Story of Purūravas and Urvashi: Urvashi flying off to heaven while Purūravas tries to stop her. Chromolithograph by R. Varma.

Urvasī was a celestial nymph who incurred the wrath of two sages, Mitra and Varuna by the sight of her beauty, who in turn placed a curse upon her. Urvasī came to live on earth and agreed to become the wife or mistress of Purūravas on certain conditions. Mitra and Varuna hearing of Urvasī's rules in living with Purūravas came and broke each one thus Urvasī's departure back to heaven