Budbuda

Budbuda was one of five apsarases (celestial dancers) whom a brahmin cursed to live as crocodiles at sacred tīrthas (pilgrimage places). They had disturbed his meditation, and he laid a śāpa (curse) on them.

Arjuna freed her during his twelve years of forest exile (vanavāsa), while he was on pilgrimage. He entered her tīrtha, and her crocodile form seized him. He dragged her out of the water onto the bank. At that moment the curse lifted, and she became an apsarā again.

Her companions in the curse

The other four apsarases who shared the curse were Vargā, Saurabheyī, Samīcī and Latā.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 216