Narada mode of choice surprised celestial women. He asks the fairy women to disturb the tapa of sage Durvasa …each nymph speaks of individual virtues and beauty, and creates a delicate situation… Vapu offers to foul Tapa to fill the mission

“Celestial women were quite astonished when they heard, and therefore, looked at one another in utter bafflement. One of the apasaras said gently, ‘O lord, I think I am the greatest beauty and a mine of qualities.”

Another apasara says, ‘No, not you but I am the greatest with regard to beauty and qualities.’

It surprised Indra. After Indra heard foolish and unfounded arguments of nymphs, he said, “O celestial women, please ask sage Narada. He would tell you as to who is the most beautiful with a quarry of virtues.”

Narada said, “I would consider a nymph – an apasara as a treasure of divine beauty and qualities, who disturbs sage Durvasa, now undergoing austere tapasya at Himalaya where the king of mountains captivates through fitting overtures of beauty, love, passion and charm so that the sage is not angry.”

Lovely nymphs were immensely cautioned and disturbed. It was a risky situation to ascertain as to who was the most beautiful celestial woman with virtues of head and heart. It was not an easy proposition, and therefore, they looked uneasy. 

One of the nymphs, whispered, “O friend, for us it is very difficult to say.”

They were silent and appeared lost in deep thought. Apasara Vapu was proud of her beauty and intellect, and filled with pride and self-confidence, she thought she would disturb monk with beauty, charm and charismatic advances.  

After a thought, Vapu said to the celestial sage, “I shall go to the place where sage Durvasa undergoes severe tapa. Sage Durvasa has yoked indriyas like horses with the body-like chariot and very soon, I will prove that Durvasa is an incompetent and unfit charioteer.”

 Assertion appeared astute and wise.

After a few moments, she said, “O sage, I will go, attack, release arrows of kama -love and passion, and destroy intensity of penance of Durvasa, who restrains and disciplines senses, and thereafter, he will lose control over senses and body.” Vapu appeared intrepid and positive.

 Sage Narada and Indra heard a self-confident divine woman and looked at each other.  After a few moments, she got a nod from the sage and the lord of gods, and instantly went to the mountain of Himalaya. 

~*~

Celestial beauty Vapu arrived at the ashrama of sage Durvasa and witnessed unique scenario where even violent beasts of the jungle had lost the capacity to hurt or harm any other being…lf fails and suffers sage’s curse

She arrived at the ashrama of Durvasa and witnessed an extraordinary scenario. She found that the most violent and meat-eating beasts of jungle had lost the tendency or nature to get violent on the slightest pretext because of influence of tapa of sage Durvasa, and therefore, the wild and fierce beasts lived in the hermitage in peace and harmony.

She preferred to stay at a distance of one kosa -a measure of distance, from the ashrama, and reflected over the plans of enticing the sage. She comfortably settled down, began to live, roamed about, and then at leisure, sang songs. At times, she danced as if she were unconscious of the surroundings but concentrated on engagements of sage, and was in the look out of a suitable opportunity to enter the ashrama. Vapu was sweet and melodious like a cuckoo and thus, chirping continued. When sage Durvasa heard soft, melodious, soothing and gentle tuneful singing and the sweet voice he was overwhelmed immensely.

Unable to endure the melody and enthralling tunes, he got up and went to the place from where delightful words, voices and tunes emanated. He saw a beautiful young girl singing a song, at once stirring and soulful. Noticing a beautiful woman, he was excited but controlled his mind effectively. After a thought, he realized and understood the mischief. She had come to allure and tempt with beauty and charm. Suddenly, anger and impatience filled him.

After a few moments, the sage said, “O great apasara, you appear mad with beauty and charm and so, continue to wander about in the sky. I know you arrived to create obstructions in the path of tapa I pursue. O apasara, I earned huge fruit of penance after I underwent sufferings. I will not forgive you. Therefore, you will suffer for ages because of anger I had and tried to restrain after you acted foolishly. Now, you will take birth in the yoni of a bird in life next. O nymph of mischievous and mean intellect, you will live for sixteen years in the yoni of a bird after you relinquish physical beauty and magic. At that time, you will give birth to four sons. However, you will not get comforts of love and warmth of offspring, and therefore, feelings of deprivation would give you immense anguish.”

Sage Durvasa was annoyed, spoke in anger, looked at the apasara and said again, “O celestial woman, at that time, a sastra -weapon released through the curse will kill and release you from the curse, and thereafter, you shall go to heaven, live in delight and pleasure and attain an assigned status in heaven. That is it. Now, you do not speak anything against whatever I told you.”

Thereafter, the great sage left ashrama and went to spend time on the bank of river Ganges flowing in the sky, Akashganga.

~*~

Sufferings of Vapu after the curse, birth of birds, genealogy of wise and divine birds, who take birth in the house of Tarksi, a nymph in the previous birth in the battleground of Mahabharata when Tarksi went to the place

Apasara Vapu suffered because the curse of sage chased. Later on, she gave birth to a bird. However, the curse of the sage constantly scorched. On the other hand, Drona was born in the house of bird Mandpal after the consent of Kandara. It is interesting to go back to past to find the roots of amazing birds.

Markandeya told Jaimini that Garuda was born in the house of Aristnemi. Garuda was famous as Sampati. Suparsva was a brave and wise son of Sampati.   Kumbhi, a son of Suparsva had a son Prololupa. Kank and Kandara took birth in the house of Prololupa.  Tarksi, a nymph in the previous birth was born in the house of Kandara.

After a short period, Tarksi became pregnant. While she carried the baby in the womb, she went to Kurukshetra. At that time, the Great War of Mahabharata was going on between the Kauravas and the Pandavas. It was destined to happen, and therefore, she entered the battlefield where a fierce war continued. At that time, an extremely ferocious battle between Bha-gdutta and warrior Arjuna was in progress. Like a crowd of tidis - a dangerous class of flying insects that moves in a crowd and eats leaves and crops to survive, the arrows of warriors filled the sky. Suddenly, Arjuna released an arrow with force and pierced Tarksi’s womb. Unfortunately, it torn asunder the womb and four moon-like white eggs fell on the ground. Happily, the eggs contained life and so, did not break because of the abrupt fall on the ground. Surprisingly, eggs fell as if a heap of cotton. Precisely at that moment, a huge bell from the back of an elephant suprateek of Bhagdutta collapsed on the ground and split into fragments because of deadly and frequent strikes of arrows cut off its strong ropes.

Time of fall of huge bell and eggs from the womb of Tarksi coincided and therefore, the huge bell covered the eggs securely as it made deep thrust into the earth. Now, the eggs were quite safe while the Great War gained momentum with each passing day.

After the war was over, a man of restraint and discipline, mahatma Shammi arrived at the place where the huge bell had fallen. As he came close to the huge bell, he heard chirping sounds that appeared like little sparrows. Though tiny birds had attained supreme knowledge, yet they could not speak out, as they  were mere children. It was difficult to speak even a sentence.   Sage Shamik was going alone to an ashrama and at that time, no disciple accompanied him. However, a few brahmins had followed. Chirpings of birds surprised. He bowed down and after digging out the bell with force, saw Tarksi, Drona and wingless children, the little birds.

Thus, the wisest birds took birth.