Mandakarni did austerities (tapas) in a pond for ten thousand years. Indra became fearful that Mandakarni’s tapas would be used to gain a boon that would upset the order of heaven, so he sent five celestial maidens (apsaras) to distract him. The five apsaras did distract Mandakarni. He built a palace near the pond and lived with the maidens for many years. The palace became famous for music and dance. Even Rama and Lakshmana visited Pancapsaras Palace (five celestials palace) during their exile in the forest. Mandakarni had no tapas left to threaten Indra any more.