Mahabharata 1.210.18 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 210, Shloka 18
प्रभासे कृष्णार्जुनसमागमः तथा द्वारकाप्रवेशः | Kṛṣṇa–Arjuna Meeting at Prabhāsa and Entry into Dvārakā
तिल॑ तिल समानीय रत्नानां यद् विनिर्मिता । तिलोत्तमेति तत् तस्या नाम चक्रे पितामह:,उत्तम रत्नोंका तिल-तिलभर अंश लेकर उसके अंगोंका निर्माण हुआ था, इसलिये ब्रह्माजीने उसका नाम “तिलोत्तमा" रख दिया
tilaṁ tila samānīya ratnānāṁ yad vinirmītā | tilottameti tat tasyā nāma cakre pitāmahaḥ ||
तिलं तिलं समानीय रत्नानां यद् विनिर्मिता । तिलोत्तमेति तत् तस्या नाम चक्रे पितामहः ॥
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Excellence is portrayed as the result of careful, incremental gathering of the best qualities (‘tilaṁ tila’), and naming is shown as a deliberate act that preserves meaning and origin—an ethical reminder that true refinement comes through measured effort and discernment.
Nārada explains that a celestial woman was fashioned from tiny portions of the finest jewels; because her body was formed ‘grain by grain’ from superior gems, Brahmā (the Grandsire) gave her the name Tilottamā.
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