A lake of distinction. During the exile of श्री राम in the forests, अगस्त्य showed श्री राम this lake and described its origin thus: "In times of old a sage named माण्डकर्णि built this lake. This sage living on air alone stood in the waters of this lake and practised severe austerities for ten thousand years. देवस् were frightened by the rigorous penance of माण्डकर्णि and they sent five देवकन्यकास् (celestial damsels) to the earth to entice the sage and stop his penance. The sage was attracted by the divine beauty of the girls and he lived with them in a grand building constructed within the lake itself. Even after the passing away of the sage and the damsels people used to hear dance and music from inside the lake. Because five अप्सरस् lived in that lake it became known as पञ्चाप्सरस् .

( अप्सरस् = celestial damsels who are servants of इन्द्र ).

(Sarga 1, Araṇya Kāṇḍa, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa)