata.van Buitenen, J.A.B. (1978) ''The Mahabharata: Book 4: The Book of the Virata; Book 5: The Book o ...
'' of the epic ''
Mahabharata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...
'' and the ''
Devi Bhagavata Purana
The Devi Bhagavata Purana ( sa, देवी भागवतपुराणम्, '), also known as the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam, Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavata Purana or simply ''Devi Bhagavatam'', is one of the eighteen Purana, Mahapuranas of ...
'', Tvashta had a conflict with Indra and wanted to dethrone him. With his wife Virocana (or Rechana), who was the daughter of
Prahlada
Prahlada () is an asura king in Hindu mythology. He is known for his staunch devotion towards the preserver deity, Vishnu. He appears in the narrative of Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Vishnu, who rescues Prahlada by slaying his wicked fa ...
and belonged to
Asura
Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indian religions, Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Deva (Hinduism), Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhism, Buddhi ...
race, Tvashta had Trishiras, who was born with three heads. His three heads were each named ''Somapītha'', ''Surāpītha'', and ''Annāda'' as each head consumed
Soma
Soma may refer to:
Businesses and brands
* SOMA (architects), a New York–based firm of architects
* Soma (company), a company that designs eco-friendly water filtration systems
* SOMA Fabrications, a builder of bicycle frames and other bicycle ...
,
Sura
A ''surah'' (; ar, سورة, sūrah, , ), is the equivalent of "chapter" in the Qur'an. There are 114 ''surahs'' in the Quran, each divided into '' ayats'' (verses). The chapters or ''surahs'' are of unequal length; the shortest surah ('' Al-K ...
, and food, respectively. It is also told that one head was responsible for drinking; with another head, he observed his surroundings; and with his last head, he read the
Vedas
upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''.
The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...
. Trishiras grew powerful and performed penance to become more powerful. Indra became frightened of him, and sent
Apsaras
An apsaras or apsara ( sa, अप्सरा ' lso ' pi, अक्चरा, translit=accharā) is a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hinduism and Buddhist culture. They figure prominently in the sculpture, dance, literat ...
(nymphs) to seduce him and break his penance. However, Trisharas was unaffected and Indra went to him and killed him using his thunderbolt. He was concerned about the possibility of Trishiras reviving, so he sent a carpenter to cut off each of his heads. From the head that chanted Vedic mantras rose the
Kapiñjala birds; from the head used for drinking soma rose the
Kalapiṅga birds and from the third head rose the
Tittiri birds. Tvashta performed a yajna, from which Vritra emerged to avenge Trishiras's death.
''
The ''
Shanti Parva
The Shanti Parva ( sa, शान्ति पर्व; IAST: ''Śānti parva''; "Book of Peace") is the twelfth of eighteen books of the Indian Epic Mahabharata. It traditionally has 3 parts and 365 chapters.Ganguli, K.M. (1883-1896)Shanti Parva ...
'' of the ''Mahabharata'', ''
Bhagavata Purana
The ''Bhagavata Purana'' ( sa, भागवतपुराण; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' or simply ''Bhagavata'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen great Puranas (''Mahapuranas''). Composed in Sa ...
'', ''
Brahmavaivarta Purana
The ''Brahmavaivarta Purana'' ( sa, ब्रह्मवैवर्त पुराण; ) is a voluminous Sanskrit text and a major Purana (''Maha-purana'') of Hinduism. It is an important Vaishnavism text. This Purana majorly centers aroun ...
'' narrates a different myth about Vishvarupa and portray him as a guru or priest of Indra.
According to this version,
Brihaspati
Brihaspati ( sa, बृहस्पति, ), also known as Guru, is a Hindu deity. In the ancient Vedic scriptures of Hinduism, Brihaspati is a deity associated with fire, and the word also refers to a rishi (sage) who counsels the devas (god ...
, the guru of the devas (gods), refused to perform
yajna
Yajna ( sa, यज्ञ, yajña, translit-std=IAST, sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering) refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras.SG Nigal (1986), Axiological Approach to the Vedas, Northern Book ...
(sacrifice) after he was insulted by Indra. This led the devas to lose to their enemies, the
Asuras
Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the word is sometimes translated ...
. On the advice of the creator god
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
, Indra appointed Vishvarupa, the son of Tvashta and Rechana, as the new priest of the sacrifice. However, Vishvarupa was also related to the Asuras through his mother and didn't perform the sacrifice appropriately. Indra suspected his allegiance and beheaded Vishvarupa.
These texts state that
Indra
Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...
sinned ''
Brahmanahatya'' (murder of a Brahman) for killing Trishiras, who was both a Brahama and his guru.
The ''Brahmavaivarta Purana'' also attests that Vishvarupa had a son named Sutapa.
References
External links
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
Characters in Hindu mythology
Asura
{{Hindu-myth-stub