As per Hindu legend, Urvashi is an Apsara. In Sanskrit, Urvashi means ‘she can control the heart of others’. Her name appears for the first time in Vedic texts. Amongst all the Apsaras, she was one who was most beautiful. Urvashi was a celestial maiden in the court of Indra.
Urvashi is known to have two children, Amavasu from King Pururavas and Rishyasringa from Vibhandaka. In ancient India, Rishyasringa from Vibhandaka was a renowned saint in the Ramayana era. He is played an important role in Rama’s birth. Rama’s elder sister, Shanta was married to Rishyasringa.
Legends also indicate that Urvashi was married to an ancient chief, King Pururavas, belonging to the lunar race. She was elusive always but was as source of delight and infinitely youthful and charming.
As far as Urvashi’s birth is concerned, the legends are many, but there is one that prevails most. One of the legends states that Nara-narayana, the most admired sages were meditating in the Himalayas in the holy shrine of Badrinath Temple. Indra dispatched two apsaras to distract the sages as he did not want them to meditate and attain divine powers.
Understanding this the sage created a wonderful beautiful woman by stricking his thigh. Apsaras sent by Indra in no way matched the beauty of this woman. ‘Ur’ means thigh in Sanskrit, which is how, Urvashi got her name. Indra received Urvashi as gift from the sage after which she attained a place of pride in the court of Indra.
The Mahabharata mentions her as a celestial dancer in Indra’s palace. Arjuna’s eyes fall upon her when he visits the palace to collect weapons from his father. Urvashi was filled with desire for Arjuna as much as he felt for her. However he only closed his eyes and saluted her, which she didn’t like. In anger she cursed him to be a eunuch for one whole year.
