Apsaras
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For other uses, see Apsara (disambiguation).
An Apsaras (Sanskrit: अप्सरा: apsarāḥ, plural अप्सरस: apsarasaḥ, stem apsaras-, a feminine consonant stem) or Accharā (Pāli), is a female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Despite ending in -s, "apsaras" is to be construed as singular. The English plural is "apsarases". Frequently encountered English translations of the word "Apsaras" are "nymph," "celestial nymph," and "celestial maiden."
Apsarases are supernatural beings: they appear as young women of great beauty and elegance who are proficient in the art of dancing. They are the wives of the Gandharvas, court servants of Indra. They dance to the music made by their husbands, usually in the palaces of the gods, and entertain gods and fallen heroes. In their assignment as caretakers of fallen heroes, they may be compared to the valkyries of Norse mythology. Apsarases are said to be able to change their shapes at will, and specially rule over the fortunes of gaming and gambling. Urvasi, Menaka, Rambha and Tilottama are the most famous among them. Apsarases are sometimes compared to the muses of ancient Greece, with each of the 26 Apsarases at Indra's court representing a distinct aspect of the performing arts. Apsarases are associated with water; thus, they may be compared to the nymphs, dryads and naiads of ancient Greece. They are also associated with fertility rites. In Hinduism, the lower Apsarases are sometimes regarded as nature spirits who may lure men to their deaths; in this respect they may be compared to the Slavic Rusalki or the Greek sirens.
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[edit] Apsarases in Ancient Literature
[edit] Rig Veda
The Rig Veda tells of an Apsaras who is the wife of Gandharva; however, the Rig Veda also seems to allow for the existence of more than one Apsaras. The only Apsaras specifically named is Urvasi. An entire hymn deals with the colloqy between Urvasi and her mortal lover Pururavas. (Rig Veda, Book X, Hymn 95.) Later Hindu scriptures allow for the existence of numerous Apsarases, who act as the handmaidens of Indra or as dancers at his celestial court.
[edit] Mahabharata
In many of the stories related in the Mahabharata, Apsarases appear in important supporting roles. The epic contains several lists of the principal Apsarases, which lists are not always identical. Here is one such list, together with a description of how the celestial dancers appeared to the residents and guests at the court of the gods:
"Ghritachi and Menaka and Rambha and Purvachitti and Swayamprabha and Urvasi and Misrakesi and Dandagauri and Varuthini and Gopali and Sahajanya and Kumbhayoni and Prajagara and Chitrasena and Chitralekha and Saha and Madhuraswana, these and others by thousands, possessed of eyes like lotus leaves, who were employed in enticing the hearts of persons practising rigid austerities, danced there. And possessing slim waists and fair large hips, they began to perform various evolutions, shaking their deep bosoms, and casting their glances around, and exhibiting other attractive attitude capable of stealing the hearts and resolutions and minds of the spectators." (Book III: Vana Parva, Section 43.)
[edit] The Exploits of Individual Apsarases
The Mahabharata documents the exploits of individual Apsarases, such as Tilottama, who rescued the world from the rampaging asura brothers Sunda and Upasunda, and Urvashi, who attempted to seduce the hero Arjuna.
[edit] The Theme of the Nymph and the Sage
A story type or theme appearing over and over again in the Mahabharata is that of an Apsaras sent to distract a sage or spiritual master from his ascetic practices. One story embodying this theme is that recounted by a woman named Sakuntala to explain her own parentage. (Book I: Adi Parva, Section 71-72.) Once upon a time, the sage Viswamitra generated such intense energy by means of his asceticism that Indra himself became fearful. Deciding that the sage would have to be distracted from his penances, he sent the Apsaras Menaka to work her charms. Menaka trembled at the thought of angering such a powerful ascetic, but she obeyed the god's order. As she approached Viswamitra, the wind god Marut tore away her garments. Seeing her thus disrobed, the sage abandoned himself to lust. Nymph and sage sported together for some time, during which Viswamitra's asceticism was put on hold. As a consequence, Menaka gave birth to a daughter, whom she abandoned at on the banks of a river. That daughter was Sakuntala herself, the narrator of the story.
[edit] Natya Shastra
Natya Shastra, the principle work of dramatic theory for Sanskrit drama, lists the following apsarases: Manjukesi, Sukesi, Misrakesi, Sulochana, Saudamini, Devadatta, Devasena, Manorama, Sudati, Sundari, Vigagdha, Vividha, Budha, Sumala, Santati, Sunanda, Sumukhi, Magadhi, Arjuni, Sarala, Kerala, Dhrti, Nanda, Supuskala, Supuspamala and Kalabha.
[edit] Apsarases in the Visual Arts
[edit] Apsarases in the Art and Architecture of Cambodia
Apsarases represent an important motif in the stone bas-reliefs of the Angkorian temples in Cambodia. Descriptions of the temples often distinguish between two types of depictions of female celestials: depictions of figures who are dancing or are poised to dance, which are called "Apsarases" or "Apsaras;" and depictions of figures who are standing still, facing forward, in the manner of temple guardians or custodians, which are called "Devatas." (Maurice Glaize, Monuments of the Angkor Group, p.37.)
Carved apsarases are particularly common at Angkor Wat, the largest of the ancient Angkorian temples. Scholars have counted more than 1,860 at the 12th Century monument, some carved on pillars, some on walls, some high up on towers. A study published in 1927 by Sappho Marchal cataloged remarkable diversity of hair, headdresses, garments, stance, jewelry and decorative flowers, which Marchal concluded were based on real-life practices of the Angkor period. Some apsarases appear with arms around each other and seem to be greeting the viewer. “The devatas seem to epitomize all the elements of a refined elegance,” wrote Marchal.
[edit] Khmer Classical Dance
Khmer classical dance, the indigenous ballet-like performance art of Cambodia, is frequently called "apsara dance." This appellation reflects the belief that the Khmer classical dance of today is connected by an unbroken tradition to the dance practiced in the courts of the Angkorian monarchs, which in turn drew its inspiration from the mythological court of the gods and from its celestial dancers, the Apsarases.
[edit] Apsarases in the Art of Champa
Apsarases were also an important motif in the art of Champa, Angkor's neighbor to the east. Especially noteworthy are the depictions of apsarases in the Tra Kieu style of Cham art, a style which flourished in the 10th and 11th centuries A.D.
[edit] References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
- The Rig Veda in the English translation prepared by Ralph T.H. Griffith is available online at sacred-texts.com.
- The Mahabharata in the English translation prepared by Kisari Mohan Ganguli is available online at sacred-texts.com.
- The Monuments of the Angkor Group by Maurice Glaize is available online in English translation.
- Marchal, Sappho. Khmer Costumes and Ornaments of the Devatas of Angkor Wat First English edition. Orchid Press. 2005.
[edit] See also
- Tennin, a Japanese development of the Indian apsaras
- The Depiction of Apsarases at Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm and Bayon in Cambodia
- The Depiction of Devatas at Angkor Wat, Preah Khan and Ta Prohm in Cambodia
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Vedas · Upanishads · Puranas · Ramayana · Mahabharata · Bhagavad Gita |
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