Vayu Purana

ऋषय ऊचुः।। गन्धर्वा चोर्वशी देवी राजानं मानुषं कथम्। देवानुत्सृज्य सम्प्राप्ता तन्नो ब्रूहि बहुश्रुत ।। २९.

The sages said: How did Urvashi, the goddess among Gandharvas, come to the mortal king, forsaking the gods? Tell us, O learned one.

सूत उवाच।। ब्रह्मशापाभिभूता सा मानुषं समुपस्थिता। ऐलं तु तं वरारोहा समयेन व्यवस्थिता ।। २९.

Suta said: Overcome by Brahma's curse, she approached the mortal; the beautiful Urvashi joined Aila under certain conditions.

आत्मनः शापमोक्षार्थं नियमं सा चकार तु । अनग्नदर्शनञ्चैव अकामात सह मैथुनम् ।। २९.

For the sake of releasing herself from the curse, she imposed restrictions: she would not be seen by fire, nor unite with him unwillingly.

द्वौ मेषौ शयनाभ्याशे स तावद् व्यवतिष्ठते। घृतमात्रं तथाहारः कालमेकन्तु पार्थिव ।। २९.

Two sheep are to be kept near the bed, and only as much food as clarified butter is to be taken; this is the period, O king.

यद्येष समयो राजन् यावत्कालञ्च ते दृढम्। तावत्कालन्तु वत्स्यामि एष नः समयः कृतः ।। २९.

If this agreement, O king, is firmly kept for as long as you wish, then I shall remain for that time; this is the condition we have set.

तस्यास्तं समयं सर्वं स राजा पर्यपालयत्। एवं सा चावसत् तस्मिन् पुरूरवसि भामिनी ।। २९.

The king faithfully observed all of that agreement; thus, the radiant lady dwelled with Pururavas.

वर्षाण्यथ चतुःषष्टिं तद्भक्त्या शापमोहिता। उर्वशी मानुषं प्राप्ता गन्धर्व्वा श्चिन्तयान्विताः ।। २९.

For sixty-four years, Urvashi, bewildered by the curse yet devoted, lived as a human; the Gandharvas were filled with concern.

गन्धर्व्वा ऊचुः। चिन्तयध्वं महाभागा यथा सा तु वराङ्गना। आगच्छेत्तु पुनर्द्देवानुर्वशी स्वर्गभूषणा ।। २९.

The Gandharvas said: 'Consider, O blessed ones, how that excellent woman, Urvashi, the ornament of heaven, might return again to the gods.'

ततो विश्वावसुर्नाम तत्राह वदतां वरः। तया तु समयस्तत्र क्रियमाणो मतोऽनघः ।। २९.

Then Vishvavasu, best among speakers, said there: 'A condition was made with her there, and it is considered blameless.'

समयन्युत्क्रमात् सा वै राजानं त्यक्ष्यते यथा। तदहं वच्मि वः सर्वं यथा त्यक्ष्यति सा नृपम् ।। २९.

'When that agreement is broken, she will leave the king; I will tell you all how she will abandon the ruler.'

सहसा योगमेष्यामि युष्माकं कार्यसिद्धये। एवमुक्त्वा गतस्तत्र प्रतिष्ठानं महायशाः ।। २९.

'I will suddenly appear for the success of your purpose.' Having said this, the illustrious one departed for that place.

स निशायामथागम्य मेषमेकं जहार वै। मातृवद्वर्त्तते सा तु मेषयोश्चारुहासिनी ।। २९.

Then, at night, he came and took away one sheep; she, with a lovely smile, acted as if it were her own child.

गन्धर्वागमनं ज्ञात्वा शयनस्था यशस्विनी। राजानमब्रवीत्सा तु पुत्रो मे ह्रियतेति वै ।। २९.

Knowing the coming of the Gandharvas, the illustrious lady, lying on the bed, said to the king, 'My son is being taken away.'

एवमुक्तो विनिश्चित्य नग्नस्तिष्ठति वै नृपः । नग्नं द्रक्ष्यति मां देवी समयो वितथो भवेत् ।। २९.

Thus addressed, the king, after considering, stood naked, thinking, 'If the queen sees me naked, the agreement will be broken.'

