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Tidbits-27
Apsaraa in the Water
There are a several references in our scriptures
where Apsaraa have been found living in waters
(1) Five Apsaraa in V-Raamaayan -
Mandakarnee's Story
A story appears in Aranya Kaand of Vaalmeeki Raamaayan. This story is of the
Sage Mandakarnee at Panchapsaraa Lake. While Raam, Lakshman and Seetaa are in
exile, they are wandering here and there visiting many Aashram. All three see
many different mountain peaks, forests and charming rivers etc. They also saw
cranes and ruddy geese strolling on the sandy banks of rivers, and lakes filled
with lotus flowers and water fowl. Once after going a long distance, in the
evening, they saw a delightful lake covering one Yojan. It was full of red and
white lotus flowers, adorned with herds of wild elephants, and its waters were
crowded with flocks of swans and other aquatic birds. In the clear waters of
that lake could be heard the sound of musical instruments, though no one could
be seen.
Then, out of curiosity, Raam and Lakshman asked
the sage Dharmabhrit, who had been accompanying them - "O Great Sage, Hearing
this amazing sound of music, we are all curious as to where it is coming from?”
The righteous sage described the glories of that lake - "This, O Raam, is Lake
Panchapsaraa, always full with crystal-clear water, which was created by the sage
Mandakarnee through his execution of penances. Mandakarnee in fact performed severe
austerities for ten thousand years standing in water up to his neck and living on
air alone. Seeing all this all the gods thought - "This sage is seeking the
position of one of us." So to interrupt his austerities, the demigods chose
five principal celestial damsels and sent them to him. The sage, who knew what was
good and bad, was drawn under the sway of love by those celestial damsels. Those
same five celestial damsels became the sage’s wives. He built a house for them
inside the lake. Dwelling there as they pleased, the same five celestial damsels
delight the sage, who regained his youth by the practice of regulated penance. That
pleasurable sound of music which You hear is from them playing instruments for their
amusement, mixed with the tinkling of their ornaments."
[V-Raamaayan, 3/4]
(2) An Apsaraa in Raamaayan - Hanumaan Meets
Her
There is one place in Raamaayan where an Apsaraa is mentioned. Its mention comes
in Tulasee's Maanas. When Lakshman is unconscious and Vaidya Sushen asks him to
bring Sanjeevanee herb from the mountain, he goes there. In the meantime Raavan's
spies informed him about this development. He immediately goes to Kaalnemi Raakshas
and forces him to go and kill Hanumaan on the way so that he cannot bring the
Sanjeevanee herb. Kaalnemi explains him a lot that who had burnt his whole Lankaa,
how could he be killed, but Raavan does not listen to him and threatens him to kill.
Kaalnemi has to go and he creates an Aashram on the way.
Hanumaan sees the Aashram and stops for a
while to drink water. Kaalnemi, in the gfuise of a sage, offers him the water
from his Kamandal, but Hanumaan is not dsatisfied from that little water, so he
shows him the lake in front of him. As Hanumaan enters the lake a she-crocodile
catches his feet. Hanumaan kills her and she changes to a beautiful Apsaraa. She
tells him that this sage was not a sage but was a Raakshas and goes to her Lok.
[Tulasee's Maanas,
6/11]
(3) Adrikaa Apsaraa in MBH - Satyavatee's
Mother
Adrikaa Apsaraa was living in waters. When the crane was taking the semen of the
King Uparichar Vasu to his wife, and another crane tried to snatch it from his
beak taking it as a piece of meat, it fell into the river. As it fell, Adrikaa
was living in it as a fish, she swallowed it. A fisherman caught it and seeing
it pregnant he took care of it and at the appropriate time she gave birth to a
boy and a girl. The fisherman took them to the King Uparichar Vasu. He recognized
them as his children. he gave the girl to fisherman and kept the boy. The girl
was known as Matsyagandhaa and later Yojangandhaa and later Satyavatee who got
married to the King Shaantanu and became the queen of Hastinaapur.
[MBH,
G-0-Prolog/13]
(4) Five Apsaraa in MBH - Arjun Frees Them
This story also comes in MBH, when Arjun was on 12 years of exile. He met Uloopee, he met
Chitraangadaa, then he went towards southern Sea where there were five holy
waters where nobody could take bath, because there five crocodiles who used to
carry the people who entered these waters to take bath. So Arjun went inside the
waters and one crocodile caught his leg, but he brought it out one the land. As
he put it on the land, it turned into a beautiful Apsaraa decked with beautiful
clothes and ornaments. She told her story to Arjun and asked him to liberate
four other Apsaraa, similar to her. Arjun took out those four crocodiles also
out of the waters and liberated them from that Yoni.
[MBH,
G-3-Youth/13]
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