Vardhanī

Vardhanī was an apsarā (a dancer and singer of the devas) sent by Indra to disturb the tapas (austerity) of Dharma at Dharmāraṇya. Dharma is the deva of righteousness and has the form of a bull. When Dharma asked her why she had come, she told him honestly that Indra had sent her. Dharma was not angry. He blessed her with a tīrtha (holy place) that would carry her name, the Vardhanī Tīrtha, inside the holy forest of Dharmāraṇya.

Indra’s plan

Dharma did thirty thousand years of tapas in the holy forest on the shore of the southern ocean. The gathered radiance (tejas) of his austerities could be seen in the sky. Indra, the king of the devas, was afraid that Dharma was gathering power that could threaten his own rule.

Indra called Ūrvaśī and a group of apsarās from the world of the devas and sent them to the forest to tempt Dharma and break his tapas. Vardhanī was one of those who were sent. (Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 3)

Arrival at Dharmāraṇya

Vardhanī came to the lovely forest where Dharma sat lost in his tapas. The forest of Dharmāraṇya was beautiful by nature, with its streams, flowering trees and holy air. Vardhanī showed the graces of her divine form and went up to Dharma. (Chapter 3)

Dharma sees the plan and Vardhanī tells the truth

Dharma is righteousness itself, and he was not disturbed when the apsarā came near. With his divine insight he understood at once that this was Indra’s plan. Dharma questioned Vardhanī. She did not hide anything. She told him honestly that Indra had sent her. (Chapter 4)

Dharma’s blessing and the Vardhanī Tīrtha

Dharma was not angry. He showed only kindness to Vardhanī. He said that her coming to this holy forest, even on Indra’s order, was good fortune, because she had come to a supremely holy place.

Dharma blessed her with a tīrtha. A holy tank, or waters, in the forest of Dharmāraṇya would from then on carry her name. This is the Vardhanī Tīrtha, a lasting memorial of her visit. Vardhanī, blessed with a memorial that would never fade, went away. (Chapter 4)

Sources

• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa, Pūrvārdha, Chapters 3–4