King · All traditions · Pan-India

Pururavas

Also called: Aila, Pururava

A mortal king, son of Ila (in the Puranas son of Budha and Ila, first king of the lunar line), husband of the nymph Urvashi. After losing her he receives fire from the Gandharvas and becomes one of them; the Puranas credit him with making the one sacred fire three.

Sources: Hymns of the Rigveda, tr. R. T. H. Griffith (1896), hymns read for the Vedic layer; The Satapatha-Brahmana, tr. Julius Eggeling (Sacred Books of the East 12, 41); The Vishnu Purana, tr. H. H. Wilson (1840); The Mahabharata, tr. K. M. Ganguli (1883-96), sections read for the Vedic layer · see Pururavas's web

Relations 4

Pururavas consort of

Urvashi (God) · Urvashi and Pururavas
The nymph weds the mortal king on a condition.

Pururavas parent of

Ayus (King) · Urvashi and Pururavas

Pururavas received a boon from

The Gandharvas (God) · Urvashi and Pururavas
They grant his wish to become one of them through the fire of ashvattha sticks.

Pururavas tested by

The Gandharvas (God) · Urvashi and Pururavas
They steal the lambs and send lightning so that the condition is broken.

Stories 1

Urvashi and Pururavas
Legend · as the king who loses her · 8 tellings

Cited

Hymns of the Rigveda, tr. R. T. H. Griffith (1896), hymns read for the Vedic layer § 10.95 Primary text (translation)
The Satapatha-Brahmana, tr. Julius Eggeling (Sacred Books of the East 12, 41) § 11.5.1 Primary text (translation)
The Vishnu Purana, tr. H. H. Wilson (1840) § 4.6 Primary text (translation)
The Mahabharata, tr. K. M. Ganguli (1883-96), sections read for the Vedic layer § adi.75 Primary text (translation)