Vaisampayana said, "Having thus sent away the Gandharva successful in
his mission, Urvasi of luminous smiles, moved by the desire of
possessing Phalguna, took a bath. And having performed her ablutions,
she decked herself in charming ornaments and splendid garlands of
celestial odour. And inflamed by the god of love, and her heart pierced
through and through by the shafts shot by Manmatha keeping in view the
beauty of Arjuna, and her imagination wholly taken up by the thoughts of
Arjuna, she mentally sported with him on a wide and excellent bed laid
over with celestial sheets. And when the twilight had deepened and the
moon was up, that Apsara of high hips set out for the mansions of
Arjuna. And in that mood and with her crisp, soft and long braids decked
with bunches of flowers, she looked extremely beautiful. With her beauty
and grace, and the charm of the motions of her eye-brows and of her soft
accents, and her own moon-like face, she seemed to tread, challenging
the moon himself. And as she proceeded, her deep, finely tapering
bosoms, decked with a chain of gold and adorned with celestial unguents
and smeared with fragrant sandal paste, began to tremble. And in
consequence of the weight of her bosoms, she was forced to slightly
stoop forward at every step, bending her waist exceedingly beautiful
with three folds. And her loins of faultless shape, the elegant abode of
the god of love, furnished with fair and high and round hips and wide at
their lower part as a hill, and decked with chains of gold, and capable
of shaking the saintship of anchorites, being decked with thin attire,
appeared highly graceful. And her feet with fair suppressed ankles, and
possessing flat soles and straight toes of the colour of burnished
copper and high and curved like tortoise back and marked by the wearing
of ornaments furnished with rows of little bells, looked exceedingly
handsome. And exhilarated with a little liquor which she had taken, and
excited by desire, and moving in diverse attitudes and expressing a
sensation of delight, she looked more handsome than usual. And though
heaven abounded with many wonderful objects, yet when Urvasi proceeded
in this manner, the _Siddhas_ and _Charanas_ and _Gandharvas_ regarded
her to be the handsomest object they had cast their eyes upon. And the
upper half of her body clad in an attire of fine texture and cloudy
hues, she looked resplendent like a digit of the moon in the firmament
shrouded by fleecy clouds. And endued with the speed of the winds or the
mind, she of luminous smiles soon reached the mansion of Phalguna, the
son of Pandu. And, O best of men, Urvasi of beautiful eyes, having
arrived at the gate of Arjuna's abode, sent word through the keeper in
attendance. And (on receiving permission), she soon entered that
brilliant and charming palace. But, O monarch, upon beholding her at
night in his mansion, Arjuna, with a fearstricken heart, stepped up to
receive her with respect and as soon as he saw her, the son of Pritha,
from modesty, closed his eyes. And saluting her, he offered the Apsara
such worship as is offered unto a superior. And Arjuna said, 'O thou
foremost of the Apsaras, I reverence thee by bending my head down. O
lady, let me know thy commands. I wait upon thee as thy servant.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these words of Phalguna, Urvasi became
deprived of her senses. And she soon represented unto Arjuna all that
had passed between her and the Gandharva, Chitrasena. And she said, 'O
best of men, I shall tell thee all that hath passed between me and
Chitrasena, and why I have come hither. On account of thy coming here, O
Arjuna, Mahendra had convened a large and charming assembly, in which
celestial festivities were held. Unto that assembly came, O best of men,
the Rudras and the Adityas and the Aswins and the Vasus. And there came
also numbers of great Rishis and royal sages and Siddhas and Charanas
and Yakshas and great Nagas. And, O thou of expansive eyes, the members
of the assembly resplendent as fire or the sun or the moon, having taken
their seats according to rank, honour, and prowess, O son of Sakra, the
Gandharvas began to strike the _Vinas_ and sing charming songs of
celestial melody. And, O perpetuator of the Kuru race, the principal
Apsaras also commenced to dance. Then, O son of Pritha, thou hadst
looked on me only with a steadfast gaze. When that assembly of the
celestials broke, commanded by thy father, the gods went away to their
respective places. And the principal Apsaras also went away to their
abodes, and others also, O slayer of foes, commanded by thy father and
obtaining his leave. It was then that Chitrasena sent to me by Sakra,
and arriving at my abode, O thou of eyes like lotus leaves, he addressed
me, saying, "O thou of the fairest complexion, I have been sent unto
thee by the chief of the celestials. Do thou something that would be
agreeable to Mahendra and myself and to thyself also. O thou of fair
hips, seek thou to please Arjuna, who is brave in battle even like Sakra
himself, and who is always possessed of magnanimity." Even these, O son
of Pritha, were his words. Thus, O sinless one, commanded by him and thy
father also, I come to thee in order to wait upon thee, O slayer of
foes. My heart hath been attracted by thy virtues, and am already under
the influence of the god of love. And, O hero, even this is my wish, and
I have cherished it for ever!'"
