Hearing the words of the effulgent Rāma, 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, Rāma, the descendant of
Ikshwākus and the foremost of men, replied:—"Having renounced their
persons both Nimi and the pious Vasishtha, having asceticism for their
wealth, were metamorphosed into air. Thereupon being thus deprived of
his body the highly effulgent and great ascetic Vasishtha went to the
Patriarch Brahmā with the object of acquiring from him another. Being
merged in the air, he, conversant with religion, bowed unto his father
and said:—’O illustrious 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 to all. The bodiless cannot perform any work; do thou,
therefore, by thy favour, grant me another body.’ Whereto the
self-sprung Brahmā, 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
Brahmā having said this, Vasishtha, saluting and circumambulating him,
repaired to 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 Apsarā 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 Apsarās, having a moon-like
countenance and lotus-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 thou 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 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 mortals for
some time. The royal saint Puruvarā, the king of Kasi, is the son of
Budha. Do thou go to him, thou of a vicious intellect; he shall be thy
husband.’ Thereupon being thus placed under the influence of curse
Urvasi went to Puruvarā, The king Puruvarā was the begotten son of
Budha. He reigned in the foremost 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."