Rambhā

Indra was alarmed, and he sent the apsaras Rambhā to tempt him. She was afraid. This great sage is terrible, she said. He will turn his anger on me. Indra told her not to fear: a cuckoo would sing in a flowering tree in spring, and he and the god of love would stand beside her. So Rambhā took on a form of every grace and came to tempt Viśvāmitra, smiling.

He heard the cuckoo singing sweetly and turned, gladdened, and saw her, and the bird's song, her matchless singing and the sight of her made him suspicious. Then he understood that it was Indra's doing, and in a fury he cursed her. Rambhā, since you try to tempt me when I am striving to conquer desire and anger, you will be a stone for ten thousand years, wretched one. A brahmin of great power will free you. She turned to stone, and the god of love slipped away.

But Viśvāmitra found no peace. He had spent his austerity in anger; his senses were still not conquered. I will never give way to anger again, he resolved, nor say a harsh word. I will not breathe for hundreds of years. I will dry up my body, until I win the state of a brahmin by my austerity.