46(A). URVASHI COMES TO ARJUNA’S ABODE

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > AARANYA PARVA > INDRALOKA GAMANA PARVA > CHAPTER 46(A) - URVASHI COMES TO ARJUNA’S ABODE

“Vaishampaayana said, ‘Having thus sent away the Gandharva successful in his mission, Urvashi of luminous smiles, moved by the desire of possessing Phaalguna (Arjuna), took a bath. Having performed her bath, she decorated herself in charming ornaments and splendid garlands of divine odour. Inflamed by the God of love (Manmatha in Sanskrit), and her heart pierced through and through by the arrows shot by Manmatha keeping in view the beauty of Arjuna, and her imagination wholly taken up by the thoughts of Arjuna, she mentally sported with him on a wide and excellent bed laid over with divine sheets. When the twilight had deepened and the moon was up, that Apsara of high hips sent out for the mansions (Bhavanam in Sanskrit) of Paarthaa (Arjuna). In that mood and with her crisp, soft and long (hair) braids decked with bunches of flowers, she looked extremely beautiful. With her beauty and grace, and the charm of the motions of her eye-brows and of her soft accents, her own moon like face, she seemed to walk, challenging the moon himself.

“As she proceeded, her deep, finely tapering bosoms, decorated with a chain of gold and adorned with divine ointments (Divyaangaraagaa in Sanskrit) and smeared with fragrant sandal paste, began to tremble. In consequence of the weight of her bosoms, she was forced to slightly stoop forward at every step, bending her waist exceedingly beautiful with three folds. Her waist of faultless shape, the elegant abode of Manmatha, furnished with fair, high and round hips and wide at their lower part as a hill, and decorated with chains of gold, and capable of shaking the saintship of Rishis, being decorated with thin clothes, appeared highly graceful. Her feet with fair suppressed ankles, possessing flat soles and straight toes of the colour of burnished copper and back high and curved like tortoise back and marked by the wearing of ornaments furnished with rows of little bells, looked exceedingly beautiful. Intoxicated with a little liquor (Suraapaanaa in Sanskrit) which she had taken, excited by desire, moving in diverse attitudes and expressing a sensation of delight, she looked more beautiful than usual. Though heaven (Swargam in Sanskrit) abounded with many wonderful objects, yet when Urvashi proceeded in this manner, Siddhaas, Chaaranas and Gandharvas regarded her to be the beautiful thing they had cast their eyes upon. The upper half of her body dressed in a cloth of fine texture and cloudy colour, she looked resplendent like a digit of the moon in the sky shrouded by fluffy clouds. Filled with the speed of the winds or the mind, she of luminous smiles soon reached the mansion of Phaalguna, the Paandavaa. O best of men, Urvashi of beautiful eyes, having arrived at the gate of Arjuna’s abode, sent word through the keeper in attendance. (On receiving permission) she soon entered that brilliant and charming palace. But, O monarch (Janamejaya), upon seeing her at night in his mansion, Arjuna, with a fearstricken heart, stepped up to receive her with respect and as soon as he saw her, the Paarthaa, from modesty, closed his eyes. Saluting her, he (Arjuna) offered the Apsara such worship as is offered to a superior (Guru Pooja in Sanskrit). Arjuna said, ‘O you foremost of the Apsaras (Urvashi), I reverence you by bending my head down (Abhivaadanam in Sanskrit). O lady, let me know your commands. I wait upon you as your servant.’

“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Hearing these words of Phaalguna, Urvashi became deprived of her senses. She soon said to Arjuna all that had passed between her and the Gandharva Chitrasena. She said, ‘O best of men (Arjuna), I shall tell you all that has passed between me and Chitrasena, and why I have come here. On account of you coming here, O Arjuna, Mahendra (Lord Indra) had convened a large and charming assembly, in which celestial festivities were held. To that assembly came, O best of men, Rudras, Aadityas, Ashwins and the Vasus. There came also numbers of Maharishis, Rajarishis, Siddhaas, Chaaranas, Yakshas and great Nagas. O you of expansive eyes, the members of the assembly brilliant as fire or the Sun or the moon, having taken their seats according to rank, honour, and prowess, O son of Shakra (Lord Indra), Gandharvas began to strike the Veenas and sing charming songs of divine melody. O preserver of the Kuru race, the principal Apsaras also commenced to dance. Then, O Paarthaa, you had looked on me only with a fixed gaze. When that assembly of Devas broke, commanded by your father, Devas went away to their respective places. The principal Apsaras also went away to their abodes, and others also, O slayer of enemies, commanded by your father and obtaining his leave. It was then that Chitrasena sent to me by Shakra (Lord Indra) and arriving at my abode. O you of eyes like lotus leaves, he addressed me, saying, ‘O you of the fairest complexion, I have been sent to you by the chief of Devas (Lord Indra). You do something that would be agreeable to Mahendra (Lord Indra) and myself and to yourself also. O you of fair hips, you seek to please Arjuna, who is brave in battle like Shakra (Lord Indra) Himself, and who is always possessed of magnanimity.’ These, O Paarthaa, were his words. Thus, O sinless one (Arjuna), commanded by him and your father also, I come to you in order to wait upon you, O slayer of enemies. My heart has been attracted by your virtues and am already under the influence of Manmatha. O Veera, this is my wish, and I have cherished it for ever!’