The Story of Kalidas(VIKRAM URVASIYAM)

Once, Urvasi and her friend, Chitralekha (two fairies in the court of Indra, the god of rain) were returning home from Kubera's abode. Keshi, the demon, saw them and promptly kidnapped the two. While, Urvasi fainted, Chitralekha shouted aloud, "Come, oh! friend of the gods, come and help us.”

Pururuva, the king of Bharat, was passing that way. Hearing » the shouts of Chitralekha, he rescued Urvasi and her friend from the demon.When Urvasi regained consciousness, she thought that Indra had rescued her. Chitralekha told her that King Pururuva did so. Urvasi was very happy to know it. She looked at the king with gratitude and tenderness. As the king looked at Urvasi, he instantly fell in love with her.

Upon Indra's bidding, Chitravat hastily arrived there to rescue Urvasi from the Demon. When he learnt that King Pururuva had already helped Urvasi, he was very happy. They were old friends.

Chitravat invited the king to come to the court of Indra as he had done a great favour to the god, but the king refused and took leave of his friend. He was in a hurry to go to his kingdom. Urvasi was too shy to bid farewell to him. The king was so much attracted by Urvasi that, while on his way to the capital, he kept looking back again and again.

When Pururuva returned to his capital, he became restless. His queen observed the pitiful condition of the king and learnt the cause from Manavak, the king's friend. She tried her best to comfort the king put without any success.

It was spring time. The fragrance of colourful flowers and the flavour of the ripened fruits could not enthuse the king. The divine beauty of Urvasi had cast a spell on him. He was forlorn and miserable and lost all interest in the affairs of his kingdom.

One day when Manavak was sitting by the king consoling him, Urvasi and Chitralekha happened to pass that place. Both of them were invisible to human eyes. Urvasi heard Manavak suggesting to the king to meet Urvasi in his dreams or paint her picture. The king replied that he was too troubled to sleep at night and was unable to meet Urvasi in his dreams; Also that he could not paint because his vision was dimmed by the tears flowing continuously. Urvasi was very pleased to hear this and was convinced of the king's true love for her. Still invisible, she wrote a letter and threw it in front of the king.

The king picked up the letter. Overjoyed but fearing that he might damage the letter, the king handed it over to Manavak. Soon after that, Urvasi appeared before the king.Before they could stay together for long, Indra recalled Urvasi for putting up a play in his court. Thus the lovers were separated. Unfortunately, Manavak lost Urvasi's letter and it was found by the queen who passed that way. In no time, the queen learnt that Urvasi was the cause of the king's unhappiness. She came to him, handed over the letter and walked away in a huff, paying no attention to him or to his excuses.

Meanwhile, a scene depicting Lakshmi's marriage was being played in the court of Indra. Urvasi acted as Lakshmi. When asked, whom she had chosen as her spouse, Urvasi replied "Pururuva," forgetting to say "Vishnu". Bharat Muni, the divine director who was annoyed at this, cursed Urvasi and expelled her from the heaven. When the play was over, Urvasi stood there ashamed with downcast eyes. Indra told her that she could remain with the king till he saw his son's face and then she would have to return to his court.

On the earth, the queen observed a fast to purify herself. When the fast was over, she called on the king but he vowed abiding love for Urvasi. She then left the king and went away. Urvasi, who had arrived on the earth some time earlier, thought the queen had left the king so that she might be his rightful wife.

Urvasi's friend Chitralekha made the king promise that he would take good care of Urvasi and left for Indra-Lok. The king took Urvasi to his palace. After some days, the king entrusted his kingdom to his ministers and left for the mountain "Kailash" where both made their abode. They spent their time wandering in the mountains.

One day Urvasi saw King Pururuva staring at another damsel. Thereupon, she left the king in anger and strayed into the forest where Indra's devotees were meditating. It was an enchanted forest where any woman who strayed in, turned into a vine. Urvasi was also instantly transformed into a vine.The king made frantic efforts to search for Urvasi but all in vain. He was depressed and distressed at her disappearance.

While wandering about in search of Urvasi, one day, the king found a precious stone. A voice from the sky told him that the stone had the power of uniting the separated lovers. Soon his eyes fell on a flowerless vine which resembled Urvasi. He closed Ins eyes and touched it with the stone. Instantly Urvasi appeared before him. Seeing her, the king fainted. With tears in her eyes, Urvasi begged his forgiveness and reminded him that he had neglected his kingdom for long and his subjects might be blaming her for the same.

Both of them returned to the capital and were welcomed home amidst great rejoicings. The king himself looked after the kingdom once again, but his only grief was that he had no son.

One day, a servant was carrying, one of the queen's crown jewels in his hand. Mistaking it for a piece of meat, a hawk swooped down on it and took it away. By the time the king arrived with his bow and arrow, the bird had disappeared. The king ordered a search for the gem. Shortly a message came that the king's anger, assuming the form of an arrow, had killed the hawk. Inscribed on the arrow was a message that the arrow belonged to the son of Urvasi and Pururuva. Manavak was very happy to know it but the king was unable to understand the riddle.

At that time, a woman with a young child arrived from Chyavan Rishi's ashram. When the king saw the child, his heart leapt with Joy. The woman told the king that some time back, Urvasi had left that child with the Rishi; that Chyavan Rishi had brought up that child and taught him the use of the bow and arrow but that day the child had disobeyed the Rishi's advice, killing a hawk; and that she had brought back the child to Urvasi. Saying this, she went back.

flic king was very happy to see his son, but Urvasi was very sad and started sobbimz. When the kinii asked her the cause of her grief, she related Indra's curse and disclosed that she had left the child with the Rishi so that the king might not see him.

The king was very unhappy on learning that Urvasi had to return to Indra's court. He expressed a desire to renounce the world and spend his life as a recluse. At that time the sage Narad descended from the sky and forbade the king from doing so. He informed the king that it was Indra's desire that Pururuva should not give up his kingdom as Urvasi had been allowed to stay wdth him. Narad also told the king that war between the gods and the demons would soon start and the king should help the gods.Thereafter, King Pururuva, Urvasi and the little prince lived happily for a lorsg time and knew no worldly sorrow.