Apsara's are divine dancers. They are mentioned in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. In Hindu puranas they are beautiful charmer who dance in the court of Indra, the king of the heaven. Apsaras are so full of eternal beauty that they are often sent to seduce people on earth who are trying to gain power by doing rigorous penance.
The beauty of apsaras have become a regular subject of Hindu art and architecture. Rambha, Menaka, Tilottama and Urvashi are a few famous names in Hindu scripts. Among all apsaras Urvashi is known to be most beautiful. Menaka is famous for her success in seducing Rishi (saint) Vishwamitra. It is said that while Menaka was bathing, Vishwamitra got arrested by her naked beauty. Artist Raja Ravi Varma painted a few Vis
Also in the Khmer Temple of Angkor Wat, Combodia, inscriptions of beautiful apsaras have been found. These apsaras are well-ornamented with a skirt and bare breasts. The apsara dnace is a part of Combodian traditional dances.
Many beautiful apsara paintings have been done by Combodian artist Reahu. However, the govt. banned his artwork in the country with the charge of obscenity to deities.
It beautiful !! but do not forget to mention Rathi & kamdeo ! who tried to seduce Lord Shive !!
ReplyDeleteYes, Aparas and their divine beauty can be seen mentioned many a times in Hindu art and architecture. But it eludes me how the beauty of Menaka could manage to seduce such a sage like Viswamithra even-though she is naked or bathing whatever. I think this has more to do with the thirst for seeking beauty in the mind of sages who generally suppress that side of life which can make the mind craving for beauty which is absolutely a natural phenomenon and in nature happens all the time. Man-Women attraction is natural and whomsoever denies it is fighting within. And the external beauty is just a stimuli and only when there is aspiration in the mind to seek the beauty or get intimate a man choose similar response and proceeds. Contrary to it, we can understand this scenario in other angle where in I think when they say that Menaka's naked beauty is such that she could arouse a sage is just like a poetic expression which aims to say that Menaka is such a beauty that she can lock the eyes of sages, rishis etc., and doesn't necessarily mean it happened in real. Whatdayathink suchitraji?
ReplyDeleteProbably, Vishwamithra was a kshatriya turned brahmin that is why he could be seduced by her beauty.
DeleteThanks Bimal. Rati and Kamdeva are the cupid partners. Apsaras are celestial dancers.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bobby. I agree with your view.
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