Editing Trisiras

{{short description|Figure in Hindu mythology}}
{{for|demon from the Ramayana|Trishira}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox deity
| god_of       =
| image      =
| alt        =
| caption    =
| affiliation= [[Asura]]
| Devanagari = {{lang|sa|त्रिशिरस्}}
|Sanskrit_transliteration={{IAST|Triśiras}}
|texts= ''[[Devi-Bhagavata Purana]]'', ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'', ''[[Matsya Purana]]''
| siblings    = [[Saranyu]] (twin sister)
| father = [[Tvastar]] or [[Vishwakarma]]
| mother = Virocanā
| spouse = Vishti (Surya's daughter)<ref>The Brahma Purana Volume 2: Translated by Bibek Debroy, Chapter 2(95) Page 449</ref>
| children = Sutapa (son) 
|type=hindu}}

'''Trishiras''' ({{langx|sa|त्रिशिरस्|Triśiras|One with three heads}}), also referred to as '''Vishvarupa''', was the three-headed son of the craftsman god [[Tvashta]]. He was killed by [[Indra]], the king of the [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]]. To avenge his death, Tvashta later created the demon [[Vritra]].<ref name="Mani">{{Cite book |last=Mani |first=Vettam |url=https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/page/795/mode/1up?view=theater |title=Puranic encyclopaedia: a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature |date=1975 |publisher=Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass |others=Robarts - University of Toronto |isbn=978-0-8426-0822-0}}</ref>

==In Hindu Scriptures==
===Vedic===
In the ''[[Rigveda]]'', Vishvarupa is the son of the god [[Tvashta]] and the guardian of cows.<ref name = "Arthur" /> He is an enemy of [[Indra]], 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.<ref name = "wendy" /> Another verse states that Indra stole Vishvarupa's cattle and released them.<ref name = "wendy" >{{Cite book |last=Doniger |first=Wendy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KzlCthJ4SLkC&dq=tri%C5%9Biras&pg=PA23-IA6 |title=Hindu Myths: A Sourcebook Translated from the Sanskrit |date=2004-06-24 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-0-14-190375-0 |language=en}}</ref> The ''[[Bṛhaddevatā|Brihaddevata]]'' narrates that Vishvarupa is the son of Tvashta and his asura wife, and the twin of [[Saranyu]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Stutley |first=Margaret and James |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KzlCthJ4SLkC&q=tri%C5%9Biras+++https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.co.in%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DKzlCthJ4SLkC&pg=PT611 |title=A Dictionary of Hinduism: Its Mythology, Folklore and Development 1500 B.C.-A.D. 1500 |date=2019-04-09 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-429-62754-5 |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref name="wendy" /> Furious by the demise of his son, Tvashtr creates a demon called [[Vritra]] to avenge his death.<ref name = "Arthur" >{{cite encyclopedia |last=Macdonell|first=Arthur Anthony|title=Vedic Mythology |publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1897|isbn=|editor-last=Bühler|editor-first=G.|pages=116–118|chapter=Abstract Gods|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/vedicmythology00macd/page/116 |chapter-url-access=limited}}</ref>

===Epic and Puranic===
According to the ''[[Udyoga Parva]]'' of the epic ''[[Mahabharata]]'' and the ''[[Devi Bhagavata Purana]]'', Tvashta had a conflict with Indra and wanted to dethrone him. With his wife Virocana (or Rechana), who was the daughter of [[Prahlada]] and belonged to [[Asura]] 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 (drink)|Soma]], [[Sura (alcoholic drink)|Sura]], 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]]. Trishiras grew powerful and performed penance to become more powerful. Indra became frightened of him, and sent [[Apsaras]] (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 [[Grey francolin|Kapiñjala]] birds; from the head used for drinking soma rose the [[Francolin|Kalapiṅga]] birds and from the third head rose the [[Francolinus|Tittiri]] birds. Tvashta performed a yajna, from which Vritra emerged to avenge Trishiras's death.<ref name = "Mani" /><ref name = "B" >{{Cite book |last=Brown |first=Cheever Mackenzie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=erENsMcblGAC&dq=Trisiras&pg=PA65 |title=The Triumph of the Goddess: The Canonical Models and Theological Visions of the Devi-Bhagavata Purana |date=1990-01-01 |publisher=SUNY Press |isbn=978-0-7914-0363-1 |language=en}}</ref>

The ''[[Shanti Parva]]'' of the ''Mahabharata'', ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'', ''[[Brahmavaivarta Purana]]'' narrates a different myth about Vishvarupa and portray him as a guru or priest of Indra.<ref name = "B" /> According to this version, [[Brihaspati]], the guru of the devas (gods), refused to perform [[yajna]] (sacrifice) after he was insulted by Indra. This led the devas to lose to their enemies, the [[Asuras]]. On the advice of the creator god [[Brahma]], 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.<ref name = "Bh"/><ref name = "B" />

These texts state that [[Indra]] sinned ''[[Brahmanahatya]]'' (murder of a Brahman) for killing Trishiras, who was both a Brahama and his guru.<ref name = "B" /> The ''Brahmavaivarta Purana'' also attests that Vishvarupa had a son named Sutapa.<ref name = "Bh">{{Cite book |last=Shanti Lal Nagar |url=https://archive.org/details/brahma-vaivarta-purana-all-four-kandas-english-translation/page/375/mode/1up?view=theater&q=Visvarupa |title=Brahma Vaivarta Purana - English Translation - All Four Kandas |date=2003-01-01 |pages=375–376}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060622080705/http://vedabase.net/sb/6/7/en Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam]

{{HinduMythology}}

[[Category:Asura]]

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