Apsaras I
Menaka (http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/9380... The sage Vishwamitra was undertaking a penance that would increase his powers manifold. Indra sent Menaka to disrupt the meditation. Menaka began to dance sensuously in front of the sage, but she was fighting a losing battle. Then a gust of wind blew away the only garment she was wearing and in that moment the sage succumbed. He lived with Menaka for many years and they had a daughter named Shakuntala. Shakuntala's son, Bharata fits somewhere in between Pururava and Arjuna in the Lunar dynasty.
Adrika (http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/9380... Adrika had been cursed by Brahma to live as a fish till she gave birth to human twins. This happened in a very unusual manner. King Uparichara and Queen Girika wanted an heir to the throne. Since the king had to leave for a remote forested district of his kingdom for an urgent task, he decided to address the issue on his return. In the lovely woods he saw natural life being reproduced all around him and dreaming of his vivacious wife, he could not contain himself. However he did not want to waste his seed of life so he asked a bird to carry it immediately to the queen. In mid-flight this bird was attacked by another and the semen fell into a river where it was swallowed by Adrika. In due course Adrika gave birth to a boy and a girl. The girl, later named Satyavati, was Arjuna's great-grandmother.
Harsha (http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/9380... The above three tales were from the Mahabharata. This one is associated with the Ramayana. Indra instructed the Apsara, Harsha to destroy the meditation of sage Vibondaka. Harsha came to Vibondaka's hermitage and said, "I want to beget a son from you. If you don't accept this request, then I will commit suicide." Vibondaka said that he would not have sex with her as it would reduce the effect of his penance, but he would not let her die. He dropped some semen and told Harsha to impregnate herself. The Apsara did not want to become pregnant so she transferred the semen in the ovaries of a deer. The deer soon delivered a baby who had a human form, but with deer horns. This was Rishyashringa, meanings a human being with deer horns. Rishyashringa later conducted the sacrifice that led to the birth of Rama.
I would like to acknowledge the query of Mr. Wolfgang Zech, which led to the conception of this article and the
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