# तिलोत्तमा (tilottamā)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/tilottama

तिलोत्तमा (tilottamā) is a Sanskrit word meaning name of an Apsaras, of a woman, a form of Dakshayani, a heavenly courtesan, a celestial courtesan, an Apsaras born from the fire altar of Brahma. Its 12 recorded definitions are grouped into 4 contexts, among them An Apsaras or celestial maiden, Mythological accounts of Tilottamā the Apsaras, A form of the goddess Dākṣāyaṇī.

- **Etymology:** E. तिल a mole, and उत्तम excellent, beautiful — E. tila a mole, and uttama excellent, beautiful
- **SLP1:** `tilottamA`  **IAST:** tilottamā  **Devanagari:** तिलोत्तमा
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilottama
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/tilottama/declensions.md

## Meanings by context

### An Apsaras or celestial maiden (8 definitions)
- name of an Apsaras  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 448,2] तिलो (tilo) त्तमा (ttamā) f. N. of an Apsaras, MBh. &c. [ ID=85297 ]
- the name of an Apsaras  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > तिलोत्तमा (tilottamā) [Printed book page 110-1 ] तिलोत्तमा (tilottamā) tila‿uttamā, f. N. of an Apsaras; N.; -udaka, n. water with sesamum. [ ID=8625 ]
- A heavenly courtesan.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > तिल (tila) ोत्तमा (tilottamā) [Printed book page 378 ] तिल (tila) ोत्तमा (tilottamā) f. ( - मा (-mā) ) One of the courtezans of Svarga. E. तिल (tila) a mole, and उत्तम (uttama) excellent, beautiful. [ ID=17539 ]
- A celestial courtesan.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > तिलोत्तमा (tilottamā) [Printed book page 334-a ] तिलो _ त्तमा (tilo_ttamā) ( मा ) ((mā)) 1. f. One of the beautiful celestial courtezans. [ ID=17011 ]
- name of an apsaras  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > तिलोत्तमा (tilottamā) [Printed book page 310-07 ] तिल - उत्तमा (tila-uttamā) f. name of an apsaras. [ ID=15613 ]
- A celestial courtesan of Swarga.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > तिल (tila) ोत्तमा (tilottamā) [Printed book page 314-b ] तिल (tila) ोत्तमा (tilottamā) f. ( - मा (-mā) ) One of the courtezans of Swarga. E. तिल (tila) a mole, and उत्तम (uttama) excellent, beautiful. [ ID=17522 ]
- the name of an Apsaras  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > तिलोत्तमा (tilottamā) [Printed book page 0365-a ] तिलोत्तमा (tilottamā) tilottamā, i. e. tila-utta- ma, f. The name of an Apsaras, Daśak. in Chr. 182, 8. [ ID=5915 ]
- the name of an Apsaras  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > तिलोत्तमा (tilottamā) [Printed book page 204 ] तिलोत्तमा (tilottamā) f. N. of an Apsaras. [ ID=12372 ]

### Mythological accounts of Tilottamā the Apsaras (2 definitions)
- name of an Apsaras  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > तिलोत्तमा (tilottamā) [Printed book page 676-1 ] Tilottamā, name of an Apsaras. § 103 (Aṃśāvat.): I, 65, 2557 (daughter of Prādhā).—§ 191 (Arjuna): I, 123, 4818 (danced at the birth of Arjuna).—§ 245 (Rājyalābhap.): I, 208, 7614, 7617 ( Apsarā devakanyā, all. to § 246).— § 246 b (Sundopasundop.): Brahmán caused Viśvakarman to make a celestial maiden from small portions of every kind of gem, whence she was called Tilottmā (v. 7696). Brahmán was sitting with his face turned eastwards and the ṛṣis facing all directions. As T. was walking round them, there appeared three other faces on the body of Mahādeva and 1000 eyes on Indra, while all the other celestials, only excepting Pitāmaha, and the ṛṣis gazed at her: I, 211, 7696 Page676-b+ 63 (etymology), 7698, 7707, 7710.—§ 246 (do.): I, 212, 7719, 7723, 7732, 7736 (Sunda and Upasunda quarrelled on account of T.).—§ 768 b (Umā-Maheśvarasaṃv.): XIII, 141, 6390 (repetition from § 246 b ).—§ 775 (Ānuśāsanik.): XIII, 166 β, 7641 (enumeration of Apsarases). [ ID=10835 ]
- An Apsaras born from the fire altar of Brahma.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > तिलोत्तमा (tilottamā) [Printed book page 2-026 ] Tilottamā — the Apsaras 1 presiding over the month of Iṣa (Māgha and Phālguna- Vā. P. ); born out of the fire altar of Brahmā; 2 resides in the Sun's chariot in the month of Māgha; cursed by Aṣtāvakra. 3 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. XII. 11. 43; Br. II. 23. 22; III. 7. 6; IV. 33. 20; M. 13. 53; Vā. 52. 22; 69. 5.] [ Footnote: 2) Vā. 69. 59.] [ Footnote: 3) Vi. II. 10. 16; V. 38. 73 and 77.] [ ID=5482 ]

### A form of the goddess Dākṣāyaṇī (1 definition)
- a form of Dakshayani  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a form of Dākṣāyaṇī, Matsya-purāṇa (Title) xiii, 53 [ ID=85299 ]

### Name of a human woman (1 definition)
- of a woman  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a woman, Rājataraṃgiṇī (Title) vii, 120 [ ID=85298 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

The Sanskrit Lexicon app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sanskrit-lexicon-dictionary/id6746787546