Menka

Menka / मेनका

Menka was a beautiful Apsara. She is among the six prominent Apsaras.
Menka was once sent by Indra to earth, to entice Vishvamitra and distract him from his severe penances.
Ultimately they lived together and she gave birth to a daughter Shakuntala. After the birth of Shakuntala, she left the baby in a forest and returned to Svarg. The baby was adopted by sage Kanva.
Once, Menka bore a child by the Gandharv Danu. She left the daughter on the bank of a river, where the baby was found by the sage Sthulkesh, who adopted her and named her Pramadvara.
Once, when the sage Mankanak was performing penance, he saw the Apsara Menka and his seed fell from him, from which was born the daughter Kadaligarbha.