Bala Kanda, Sarga 48

Meaning

Having inquired after the sage’s welfare, Sumati, at the end of the dialogue that ensued in the course of their meeting with one another, spoke to the great sage Viśwāmitra as follows : (1)

Meaning

“May God bless you ! These two valiant lads, who are equal in prowess to gods, walk with the gait of the elephant and the lion and look like a tiger and a bull, respectively. (2)

Meaning

“Having eyes large as the petals of a lotus and carrying, as they do, on their person a sword, a quiver and a bow each, they vie with the Aświns (the twin-born physicians of gods, celebrated for their physical charm) in their comeliness of form and stand at the threshold of youth. (3)

Meaning

“Nay, they look like two gods descended on earth from the celestial plane of their own will. How and what for have they travelled on foot to this place and whose sons are they, O sage? (4)

Meaning

“I wish to hear in reality as to wherefore the two heroes, the foremost among men, who are replicas of each other in the size of their body, in the outer expression of their feelings as well as in the movements of their body, have got on a track so difficult to tread, gracing this land even as the moon and the sun illumine the sky, and carrying excellent weapons on their person.” (5-6)

Meaning

Hearing this submission of Sumati, Viśwāmitra told him everything as it had actually come about, as also of their sojourn at Siddhāśrama and the destruction of the ogress during that period. The king was greatly amazed to hear the narrative of Viśwāmitra. Nay, he worshipped with due ceremony the two mighty sons of Daśaratha, who deserved all attentions and had called on him as his highly distinguished guests. (7-8)

Meaning

Having received the warmest hospitality from Sumati, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, the two scions of Raghu, spent one night there at his capital and proceeded from there to Mithilā the next day. (9)

Meaning

Beholding that beautiful capital of King Janaka all the sages forming the party of Viśwāmitra greatly admired Mithilā, exclaiming “Good ! Excellent !!” (10)

Meaning

Seeing then an old and delightful, though desolate, hermitage in a grove on the outskirts of Mithilā, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, inquired as follows of Viśwāmitra, the foremost of hermits : (11)

Meaning

“What can this place possibly be, which, though looking like a hermitage, is devoid of hermits? I wish to hear, O venerable Sir, whose hermitage it has been in the past.” (12)

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid question asked by Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu), the great sage Viśwāmitra, who is exceptionally glorious and skilled in speech, replied as follows : (13)

Meaning

“Ah, please listen ! I shall tell you in truth, O scion of Raghu, to what great soul this site of a past hermitage belonged and by whose wrath it was subjected to a curse. (14)

Meaning

“The hermitage, which looked like a heavenly retreat, nay, which was highly honoured even by gods, formerly belonged to the high-souled sage, Gautama, O jewel among men ! (15)

Meaning

“In this very hermitage, O highly Meritorious prince, he practised austerities with his wife, Ahalyā, for many rounds of years. (16)

Meaning

Coming to know of his absence from the hermitage due to his having gone out for his daily bath etc., Indra (who is noted for his thousand eyes), the spouse of Śacī, appeared in the guise of the sage Gautama and spoke to Ahalyā as follows : (17)

Meaning

“ ‘Those hankering after enjoyment do not await the time favourable for conception (the sixteen nights following menstruation), O highly composed lady ! I, therefore, seek union with you, pretty woman !’ (18)

Meaning

“ ‘Even on recognizing him to be Indra, the thousand-eyed god, disguised as Gautama, O scion of Raghu, the misguided woman set her heart upon Indra in her eagerness to embrace the ruler of gods.(19)

Meaning

“With her inner self gratified through union with Indra, she said to Indra (the foremost of gods), ‘I stand accomplished of my purpose through this meeting with you, O jewel among gods. Pray depart from this place at once, O lord ! (20)

Meaning

“ ‘Only guard your own self as well as me in everyway from the notice of Gautama, O ruler of gods !’ Thereupon Indra heartily laughed and addressed the following words to Ahalyā : (21)

Meaning

“ ‘Highly gratified through this meeting with you, O charming lady, I shall depart even as I came unobserved by anyone.’ Having thus copulated with her, O Rāma, he thereupon issued out of the hut with quick steps, of course from fear of being detected, apprehensive as he was of meeting Gautama. Immediately he saw the great sage Gautama entering the cottage. (22-23)

Meaning

“Dismayed to behold there Gautama, the foremost of sages—who was hard to overcome even for gods and demons, equipped as he was with spiritual energy generated by askesis—drenched with holy water in which he had just bathed and blazing like fire, carrying firewood for the sacrificial fire and blades of Kuśa grass in his hands, Indra, the ruler of gods, stood with his face downcast. (24-25)

Meaning

“Seeing Indra, the thousand-eyed god, in his own disguise and guilty of misconduct, the sage, who was perfect in his moral conduct, forthwith spoke in an angry tone as follows : (26)

Meaning

“ ‘Since you have perpetrated this misdeed having assumed my disguise, O evil-minded one, you will be shorn of your testicles.’ (27)

Meaning

The testicles of Indra (the thousand-eyed god) dropped instantly on the ground even as he was cursed, as aforesaid, by the high-souled Gautama, highly incensed as he was. (28)

Meaning

Nay, having imprecated Indra in the foregoing words, he cursed his wife too as follows: ‘You will stay here for many thousands of years without food or drink, living on air alone, and remain lying on ashes full of remorse. You will dwell in this hermitage unperceived by anyone of all created beings. (29-30)

Meaning

“ ‘When, however, Śrī Rāma, son of Daśaratha, who is hard to overcome for anyone, visits this fearful grove, then alone you will be absolved of your sin. (31)

Meaning

“ ‘Completely rid of cupidity and infatuation by virtue of hospitality that you will extend to him (in the same invisible form), O immoral woman, you will regain your own pristine body and return to my presence full of joy.’ (32)

Meaning

“Having imprecated, as aforesaid, that woman of immoral conduct, the exceptionally glorious sage Gautama left this hermitage and the great ascetic resumed his austerities on a delightful peak of the Himālayas, frequented by Siddhas and Cāraṇas.” (33)