A common theme in mythology around the world is where a man enters his bed and makes love to a woman who he thinks is his wife. However, it turns out to be another woman who tricks him by taking the form of his wife. Likewise, there are stories of women who find themselves in bed with men who look like their husbands. In reality though, they are some magical creatures—either a god or a demon.

In Hindu mythology, we hear how the sun god, Surya, discovers that the woman in his bed is not his wife, Saranya, but her shadow, Chhaya. Saranya left him because she could not bear his bright glare. We hear the story of how Krishna's son, Sambha, pretends to be Krishna and tricks his father's junior wives. He is punished for this crime with a skin disease, so that the women can differentiate father from son. In some versions of the story, Ahilya is tricked by Indra, who takes the form of her husband, Gautam. We also hear of Agni who is so aroused by the wives of the Seven Sages that to prevent him from doing the undesirable, his wife, Svaha, takes the form of those women and alleviates his desire. From this misplaced desire is born the warlord, Skanda.