In the Vedas, the apsaras are water nymphs, often married to the gandharvas. By the time the Puranas and the two epics were composed, the apsaras and gandharvas had become performing artists to the gods; the apsaras are singers, dancers, and courtesans, while the gandharvas are musicians. They are somewhat semi-divine; we do not see them as being able to curse humans (except on one occasion) or grant them boons as gods can, but we do see them as adept in magic and knowledgeable in all of the 64 performing arts; additionally, we see many gandharvas skilled in warfare.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original definition at https://www.worldhistory.org/Apsaras_and_Gandharvas/.
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- Why do you think apsaras changed from river spirits to court performers in later stories?
- What do the stories of Urvasi and Shakuntala suggest about beauty and power in these myths?
- Why do you think the word apsara still means a very beautiful dancer today?
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