p. 1741

Hearine the words of the effulgent Rama, Lakshmana, the slayer of enemies, said with folded hands :—“Having thus cast off their bodies how did that Brahman worshipped of the celestials and the king regain them ?” Having been thus accosted by Lakshmana, Rama, the descendant of Ikshwakus and the foremost of men, replied :—“Having renounced their persons both Nimi and the pious Vasishtha, having asceticism for their wealth, were metamorphosed inte

p. 1742

air. Thereupon being thus deprived of his body the highly. effulgent and great ascetic Vasishtha went to the Patriarch Brahm4 with the object of acquiring from him another. Being merged in the air, he, conversant with religion, bowed unto his father and said :—“O itlustrious god of gods ! O thou lotus-sprung! by the imprecation of Nimi I have been now deprived of my body and been converted into air. O lord, the state of being bodiless is highly painful toall. The bodiless cannot perform any work; do thou, therefore, by thy favour, grant me another body. “Where.~ to the self-sprung Brahma, of unmitigated prowess, replied. “O great one, do thou enter into the vital energy of Mitra and Varuna; and even then, O foremost of twice-born ones, thou shalt not be born of a woman and being greatly pious shalt attain to the rank of a patriarch.” The Patriarch Brahm& having said this, Vasishtha, saluting and circumambulating him, repaired te the region of Varuna. At that time Mitra in conjunction with Varuna was reigning in Varuna’s kingdom being worshipped by all celestials. Meanwhile encircled by her mates the leading Apsar& arrived there at her pleasure. Beholding the frolicsome and beautiful Urvasi, Varuna attained to an excess of delight, Thereupon he expressed his intention of living with that queen of Apsaras, having a moon-like countenance and fotus-eyes. Thereat Urvasi, with folded hands, said—“O lord of celestials, Mitra himself has already invited me for the same.” Being: stricken by desire Varuna said to Urvasi “I shall discharge my vital energy into this pot if thau dost not wish to live with me.’ Hearing those sweet words of the Patriarch Varuna, Urvasi was highly pleased and said :—“Do what thou hast said. Now my body: is under the possession of Mitra—but my mind is attached unto thine and thou art equally attached unto me.” Urvasi having said this, Varuna discharged his vital energy into the pot. Thereupon Urvasi approached Mitra. And thereat highly enraged he said to

p. 1743

her “I invited thee first } O thou of vicious actions, why hast, thou, renouncing me, secured another. For this vile action, thou shalt, by my curse live in the land of tortals for some time. The royal saint Puruvara, the king of Kasi, is the son of Budha. Do thou go to him, O thou of a vicious intellect ; he shall be thy husband.” Thereupon being thus placed under the influence’ of curse Urvasi went to Puruvara. The king Puruvaré was the begotten son of Budha. He reigned in the fofemost of cities Pratishtaro. He begot on Urvasi a highly powerful and beautiful son by the name of Ayu. Nahusha, powerful as Indra, was the son of Ayu. When Indra, the king of the celestials, was assailed with thunderbolt by the Asura Vitra,Nahusha governed his kingdom for a hundred thousand years. In this wise Urvasi, having beautiful teeth, eyes and brow, remained on earth for many years and then returned to the region of Indra after the period of curse had been over: