Who are Apsaras?

Apsaras were first mentioned, in esoteric sense, in the Rig Veda as the DIVINE RAYS emanating from BRAHMAN or SOMA or Gandharva.

Apsarasas were described in Ramayana, Puranas as celestial damsels, who emanated at the time of churning of the Milky ocean. As they emanated from water (ap -अप् ), they are called apsarā.

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The following narration, in respect of apsarā, is from the 45th Sarga in Bala Kanda of Ramayana.

अथ वर्षसहस्रेण आयुर्वेदमयः पुमान्॥ १-४५-३१
उदतिष्ठत् सुधर्मात्मा सदण्डः सकमण्डलुः।
पूर्वं धन्वन्तरिर्नाम अप्सराश्च सुवर्चसः॥ १-४५-३२

After a thousand years of churning, then a male personality, an epitome of Life Sciences, namely aayurveda , a highly righteous soul, named Dhanvantari, has firstly surfaced with his arm-rest-stick and with his handy water-vessel, and then the remarkably elegant Apsara-s, angelic damsels, have emerged next to him from the Milky Ocean.

अप्सु निर्मथनादेव रसात्तस्माद्वरस्त्रियः।
उत्पेतुर्मनुजश्रेष्ठ तस्मादप्सरसोऽभवन्॥ १-४५-३३

Choicest females have come out an elixir obtained on absolute churning of the waters of Milk Ocean, oh, best one among men, Rama, thereby that genera of females became Apsara-s.

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Rig Veda

Rig Veda is all about narration of spiritual concepts, experiences in esoteric sense.

The words jalam, salilam, ap were not used in Rig Veda only in the sense of water, but used to indicate esoterically the splendor, BLISS, illumination, etc, also.

samudra - समुद्र does indicate the ocean or sea, as well as all pervading Illumination or Splendor.

Hence, Apsarasas in the Rig Veda indicate the DIVINE RAYS.

As Apsarasas are emanating from an all pervading Illumination or Splendor or formless ENERGY, it is called the BRAHMAN or SOMA or Gandharva.

The BRAHMAN or SOMA or Gandharva is existed all alone and an imperishable ONE.

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Rig Veda 9.78.3

समुद्रिया अप्सरसो मनीषिणमासीना अन्तरभि सोममक्षरन् । ता ईं हिन्वन्ति हर्म्यस्य सक्षणिं याचन्ते सुम्नं पवमानमक्षितम् ॥
samudriyā apsaraso manīṣiṇam āsīnā antar abhi somam akṣaran | tā īṃ hinvanti harmyasya sakṣaṇiṃ yācante sumnam pavamānam akṣitam ||

English translation:

The DIVINE RAYS/Apsarasas belonging to the formless ENERGY (sea), sitting within, have streamed toward Soma/BLISS of inspired thought. They spur him on, the conqueror of the secure house; they beg the imperishable self-purifying one /BRAHMAN for his grace.