Bala Kanda, Sarga 49

Meaning

“Deprived of his testicles, Indra with timid eyes then sought the presence of and spoke to the gods headed by Agni, the god of fire, as well as to the Siddhas, Gandharvas and Cāraṇas as follows : (1)

Meaning

“ ‘Hampering as I did the austerities of the high-souled Gautama by exciting his wrath and thereby foiling his attempt to claim my throne, I have only just served the cause of gods. (2)

Meaning

“ ‘In a fit of anger I have accordingly been deprived of my virility and Ahalyā too has been disowned by him. He has thus been robbed by me of his spiritual energy by being incited to pronounce a great curse on me as well as on his wife. (3)

Meaning

“ ‘Therefore, with the co-operation of the host of seers and the celestial bards, O jewels among gods, you should all see me restored to my manhood, since I have served the cause of gods.’ (4)

Meaning

Hearing the appeal of Indra, all the gods, accompanied by the batches of the wind-gods, with Agni at their head, approached the celestial manes (Kavyavāhana and others) and spoke to them as follows : (5)

Meaning

“ ‘Here is a ram full of virility, while Indra stands actually deprived of his manhood by a curse from Sage Gautama. Taking the testicles of the ram, pray, transfer them at once to the person of Indra. (6)

Meaning

“ ‘The castrated ram will surely afford you supreme satisfaction. Nay, to those men indeed who will offer hereafter such a ram for propitiating you, will surely be conferred by you a handsome and undying reward.’ (7)

Meaning

“Hearing the intercession of Agni, the celestial manes unanimously agreed and removed the testicles of the ram and actually implanted them in the scrotum of Indra (the thousand-eyed god). (8)

Meaning

“From that time onward, O scion of Kakutstha, the celestial manes collectively enjoy gelded rams alone and endow those offering them with the fruit of offering whole rams. (9)

Meaning

“And from that time onward, O scion of Raghu, as an evidence of the spiritual power of the high-souled Gautama, Indra has actually borne the testicles of a ram. (10)

Meaning

“Therefore, O exceptionally glorious prince, step into the hermitage of Gautama, who has performed virtuous deeds, and redeem this highly blessed woman, Ahalyā, who was heretofore invested with a celestial form.” (11)

Meaning

Hearing the intercession of Viśwāmitra, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa, made his way into the hermitage, placing Viśwāmitra at the head, so the tradition goes, and beheld the celestial lady, who was highly blessed in the sense that Śrī Rāma’s eyes fell on her, whose effulgence had been brightened by her austerities, who could not be easily perceived even by gods and demons, much less by earthly beings even on drawing near due to the curse of Gautama, who had been produced by the creator with great effort and looked like a product of magic, who looked like a blazing flame wrapped all over in smoke or like the halo of the full moon obscured by a veneer of snow and screened by a cloud or again like a dazzling bright circle of light round the sun appearing in the midst of water existing in clouds. (12—15)

Meaning

Under the curse of Gautama, really speaking, she had grown imperceptible to all the three worlds, pending her sight of Śrī Rāma; so it is said. Having reached the end of the curse she had now come within the range of their sight. (16)

Meaning

Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, the two scions of Raghu, for their part clasped her feet with joy on that occasion; while she in her turn welcomed both, recalling, as she did, the prophesy of Gautama. (17)

Meaning

Fully composed in mind she offered to them, with due ceremony as enjoined by the scriptural ordinance, water to wash their feet and hands with as well as other hospitality and Śrī Rāma gladly accepted them. (18)

Meaning

There was an abundant shower of flowers, from the heavens, accompanied by the beating of kettledrums by gods. And there followed a great rejoicing among Gandharvas and celestial nymphs. (19)

Meaning

“The gods heartily applauded the aforesaid Ahalyā—who had been perfectly purified of body by dint of her austerities and now followed the will of Gautama—in the words “Good ! Excellent !!” (20)

Meaning

“The exceptionally glorious Gautama too (who had evidently returned to his hermitage on being foretold of the advent of Śrī Rāma) felt happy in the company of Ahalyā; nay, having duly worshipped Śrī Rāma according to the scriptural ordinance, the great ascetic resumed his austerities. (21)

Meaning

Having duly received the highest honour at the hands of the eminent sage Gautama, Śrī Rāma too proceeded from that hermitage to Mithilā. (22)