Vayu Purana

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.'

उर्व्वश्यथाब्रवीच्चैलं गन्धर्वास्ते वरं ददुः। तं वृणीष्व महाराज ब्रूहि चैतांस्त्वमेव हि ।। २९.

Then Urvashi said to Ila, 'The Gandharvas have granted you a boon; choose it, great king, and tell them yourself.'

वृणे नित्यं हि सालोक्यं गन्धर्वाणां महात्मनाम्। तथेत्युक्त्वा वरं वव्रे गन्धर्वाश्च तथास्त्विति ।। २९.

'I choose to always dwell in the same world as the great-souled Gandharvas.' Saying 'So be it,' he chose the boon, and the Gandharvas replied, 'Let it be so.'

स्थालीमग्नेः पूरयित्वा गन्धर्व्वाश्च तमब्रुवन्। अनेन इष्ट्वा लोकन्तं प्राप्स्यसि त्वं नराधिप ।। २९.

Having filled a vessel for Agni, the Gandharvas said to him, 'By performing a sacrifice with this, O king, you will attain the highest world.'

तमादाय कुमारन्तु नगरायोपचक्रमे। निःक्षिप्य तमरण्याञ्च स पुत्रन्तु गृहं ययौ ।। २९.

Taking the boy, he set out for the city; leaving him in the forest, he went home.

पुनरादाय दृश्याग्निमश्वत्थं तत्र दृष्टवान्। समीपतस्तु तं दृष्ट्वा ह्यश्वत्थं तत्र विस्मितः ।। २९.

Again taking the visible fire, he saw an ashvattha tree there; seeing that ashvattha tree nearby, he was amazed.

गन्धर्व्वेभ्यस्तथाख्यातुमग्निना गां गतस्तु सः । श्रुत्वा तमर्थमशिलमरणिं तु समादिशत् ।। २९.

He went to the Gandharvas to report, along with Agni; hearing this, Agni instructed him to make a fire-stick from the ashvattha wood.

अश्वत्थादरणिं कृत्वा मथित्वाग्निं यथाविधि। तेनेष्ट्वा तु सलोकं नः प्राप्स्यसि त्वं नराधिप। मथित्वाग्निं त्रिधा कृत्वा ह्ययजत्स नराधिपः ।। २९.

Making a fire-stick from the ashvattha, he kindled fire as prescribed; by sacrificing with it, you will attain our world, O king. Having kindled the fire and divided it threefold, the king performed the sacrifice.

इष्ट्वा यज्ञैर्बहुविधैर्गतस्तेषां सलोकताम्। वासाय च स गन्धर्व्वस्त्रेतायां स महारथः। एकोऽग्निः पूर्वमासीद्वै ऐलस्त्रींस्तानकल्पयत् ।। २९.

Having performed many kinds of sacrifices, he attained the world of the Gandharvas. In the Treta age, that mighty charioteer Gandharva dwelt there; formerly there was one fire, and Ila established those women.

एवंप्रभावो राजासीदैलस्तु द्विजसत्तमाः। देशे पुण्यतमे चैव महर्षिभिरलंकृते ।। २९.

Thus, O best of twice-born, Ila the king was of such power, in the most sacred land, adorned by great sages.

राज्यं स कारयामास प्रयागे पृथिवी पतिः। उत्तरे यामुने तीरे प्रतिष्ठाने महायशाः ।। २९.

That lord of the earth established his kingdom at Prayaga, the illustrious one, on the northern bank of the Yamuna, at Pratishthana.