ततो भूयस्तु गन्धर्व्वा द्वितीयं मेषमाददुः। द्वितीयेऽपहृते मेषे ऐलं देवी तमब्रवीत् ।। २९.

Then the Gandharvas took the second sheep; when the second was taken, the queen said to Aila,

पुत्रौ मम हृतौ राजन्ननाथाया इव प्रभो। एवमुक्तस्तदोत्थाय नग्नो राजा प्रधावितः ।। २९.

'Both my sons have been taken, O king, as if I were without a protector.' Thus addressed, the king rose and ran out naked.

मेषाबभ्यां पदवीं राजन् गन्धर्व्वैर्व्युत्थितामथ। उत्पादिता तु महती माया तद्भवनं महत् ।। २९.

Following the tracks of the sheep, O king, the Gandharvas conjured a great illusion and a splendid palace.

प्रकाशितन्तु सहसा ततो नग्नमवेक्ष्य सा। नग्नं दृष्ट्वा तिरोऽभूत्सा अप्सरा कामरूपिणी ।। २९.

Suddenly, as it was revealed, she saw him naked; seeing him thus, the apsaras of changing form vanished.

तिरोभूतान्तु तां ज्ञात्वा गन्धर्वास्तत्र तावुभौ। मेषौ त्यक्त्वा च ते सर्वे तत्रैवान्तर्हिताभवन् ।। २९.

When the Gandharvas realized she had vanished, they both left the sheep and all disappeared there.

उत्सृष्टावुरणौ दृष्ट्वा राजा गृह्यागतः प्रभुः। अपश्यंस्तां तु वै राजा विललाप सुदुःखितः ।। २९.

Seeing the two sheep abandoned, the lordly king returned home; not seeing her, he grieved deeply and lamented.

चचार पृथिवीं चैव मार्गमाणस्ततस्ततः। अथापश्यच्च तां राजा कुरुक्षेत्रे महाबलः ।। २९.

He wandered over the earth, searching here and there; then the mighty king saw her in Kurukshetra.

प्लक्षतीर्थे पुष्करिण्यां विगाढेनाम्बुनाप्लुताम्। क्रीडन्तीमप्सरोभिश्च पञ्चभिः सह शोभनाम् ।। २९.

At the Plaksha ford, in a lotus-filled pond, she plunged into the water and played there with five beautiful Apsaras.

अपश्यत्सा ततः सुभ्रू राजानमविदूरतः। उर्वशी ताः सखीः प्राह अयं स पुरुषोत्तमः ।। २९.

Then that fair-browed Urvashi saw the king not far away, and said to her companions, 'This is that supreme man.'

यस्मिन्नहमवात्सं हि दर्शयामास तं नृपम् । तत आविर्बभूवुस्ताः पञ्चचूडाप्सरास्तु ताः ।। २९.

It was to him that I once belonged—she showed that king, and then those five Apsaras with crested hair appeared.

दृष्ट्वा तु राजा तां प्रीतः प्रलापान् कुरुते बहून्। आयाहि तिष्ठ मनसा घोरे वचसि तिष्ठ हे ।। २९.

Seeing her, the king was delighted and uttered many words: 'Come here, stay, remain in my mind, stay in my speech, O beautiful one.'

एवमादीनि सूक्ष्माणि परस्परमभाषत। उर्व्वशी त्वब्रवीच्चैलं सगर्भाहं त्वया प्रभो ।। २९.

Such subtle words they exchanged with each other; but Urvashi said to Ila, 'O lord, I am pregnant by you.'

संवत्सरात् कुमारस्ते भविता नव संशयः। निशामेकान्तु वै राजा ह्यवसत्तु तया सह ।। २९.

'After a year, your son will be born—there is no doubt.' The king spent a night alone with her.

सम्प्रहृष्टो जगामाथ स्वपुरन्तु महायशाः। गते संवत्सरे राजा उर्व्वशीं पुनरागमत् ।। २९.

Overjoyed, the illustrious king then returned to his own city; when a year had passed, he came again to Urvashi.

उषित्वा तु तया सार्द्धमेकरात्रं महामनाः। कामार्त्तश्चा ब्रवीद्दीनो भव नित्यं ममेति वै ।। २९.

Having spent one night with her, the great-minded king, tormented by desire, said in distress, 'Be with me always.'