God · All traditions · Pan-India

Urvashi

Also called: Urvasi

An Apsaras, the only one named in the Rigveda. She lives four autumns with the mortal king Pururavas and leaves him (RV 10.95); the sight of her causes the birth of Vasishtha, and in later texts of Agastya, from Mitra and Varuna (RV 7.33). The Brahmana, the Puranas and Kalidasa retell her story with different causes and endings.

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); Vedic Mythology, A. A. Macdonell (1897) · see Urvashi's web

Relations 3

Urvashi consort of

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

Urvashi cursed by

Mitra (God) · Vasishtha and Agastya are born from the jar
Mitra (Ramayana) or Mitra and Varuna (Vishnu Purana, Bhagavata) send her to live among mortals.

Urvashi parent of

Ayus (King) · Urvashi and Pururavas

Stories 2

Urvashi and Pururavas
Legend · as the nymph who marries a mortal · 8 tellings
Vasishtha and Agastya are born from the jar
Origin · as the nymph at whose sight the seed falls · 4 tellings

Cited

Hymns of the Rigveda, tr. R. T. H. Griffith (1896), hymns read for the Vedic layer § 10.95 Primary text (translation)
Hymns of the Rigveda, tr. R. T. H. Griffith (1896), hymns read for the Vedic layer § 7.33.11 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)
Vedic Mythology, A. A. Macdonell (1897) § section-47 Scholarly