Vaishampayana said : There lived at the source of the Ganges a great and high-souled Rishi who was known as Bharadvaja and he was always observing rigid vows. In the time of yore, Rishi Bharadvaja one day, intending to perform Agnihotra, went many other great Rishis to the Ganges to perform ablution. The Rishi was Ghritachi herself, the Apsara, young and beautiful, proud and voluptuous, rising from the water. As she rose, her cloth became loose and disordered. Seeing her cloth disordered, the Rishi became full of desire.
वैशम्पायन उवाच गङ्गाद्वारं प्रति महान् बभूव भगवानृपिः। भरद्वाज इति ख्यातः सततं संशितव्रतः॥ सोऽभिषेक्तुं ततो गङ्गां पूर्वमेवागमनन्नदीम्। महर्षिभिर्भरद्वाजो हविर्धाने चरन् पुरा॥ ददर्शाप्सरसं साक्षाद् घृताचीमाप्लुतामृषिः। रूपयौवनसम्पन्नां मददृप्तां मदालसाम्॥ तस्याः पुनर्नदीतीरे वसनं पर्यवर्तत। व्यपकृष्टाम्बरां दृष्ट्वा तामृषिश्चक्रमे ततः॥