Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.3578

c9.3578

Indra missed her. So a search was made and they found out that she was in the palace of Purūravas. Indra asked the Gandharvas to bring that celestial woman to heaven somehow. Viśvāvasu and some others of the Gandharvas reached the palace of king Purūravas and waited for an opportunity. One midnight they stole the lambs and took them away through the sky. At that time the king was with Urvaśī in the harem. Urvaśī heard the cry of the lambs and she was flurried. She reviled the king who was not capable of taking care of two lambs. Hearing her harsh words the king took his bow and arrow and following the cry of the lambs he was about to chase the thieves. Taking this opportunity the Gandharvas caused a lightning to flash in the king's harem. In the light of the lightning Urvaśī saw the king standing nude. The Gandharvas having achieved their task had left the lambs and departed before the king had got out of the room. The king caught hold of the lambs and returned to the harem, within a short while. But Urvaśī had gone out of the palace and was on her way.