Chapter 54 - The Rape of Ahalyā

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The lord said:

1. (I have) told (you) about Adrohaka’s greatness, unbearable to the people. Having resisted (the temptation of cohabiting with) a woman occupying the same bed, he conquered everything.

2. He made convenient (i.e. easy) what was difficult to be accomplished by the wise, and by the celibate sages, and which was difficult for gods, demons and men.

3. Which man, but Adrohaka, is capable of conquering the sexual desire, which is naturally difficult (to overcome)? O brāhmaṇa, he (i.e. Adrohaka) aloneis a man who has conquered everything.

4-5a. Sureśa (i.e. Indra) had vaginal marks (on his body) because of having outraged Ahalyā only. Then again, due to the favour of Goddess (Indrākṣī), he, became well-known as Sahasrākṣa (one having a thousand eyes). This is known in the entire mobile and immobile world.

The brāhmaṇa said:

5b-7a. O lord, how did the god of gods outrage Ahalyā? How did he, the lord of gods, after having the vaginal marks (on his body) become Sahasrākṣa (i.e. having a thousand eyes on his body)? How did the lord of gods whose body was bright like the sun, become one whose body had vaginal marks on it? I desire to hear accurately how (this) weakness of the god became notorious.

The lord said:

7b-8a. Formerly, the large-minded lord of the worlds, the Creator, gladly gave his mind-born daughter to Gautama in the presence of the regents of the quarters.

8b-9a. Since then in the hearts of the regents of the quarters, with their minds overcome with the passion of love, and in the heart of the lord of Śacī (i.e. Indra) fascination for her has remained like a dart.

9b-10a. ‘This (young girl) who is a gem (among women) and who is well-dressed and of an excellent complexion, is given to a brāhmaṇa, by disregarding the regents of quarters. What shall I do now?’

10b-11. Thinking like this, (Indra) again saw her excellent form when she was in youth, through Maya (magical power). Thinking again, he went to the place of Gautama.

12. Listen from me (i.e. as I tell you) what happened after he had gone there. That (sage) Gautama once went for a bath to Puṣkara.

13. The chaste wife was engrossed in cleansing the house and (arranging) household things. She was intent upon preparing the offering to the deities and (the lord of) dwelling.

14-16. She (kept ready) the fuel for the sacrificial rite, and collected things for (her husband’s) daily rites. In the meanwhile, Indra assumed the form of the great sage and gladly entered the (sage’s) hut. The chaste and loyal wife, seeing her husband became active to collect things with faith at the chamber (where the images) of the deities (were placed). Then Indra, who had taken up the sage’s form, and who was excited, said to her:

17. “I am overcome with the passion of love; give me a kiss etc.” In the meanwhile (i.e. at that time), she bashfully said (these) words:

18-19a. “O lord, please do not ask me to give up the acts etc. (being done) for the deities. O sage, O you who know dharma, (please) do not ask me to give up the acts (being done by me) for the deities and the like. You know the entire purpose of pious deeds. This desire at this time, now, is not proper.”

19b-22a. Then he, who seeing her all-beautiful form was overpowered by the passion of love (said to her:) “O darling, enough (of such words); (please) do not talk (like this). A dart has come up in my heart. That woman is a loyal, faithful and devoted wife, who always does what should and should not be done in accordance with what the husband says. She who disobeys his order, especially at (i.e. for) coitus, has her religious merit lost, and she meets with misfortune.”

22b-23a. She said: “O sage, things required for theworship of gods are (kept ready). Other daily pieces of work are also done. Why do you want to make a change in them?”

23b-24. He said to the chaste woman there: “Give me an embrace etc., by giving up the fear in your mind, as I had given them to you.” Thus speaking to her, he embraced her, and did what he had desired.

25-26a. In the meanwhile, O brāhmaṇa, the sage, after he had started his meditation, understood the sinful deed of Indra. Quickly he went (back) and stood at the region of the door.

26b-27. Indra, seeing the sage, entered a cat’s body; and walked in the manner of the wind (i.e. fast). The sage said to (i.e. asked) him there: “Who are you, who have taken up a cat’s form?”

28. Due to fear, Indra stood with palms of his hands joined, before the sage. Seeing Indra before him, the best sage became angry.

29-3la. (The sage said:) “Since for amorous pleasure, you have done such a fraudulent and rash act, therefore, there will be a thousand vaginas on the limbs (of your body). O you most sinful one, your genital organ shall fall here (only). O fool, get (away) from my presence to the heavenly abode of gods: Best sages, men, and Siddhas with serpents (will) see you.”

31b-32a. Speaking thus (to Indra), that greatest sage asked that loyal, devoted wife, who was weeping. (He said:) “What a terrible deed you have met with now?”

32b-33a. She, thus addressed, and frightened and trembling, said to her husband: “O lord, (please) forgive me (for) the deed which I did through ignorance.”

The sage said:

33b-34. You have been approached by a stranger (i.e. a stranger has cohabited with you). You are, (therefore) impure and sinful. You will remain all alone for a long time pervaded (only) with bones, but without flesh and nails. Let men and women see you (in that condition).

35-37. She, who was afflicted, said to him: “(Please) bring about the end of the curse”. When she spoke thus, the sage Gautama, who was overwhelmed with pity, and also overpowered with anger, said (these) words: “When Daśaratha’s son Rāma, (the incarnation of) Viṣṇu, will come to the forest with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa and seeing you remaining on the path, afflicted, dry and bodiless (i.e. just a skeleton), he, laughing, will say in the presence of Vasiṣṭha:

38. ‘Why is this form dry, of the form of bones and (like) a dead body? I have, O brāhmaṇa, never before seen such a form (a like of which) does not exist in the world.’

39-40. Then Vasiṣṭha will tell the old account as it had taken place to the illustrious Rama, i. e. Viṣṇu, who would take up a human form. Hearing the words of Vasiṣṭha, Rāma, well-versed in the code of conduct will say: 'She is absolutely faultless. It is the fault of Indra.’

41. When Rāma will speak thus, you^[1] will give up your censured form, and taking up a divine form, you will come (back) to my house.”

42-43. Gautama, having thus cursed her, went to a forest to practise penance. Then she, of an extremely dry form, lay on the path like that (i.e. as was said by Gautama). And as a result of Rama’s words, she came back to Gautama. Gautama too dwells with her in heaven today.

44. Indra too, being ashamed, remained in water for a long time. Remaining in water, he eulogized the goddess called Indrākṣī.

45. The goddess delighted by his eulogy, and being very much pleased, went and said to him: “Take a boon from me.”

46-47a. Then Indra, the conqueror of enemies’ cities, said to her: “O goddess, due to your favour, I may give up the ugly form caused by the sage’s curse, and may, as before, get (back) the kingdom of gods.”

47b-50a. To him the goddess said: “O lord of gods, to destroy that blemish caused by thesage’s curse, gods like Brahmā alone are capable, I am not able (to do so). But I shall find out such an idea as you will (i.e. your sores will) not be noticed by people. You will have a thousand eyes which will have a thousand (forms resembling) vulva; (and) being famous as ‘Thousand-eyed’ you will rule well over (your) kingdom; and due to my boon your penis will be like a goat’s scrotum.”

50b. Saying so, the mother of the world vanished there only. Indra, adored by best gods, still lives in heaven. O best brāhmaṇa, such was Indra’s condition due to lust.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The story of Ahalyā, slightly differs from its popular version based on the Rāmāyaṇa account, where, as a result of Gautama’s curse, she turns into a stone. The goddess Indrākṣī again (v. 44) does not appear in the Rāmāyaṇa.