In the Himalaya mountains, the nymphs of heaven, on returning from an
assembly of the gods, are mourning over the loss of Urvasi, a
fellow-nymph, who has been carried off by a demon. King Pururavas enters
on his chariot, and on hearing the cause of their grief, hastens to the
rescue of the nymph. He soon returns, after having vanquished the
robber, and restores Urvasi to her heavenly companions. While carrying
the nymph back to her friends in his chariot, he is enraptured by her
beauty, falls in love with her and she with her deliverer. Urvasi being
summoned before the throne of Indra, the lovers are soon obliged to
part. When they part, Urvasi wishes to turn round once more to see the
king.
She pretends that a straggling vine has caught her garland, and while
feigning to disengage herself, she calls one of her friends to help her.