Summary
Ahalya is redeemed from her curse when Rama enters their hermitage. Vishvamitra while continuing the narration of the legend of Ahalya asks Rama to enter her hermitage where Ahalya is living unseen by anybody. When once Rama steps into that hermitage she manifests herself from her accursed [being under a curse] invisible state. She emerges with her divine form and accords guest-ship to Rama and Lakshmana. Sage Gautama also arrives at this juncture to accept his depurated wife Ahalya.
Chapter [Sarga] 49 in Detail
aphalah tu tatah shakro devaan agni purogamaan |
abraviit trasta nayanah siddha gandhava caaranaan || 1-49-1
The emasculated [weakened] Indra then with panicked eyes spoke to Gods, Siddha-s, Gandharva-s, and carana-s, keeping Fire-God as their helms-God. [1-49-1]
kurvataa tapaso vighnam gautamasya mahaatmanah |
krodham utpaadya hi mayaa sura kaaryam idam kritam || 1-49-2
I have Indeed incited [urged] fury in that noble-souled Sage Gautama by effectuating hindrance in his asceticism, but I have accomplished a task of Gods. [1-49-2]
aphalo asmi kritah tena krodhaat saa ca niraakritaa |
shaapa moksena mahataa tapo asya apahritam mayaa || 1-49-3
By Gautama's anger I am rendered testicle-less and his wife Ahalya is also rejected by the sage, and thus by his releasing a severe curse his propriety [true nature] for asceticism [practicing strict self-denial] is dwindled [destroyed], therefore his asceticism is pre-empted by me. [1-49-3]
tat maam suravaraah sarve sa risi sa.nghaah sa caaranaah |
sura kaarya karam yuuyam saphalam kartum arhatha || 1-49-4
‘Therefore, oh, all Gods with the assemblages of sages and Caarana-s, it will be apt of you to make me virile [energetic] again, as I have acted for the benefit of Gods.' Thus Indra spoke to all Gods. [1-49-4]
shatakratoh vacah shrutvaa devaah sa agni purogamaah |
pitri devaan upetya aahuh saha sarvaih marut ganaih || 1-49-5
On hearing the words of the officiator for Hundred-Vedic-rituals, namely Indra, all of the Gods and other assemblages of celestials, together with the groups of Marut-Gods came to the Godly manes [spirit of a dead person] keeping the Fire-God in van [front], and appealed. [1-49-5]
ayam mesah savrisanah shakro hi avrisanah kritah |
mesasya vrisanau grihya shakraaya aashu prayacchata || 1-49-6
‘This ram is with testicles and Indra is indeed rendered testicle-less. Taking the testicles of this ram they may be given to Indra quickly.' Thus Fire-God started his appeal to manes. [1-49-6]
aphalah tu krito mesah paraam tustim pradaasyati |
bhavataam harsanaarthaaya ye ca daasyanti maanavaah |
akshayam hi phalam tesaam yuuyam daasyatha puskalam || 1-49-7
‘This ram [a male sheep] that is being offered to you shall now be gelded [castrated] to give its testes to Indra, and though this ram [a male sheep] is deprived of its organ it will be complete and it endows complete satisfaction to you. To those humans who hereafter offer testes-less rams [a male sheep] in sacrifices for the purpose of your gratification, you shall truly offer them plentiful and unmitigated benefits.' Thus Agni, the Fire-God spoke to manes [spirit of a dead person or forefathers]. [1-49-7]
agneh tu vacanam shrutvaa pitri devaah samaagataah |
utpaatya mesa vrisanau sahasraakse nyaveshayan || 1-49-8
On hearing the words of Agni, the Fire-God, the manes-Gods who gathered to collect their share of offering have extricated [remove] that ram's [a male sheep] testes, which is not yet sacrificed but tethered [to fasten] to a sacrificial post, and offered them to the Thousand-eyed Indra. [1-49-8]
tadaa prabhriti kaakutstha pitri devaah samaagataah |
aphalaan bhu.njate mesaan phalaih tesaam ayojayan || 1-49-9
Oh, Rama of Kakutstha, from then onwards the manes-Gods who come to collect their share are enjoying even the goats, even if they do not have testes, to endow benefits thereof to those that offer those goats, and to join the testes of goats to Indra. [1-49-9]
indrah tu mesa vrisanah tadaa prabhriti raaghava |
gautamasya prabhaavena tapasaa ca mahaatmanah || 1-49-10
Oh, Raghava, owing to the efficacy of the great-souled Gautama and his asceticism, from then onwards Indra has became one with the testes of a goat. [1-49-10]
tat aagaccha mahaateja aashramam punya karmanah |
taaraya enaam mahaabhaagaam ahalyaam deva ruupiniim || 1-49-11
