The Beautiful Story of Ahalyaa

(Based on the account given in the Kamba Ramayana written in Tamil by the sage Kamban during the thirteenth century. I have slightly edited the English translation to make it more easily readable)

Dear Readers, the following is an account of the story of Ahalyaa which gives a good explanation why Ahalyaa is considered to this day to be one of the most chaste women in history.

After passing partway through the country of Janaka Maharaja, Rama, Lakshmana and Visvamitra Muni came to the City of Mithila, which was surrounded by boundary walls. After their long but pleasant journey, they rested against the boundary walls. As they gazed upon the surroundings, they noticed in the open ground a stone image. That stone image represented the cursed wife of the sage Gautama. She had lost the glory of her household and was known by the name of Ahalyaa, earning blemish on her character. (Kamba-Ramayana, Bala-kanda, 539)

The dust from the feet of Kakutstha fell on the image. With the very touch of the dust of Rama’s feet, Ahalyaa regained her earlier form and stood there. Her regaining the original form was like an ascetic who, disowning the darkness of ignorance, attains supreme knowledge and arrives to adore the lotus- like feet of the Lord. Thereafter Kaushika said to Sri Rama: (540) “O Rama, belonging to the race of Bhaagiratha, who made the Ganga descend from the sky, the damsel who is delightfully standing before you is the spouse of the sage Gautama. Indra had deliberately committed a crime [against her], as a result of which the sage Gautama bestowed upon Indra a thousand beautiful eyes.” (541)

Listening to the words of the sage with golden locks of hair, Rama was immensely surprised. He said, “How surprising are the movements of destiny! Its ways are astonishing! She appears to be like the mother of the universe. How could she meet with such a fate? Was it the reward of some deeds performed in a previous life, or was it the result of some evil deeds performed by her during this birth? Kindly tell us.” (542)

Visvamitra, who had the knowledge of past, present and future, said to him, “O virtuous Rama, once upon a time, Indra, the holder of the shining vajra, became influenced by evil passionate desires. He tried to enjoy the company of the beautiful wife of Gautama who had eyes like a doe. (543)

“Under the influence of the god of love, Indra was overcome with passion because of the eyes of the beautiful damsel, which were shaped like the head of a spear. He searched for a remedy to relieve himself of his passion. Due to his intolerable desire, his mind was disturbed. He thought of a plan how to remove Gautama from his abode. To achieve this, he produced the untimely crowing of a rooster. Hearing the crowing of the rooster, Sage Gautama left his hermitage to go take bath. In his absence, Indra entered the spotless abode of Gautama, disguising himself as the sage. (544)

Both Indra and Ahalyaa were engaged in conjugal pleasures. Intensely lusty, they became wild in making love. Both of them were enjoying equally. Soon, the truth about the intruder dawned on Ahalyaa, but in spite of that, she could not resist and went on enjoying conjugal pleasure. At the same time, Gautama, who had prowess equal to Lord Shiva, arrived there after taking bath. (545)

Whether pronouncing a curse or giving a benediction, the words of Gautama always come true. It is possible to dodge an arrow when it is shot from a bow, but it is impossible to avoid a curse from the lips of Gautama Rsi. Similarly, his boons were also fruitful. Finding Gautama there, Ahalyaa, who had earned permanent denouncement, stood aside, feeling panicky. Indra also felt panicky and tried to flee the scene in the form of a cat. (546)

Gautama was an auspicious sage who believed in justice. He came to know about the sin of Indra. He looked at both of them with eyes burning with anger. O Rama, just as Your arrow is invincible once it is fixed to Your bow, he pronounced an infallible curse. “Let your body develop a thousand yonis (vaginas)!” In the twinkling of an eye, his entire body was covered with yonis. (547)

Indra was filled with shame. Everyone who looked at him laughed at him and started denouncing him contemptuously. Thereafter, he left the place. The sage then looked at Ahalyaa who had a sweet temperament. “You have acted like a whore, therefore you become a stone.” When she was falling, having been turned into a stone, she said to the ascetic who had burning eyes like Shiva, “It is incumbent upon saintly people to forgive. Please tell me how I can be relieved of this curse.” The sage kept quiet for some time, and then he said to Ahalyaa, “With the touch of the dust from the lotus-like feet of Rama who is adored with fragrant flowers over which black bumblebees hover, you will be relieved of your stone form and achieve your original position.” (549)

The gods in heaven could not keep quiet finding Indra in such a condition. They went to the sage Gautama led by Brahma. All of them prayed to Gautama for the removal of the curse. By that time, the sage had cooled down. He therefore made the thousand yonis into a thousand eyes all over the body of Indra. But the goddess Ahalyaa continued to remain in the form of a stone. (550)

Ahalyaa having been released from her curse by Rama, Rama looked at her and said, “O mother, you should now serve the sage Gautama attentively and earn his grace. Forget the past. You come along with us.” Thus speaking, He took Ahalyaa with Him. (552)

All of them went toward the hermitage of Gautama. Visvamitra pointed out Gautama’s hermitage to Rama from a distance. All of them were delighted to find the sages, and the sages were happy to welcome the visitors who had arrived there. They were offered the customary padhya and ardhya. Thereafter, Visvamitra, the son of Gadhi, said to Gautama, “O sage Gautama, with the touch of the dust from the feet of Sri Rama who has a complexion like collyrium, the goddess has attained her original form. It is therefore evident that she has an auspicious and spotless mind. Therefore, kindly accept her.” Gautama accepted the words of Visvamitra. (554)

Virtuous Rama, the best of all, prostrated at the feet of Gautama and praised him, circumambulating him. He then handed over the chaste Ahalyaa who was devoted to her husband, to the sage Gautama. Thereafter, accompanied by Visvamitra, leaving the fragrant asrama of Gautama, they moved toward the city of Mithila.

The poet Kamban describes Ahalyaa as a spotless and chaste woman. Therefore it has to be concluded that Ahalyaa was an absolutely chaste woman. In the episode of Indra, actually Indra and his voluptuous advances were responsible for the unpleasant episode. Ahalyaa had to repent for her unstableness for many years remaining as a stone. The act of repenting and honoring the words of her husband testify that she was immensely devoted to her husband. This new birth of Ahalyaa was by the grace of Sri Rama, therefore He became like her father. (555)