can imagine what Shiva is thinking about this woman who is reviled by wise men". Agitated, Parvati covers Shiva's eyes with her hands submerging the universe in darkness. Shiva then develops the third eye to bring light to the universe. Curse to king Sahasranika The Kathasaritsagara, the 11th century Sanskrit translation of the 1st-2nd century Paishachi text Brihatkatha, tells how king Sahasranika was cursed by Tilottama. As the king was returning from Indraloka to his kingdom, Tiliottama told him to wait so she could tell an interesting fact, but the king engrossed in the thoughts of his sweetheart - the apsara Alambusa, ignored what Tilottama said. Infuriated by the king's conduct, Tilottama cursed the king that he would suffer separation from the one he was thinking about - for a period of fourteen years. Previous birth and rebirth The Padma Purana narrates that Tilottama was an ugly widow named Kubja in her previous birth. Kubja underwent auspicious ceremonies for eight years and finally performing the ritual Magha puja. This ensured that she was born as Tiliottama and appeared in Svarga as an apsara. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana narrates that Sahasika, grandson of Bali disturbed sage Durvasa's penance in his amours with Tilottama. As the result, the sage turned him into a donkey and cursed Tilottama, to be born as asura Banasura's daughter Usha. Usha would later become the wife of Aniruddha, the grandson of Krishna. In popular culture Her tale was made into a movie in 1954, by Homi Wadia, Directed by Babubhai Mistry, starring Chitra, Kailash, Maruti, B. M. Vyas, Babu Raje and Indira Bansal. References External link Apsara Characters in the Mahabharata