Apsara

An Apsara (Sanskrit: अप्सराः apsarāḥ, plural अप्सरसः apsarasaḥ, stem apsaras-, a feminine consonant stem), Apsara or Tep Apsar in Khmer, Accharā (Pāli) or A Bố Sa La Tư (Vietnamese), Bidadari (Malay, Indonesian, Tausug languages), and Apson (Thai: อัปสร), also known as Vidhya Dhari, is a female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. English translations of the word "Apsara" include "nymph," "celestial nymph," and "celestial maiden."

Apsaras are beautiful, supernatural women. They are youthful and elegant, and proficient in the art of dancing. They are the wives of the Gandharvas, the court servants of Indra. They dance to the music made by their husbands, usually in the palaces of the gods, and entertain gods and fallen heroes. As caretakers of fallen heroes, they may be compared to the valkyries of Norse mythology.

Apsaras are said to be able to change their shape at will, and rule over the fortunes of gaming and gambling. Urvasi, Menaka, Rambha and Tilottama are the most famous among them. Apsaras are sometimes compared to the muses of ancient Greece, with each of the 26 Apsaras at Indra's court representing a distinct aspect of the performing arts. Apsaras are associated with water; thus, they may be compared to the nymphs, dryads and naiads of ancient Greece. They are associated with fertility rites.

There are two types of Apsaras; Laukika (wordly), of whom thirty-four are specified, and Daivika (divine), of which there are ten.