Therefore, oh, great-resplendent Rama, enter the hermitage of Gautama whose deeds are pietistic [of or relating to religious devotion], and atone [to supply satisfaction for] Ahalya who is highly fortunate and who is in the compose of a divinity. Thus Vishvamitra spoke to Rama. [1-49-11]
vishvaamitra vacah shrutvaa raaghavah saha laksmanah |
vishvaamitram puraskritya aashramam pravivesha ha || 1-49-12
On hearing Vishvamitra's words Rama entered the hermitage along with Lakshmana and keeping Vishvamitra afore [before]. [1-49-12]
dadarsha ca mahaabhaagaam tapasaa dyotita prabhaam |
lokaih api samaagamya dur.hniriiksyaam sura asuraih || 1-49-13
prayatnaat nirmitaam dhaatraa divyaam maayaamayiim iva |
dhuumena abhipariita a.ngiim diiptaaam agni sikhaam iva || 1-49-14
sa tusaara aavritaam sa abhraam puurna candra prabhaam iva |
madhye a.mbhaso duraadharsaam diiptaam suurya prabhaam iva || 1-49-15
She whose splendor is brightened by her asceticism, at whom it is impossible to raise an eye for a stare either for Gods, or for demons, or for the worldly beings on coming close to her, whom the Creator has contrived [labored] with careful contemplation [intention] as an angelic [a person like an angel] and a completely phantasmal [a product of fantasy] entity, who is like the befogged and beclouded moonshine of a full moon as she is hitherto [up to this time] enshrouded [to cover or enclosed with] by the dried up leaves and dust, who is like an unwatchable sunshine mirrored in and glowing from the midst of water, for she is hitherto in the midst of denounce, and whose limbs are like the tongues of a flaring fire around which fumes are cloaking, as she is hitherto practicing an utmost asceticism [practicing strict self-denial] subsisting on air alone, which asceticism alone made her like a flaring Ritual Fire, and Rama has seen such a highly glorious Ahalya. [1-49-13, 14, 15]
sas hi gautama vaakyena durhniriiksyaa babhuuva ha |
trayaanaam api lokaanaam yaavat raamasya darshanam |1-49-16
Ahalya is indeed indiscernible [not recognizable] to all the three worlds by the very word of Gautama until the manifestation of Rama. [1-49-16a, b]
shaapasya antam upaagamya tesaam darshanam aagataa ||
raaghavau tu tatah tasyaah paadau jagrihatuh mudaa | 1-49-17
On reaching the end of curse she came into the view of Raghava-s, and they too gladly touched her feet in reverence. [1-49-16c, 17a]
smarantii gautama vacah pratijagraaha saa ca tau ||
paadyam arhghyam tathaa aatithyam cakaara susamaahitaa |
pratijagraaha kaakutstho vidhi dristena karmanaa || 1-49-18
Reminiscing [remembering] Gautama's words Ahalya received those two, and self-consciously offered water for feet and hand washing, and like that she also offered guest-ship customarily and dutifully, and Rama of Kakutstha on his part acquiesced [accepted] her hospitality. [1-49-18]
puspa vristih mahatii aasiit deva du.ndubhi nisvanaih |
gandharva apsarasaam ca eva mahaan aasiit samutsavah || 1-49-19
There chanced an abundant floral fall form firmament [heavens] to the drumbeats of God's drums, and the celestials like Gandharva-s, Apsara-s reveled [to take intense pleasure or satisfaction] in a splendid festivity that is superb. [1-49-19]
saadhu saadhu iti devaah taam ahalyaam samapuujayan |
tapo bala vishuddha a.ngiim gautamasya vasha anugaam || 1-49-20
Gods have collectively reverenced her, whose limbs are depurated [to become free from impurities] by the asset of her asceticism which is performed as a devotee of Gautama remaining in his directives, saying 'Gracious! Goodness!' [1-49-20]
gautamo api mahaatejaa ahalyaa sahitah sukhii |
raamam sampuujya vidhivat tapah tepe mahaatapaah || 1-49-21
Even that great-resplendent Gautama is heartened when he reunited with Ahalya after a long, long time, and that sage customarily reverenced Rama for actualizing his solemn utterance, and that great-ascetic Gautama continued his asceticism together with Ahalya. [1-49-21]
raamo api paramaam puujaam gautamasya mahaamuneh |
sakaashaat vidhivat praapya jagaama mithilaam tatah || 1-49-22
Even Rama on receiving a conventionally high veneration in the manifest-ness of that great-saint Gautama himself, then moved ahead to Mithila. [1-49-22]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye baala kaande eko na pa.ncaashah sargah
Thus, this is the 49th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate