Vidhūma and Alambusā

Two divine beings, the vasu Vidhūma and the apsarā Alambusā, were cursed by Brahmā. They were born as King Sahasrānīka and Queen Mṛgāvatī of Kauśāmbī. Their son was Udayana. All three were freed from saṃsāra when they bathed at Chakratīrtha in the Setu-kshetra. The Setu Māhātmya of the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa tells this to show the power of Chakratīrtha to free those who are held in mortal births by a curse.

The curses

The vasu Vidhūma and the apsarā Alambusā both displeased Brahmā. He cursed them to fall from their divine state into mortal life, weighed down with pāpa (sin). The vasus are a class of divine beings linked with the material world. Alambusā was a dancer in the court of the devas, and by Brahmā’s curse she fell into a mortal birth. (Chapter 5)

Birth as Sahasrānīka and Mṛgāvatī

Vidhūma was born again as Sahasrānīka, king of Kauśāmbī. Alambusā was born again as Mṛgāvatī and became his queen. The two cursed beings found each other in their human births. They had the same karma, the same origin and the same fate, and they were joined as husband and wife at Kauśāmbī. (Chapter 5)

The birth of Udayana

A strange event came with the birth of their son Udayana. Queen Mṛgāvatī happened to breathe the fragrant smoke of burning sandalwood (candana-dhūpa), and through this she became pregnant. Udayana was born in this unusual way. (Chapter 5)

Freedom at Chakratīrtha

Sahasrānīka, Mṛgāvatī and Udayana in time came to the Setu-kshetra and bathed at Chakratīrtha. This tīrtha was made holy by the Sudarśana Cakra’s destruction of Durgamu. Its power dissolved their gathered karma and the first curses that had brought them into mortal birth. All three were freed from saṃsāra together and were restored to their own divine nature. (Chapter 5)

Sources

• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Setu Māhātmya, chapter 5