Vayu Purana

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.

तस्य पुत्रा बभूवुर्हि षडिन्द्रोपमतेजसः। गन्धर्व्वलोके विदिता आयुर्द्धीमानमावसुः ।। २९.

He had six sons, all possessing the brilliance of Indra; known in the world of the Gandharvas were Āyu, Dhīmān, Amāvasu, Viśvāyu, Śatāyu, and Gatāyu.

विश्वायुश्च शतायुश्च गतायुश्चोर्वशीसुताः। अमावसोस्तु वै जातो भीमो राजाथ विश्वजित् ।। २९.

Viśvāyu, Śatāyu, and Gatāyu were sons of Urvaśī; from Amāvasu was born King Bhīma, and then Viśvajit.

श्रीमान् भीमस्य दायादो राजासीत्काञ्चनप्रभः। विद्वांस्तु काञ्चनस्यापि सुहोत्रोऽभून्महाबलः ।। २९.

The illustrious Bhīma's heir was the king Kāñcanaprabha; and Kāñcana's learned and mighty son was Suhotra.

सुहोत्रस्याभज्जह्नुः केशिकागर्भसम्भवः। प्रतिगत्य ततो गङ्गा विततो यज्ञकर्म्मणि ।। २९.

Suhotra's son was Jahnu, born from Keśikā; after performing a great sacrifice, the river Gaṅgā flowed forth.

प्लावयामास तं देशं भाविनोऽर्थस्य दर्शनात्। गङ्गया प्लावितं दृष्ट्वा यज्ञवाटं समन्ततः ।। २९.

Because of a future purpose, she flooded that land; seeing the sacrificial enclosure entirely inundated by Gaṅgā,

सौहोत्रिर्वरदः क्रुद्धो गङ्गां संरक्तलोचनः। अस्य गङ्गेऽवलेपस्य सद्यः फलमवाप्नुहि ।। २९.

Suhotra's son, the angry and red-eyed Varada, said to Gaṅgā, 'Immediately receive the fruit of your arrogance!'

एतत्ते विफलं सर्व्वं पीतमम्भः करोम्यहम्। राजर्षिणा ततः पीतां गङ्गां दृष्ट्वा सुरर्षयः ।। २९.

'All this of yours is now fruitless; I shall drink up the water,' he said. When the royal sage drank up Gaṅgā, the gods and seers,

उपनिन्युर्महाभागा दुहितृत्वेन जाह्नवीम्। यौवनाश्वस्य पौत्रीन्तु कावेरीञ्जह्नुरावहत् ।। २९.

The blessed ones brought forth Jāhnavī as his daughter; and Jahnu took Kāverī, the granddaughter of Yuvanāśva, as his wife.

युवनाश्वस्य शापेन गङ्गा येन विनिर्ममे । कावेरीं सरितां श्रेष्ठां जह्नुभार्य्यामनिन्दिताम् ।। २९.

By the curse of Yuvanāśva, Gaṅgā was thus produced; Kāverī, the best of rivers, became Jahnu's blameless wife.

जह्नुश्च दयितं पुत्रं सुहोत्रं नाम धार्मिकम्। कावेर्य्यां जनयामास अजकस्तस्य चात्मजः ।। २९.

Jahnu begot a beloved and righteous son named Suhotra through Kāverī; and his son was Ajaka.