Vaisampayana continued, "While in heaven, hearing her speak in this
strain, Arjuna was overcome with bashfulness. And shutting his ears with
his hands, he said, 'O blessed lady, fie on my sense of hearing, when
thou speakest thus to me. For, O thou of beautiful face, thou art
certainly equal in my estimation unto the wife of a superior. Even as
Kunti of high fortune or Sachi the queen of Indra, art thou to me, O
auspicious one, of this there is no doubt! That I had gazed particularly
at thee, O blessed one, is true. There was a reason for it. I shall
truly tell it to thee, O thou of luminous smiles! In the assembly I
gazed at thee with eyes expanded in delight, thinking, _Even this
blooming lady is the mother of the Kaurava race._ O blessed Apsara, it
behoveth thee not to entertain other feelings towards me, for thou art
superior to my superiors, being the parent of my race.'
"Hearing these words of Arjuna, Urvasi answered, saying, 'O son of the
chief of the celestials, we Apsaras are free and unconfined in our
choice. It behoveth thee not, therefore, to esteem me as thy superior.
The sons and grandsons of Puru's race, that have come hither in
consequence of ascetic merit do all sport with us, without incurring any
sin. Relent, therefore, O hero, it behoveth thee not to send me away. I
am burning with desire. I am devoted to thee. Accept me, O thou giver of
proper respect.'
"Arjuna replied, 'O beautiful lady of features perfectly faultless,
listen. I truly tell thee. Let the four directions and the transverse
directions, let also the gods listen. O sinless one, as Kunti, or Madri,
or Sachi, is to me, so art thou, the parent of my race, an object of
reverence to me. Return, O thou of the fairest complexion: I bend my
head unto thee, and prostrate myself at thy feet. Thou deservest my
worship as my own mother; and it behoveth thee to protect me as a son.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by Partha, Urvasi was deprived
of her senses by wrath. Trembling with rage, and contracting her brows,
she cursed Arjuna, saying, 'Since thou disregardest a woman come to thy
mansion at the command of thy father and of her own motion--a woman,
besides, who is pierced by the shafts of _Kama_, therefore, O Partha,
thou shalt have to pass thy time among females unregarded, and as a
dancer, and destitute of manhood and scorned as a eunuch.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Having cursed Arjuna thus, Urvasi's lips still
quivered in anger, herself breathing heavily all the while. And she soon
returned to her own abode. And that slayer of foes, Arjuna also sought
Chitrasena without loss of time. And having found him, he told him all
that had passed between him and Urvasi in the night. And he told
Chitrasena everything as it had happened, repeatedly referring to the
curse pronounced upon him. And Chitrasena also represented everything
unto Sakra. And Harivahana, calling his son unto himself in private, and
consoling him in sweet words, smilingly said, 'O thou best of beings,
having obtained thee, O child, Pritha hath to-day become a truly blessed
mother. O mighty-armed one, thou hast now vanquished even Rishis by the
patience and self-control. But, O giver of proper respect, the curse
that Urvasi hath denounced on thee will be to thy benefit, O child, and
stand thee in good stead. O sinless one, ye will have on earth to pass
the thirteenth year (of your exile), unknown to all. It is then that
thou shalt suffer the curse of Urvasi. And having passed one year as a
dancer without manhood, thou shalt regain thy power on the expiration of
the term.'
"Thus addressed by Sakra, that slayer of hostile heroes, Phalguna,
experienced great delight and ceased to think of the curse. And
Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu, sported in regions of heaven with the
Gandharva Chitrasena of great celebrity.
"The desires of the man that listeneth to this history of the son of
Pandu never run after lustful ends. The foremost of men, by listening to
this account of the awfully pure conduct of Phalguna, the son of the
lord of the celestials, become void of pride and arrogance and wrath and
other faults, and ascending to heaven, sport there in bliss."