Valmiki Ramayana - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

अफलः तु ततः शक्रो देवान् अग्नि पुरोगमान्
अब्रवीत् त्रस्त नयनः सिद्ध गन्धव चारणान्

aphalaḥ tu tataḥ śakro devān agni purogamān
abravīt trasta nayanaḥ siddha gandhava cāraṇān

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"The emasculated 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]

VERSE 2

कुर्वता तपसो विघ्नम् गौतमस्य महात्मनः
क्रोधम् उत्पाद्य हि मया सुर कार्यम् इदम् कृतम्

kurvatā tapaso vighnam gautamasya mahātmanaḥ
krodham utpādya hi mayā sura kāryam idam kṛtam

SYNONYMS

mahā ātmanaḥ gautamasya: noble-souled sage, for Gautama | krodham utpādya: fury, on inciting | tapasaḥ vighnam kurvatā: to asceticism, hindrance, effectuated | mayā: by me | idam sura kāryam kṛtam = this, god's, dīd, done: I have accomplished a task of gods | hi: indeed. |

TRANSLATION

" 'I have Indeed incited fury in that noble-souled Sage Gautama by effectuating hindrance in his asceticism, but I have accomplished a task of gods. [1-49-2]

PURPORT

Indra is a position assigned to some high-souled being on acquiring considerable merit. He functions as a CEO of the universe, maintaining seasons, rains, thunders, thunderbolts, crops, earthquakes, and every aspect of nature, whether they are good or bad for us. If any Vedic-ritual were performed, this Indra would be too happy, as he and his deputies like Rain-god, Fire-god, Air-god, et al., will receive many oblations from that ritual. But if it is tapas 'the practise of asceticism, penance, or ascesis' by single sage, Indra will be highly perturbed. Usually sages will be practising this ascesis for attainment of higher abodes of Brahma, Vishnu, or Shiva. Some practise this to overthrow present Indra and try ascending to his position, or to attain immortality and thereby rout out Indra, as with the case of Ravana. When that practise is about to materialise, Indra sends his agents, like voluptuous celestial beauties, namely the apsara-s, to infatuate those sages with their beauty. Once the sage's concentration fails, his practise becomes futile. Thus, Indra retains his present position. Here, though Sage Gautama did not practise his ascesis for Indra's post, Indra had to hinder it in his own apprehension, and when the fury of Gautama is incited, Gautama's practise also failed and he had to redo his ascesis until he overcomes his passions. Thus, this 'causing hindrance' is a divine-act as proclaimed by Indra to other gods. In doing such 'divine-acts' Indra will also be maligned, for which the higher gods like Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, or other higher beings will come to his rescue.

VERSE 3

अफलो अस्मि कृतः तेन क्रोधात् सा च निराकृता
शाप मोक्षेण महता तपो अस्य अपहृतम् मया

aphalo asmi kṛtaḥ tena krodhāt sā ca nirākṛtā
śāpa mokṣeṇa mahatā tapo asya apahṛtam mayā

SYNONYMS

tena krodhāt: by him [Gautama,] by anger | a phalaḥ kṛtaḥ asmi: fruitless [testicle-less,] rendered, I am | sā ca nirākṛtā: she [Ahalya,] also, is rejected | mahatā śāpa mokṣeṇa: severe, curse, by releasing | asya tapaḥ mayā apahṛtam: his, ascesis, by me, pre-empted. |

TRANSLATION

"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 for ascesis is dwindled, therefore his ascesis is pre-empted by me. [1-49-3]

VERSE 4

तत् माम् सुरवराः सर्वे स ऋषि संघाः स चारणाः
सुर कार्य करम् यूयम् सफलम् कर्तुम् अर्हथ

tat mām suravarāḥ sarve sa ṛṣi saṃghāḥ sa cāraṇāḥ
sura kārya karam yūyam saphalam kartum arhatha

SYNONYMS

tat [tasmāt]: therefore | sa ṛṣi sanghāḥ sa cāraṇāḥ: together with, sages, assemblages, with, caarana-s | sarve sura varāḥ: oh, all of the, gods, best ones | sura kārya karam = divine, dīd, undertaken: I acted for the benefit of gods | mām: me | yūyam sa phalam kartum arhatha: you all, with, testicles, to make [me virile,] apt of you. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Therefore, oh, all gods with the assemblages of sages and caarana-s, it will be apt of you to make me virile again, as I have acted for the benefit of gods.' Thus Indra spoke to all gods. [1-49-4]

VERSE 5

शतक्रतोः वचः श्रुत्वा देवाः स अग्नि पुरोगमाः
पितृ देवान् उपेत्य आहुः सह सर्वैः मरुत् गणैः

śatakratoḥ vacaḥ śrutvā devāḥ sa agni purogamāḥ
pitṛ devān upetya āhuḥ saha sarvaiḥ marut gaṇaiḥ

SYNONYMS

sa agni purogamāḥ devāḥ: with, fire-god, going ahead [keeping in van,] gods | śatakratoḥ vacaḥ śrutvā = ḥundred: Vedic-rituals officiator - Indra's, words, on hearing | sarvaiḥ marut gaṇaiḥ saha: by all [gods,] Marut, groups, along with | pitṛ devān upetya: at mane, gods, nearby coming | āhuḥ = spoke: appealed. |

TRANSLATION

"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 keeping the Fire-god in van, and appealed. [1-49-5]

VERSE 6

अयम् मेषः सवृषणः शक्रो हि अवृषणः कृतः
मेषस्य वृषणौ गृह्य शक्राय आशु प्रयच्छत

ayam meṣaḥ savṛṣaṇaḥ śakro hi avṛṣaṇaḥ kṛtaḥ
meṣasya vṛṣaṇau gṛhya śakrāya āśu prayacchata

SYNONYMS

ayam meṣaḥ sa vṛṣaṇaḥ: this, ram, is with, testicles | śakraḥ a vṛṣaṇaḥ kṛtaḥ hi: Indra, without, testicles, rendered, indeed | meṣasya vṛṣaṇau gṛhya: ram's, testicles, on taking | śakrāya āśu prayacchata: for Indra, quickly, be given. |

TRANSLATION

" '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]

VERSE 7

अफलः तु कृतो मेषः पराम् तुष्टिम् प्रदास्यति
भवताम् हर्षणार्थाय ये च दास्यन्ति मानवाः
अक्षयम् हि फलम् तेषाम् यूयम् दास्यथ पुष्कलम्

aphalaḥ tu kṛto meṣaḥ parām tuṣṭim pradāsyati
bhavatām harṣaṇārthāya ye ca dāsyanti mānavāḥ
akṣayam hi phalam teṣām yūyam dāsyatha puṣkalam

SYNONYMS

a phalaḥ tu kṛtaḥ meṣaḥ: devoid of, testes, but [though going to be,] rendered, ram [this one before you] | bhavatām parām tuṣṭim pra dāsyati: for you, complete, contentment, certainly endows | ye mānavāḥ [aphalaḥ meṣāḥ] dāsyanti: which of those, humans, [testes-less rams, hereafter in sacrifices,] are going to offer [to you manes] | harṣaṇa arthāya: gratification, purpose of | a kśayam phalam hi: not, lessened, fruits [benefits.] truly | teṣām yūyam dāsyatha puṣkalam: for them [to humans,] you [manes,] offer |

TRANSLATION

" 'This ram that is being offered to you shall now be gelded to give its testes to Indra, and though this ram 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 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. [1-49-7]

PURPORT

The 'manes' are the deified souls of dead ancestors. It is customary to offer un-castrated or unmutilated animals in sacrifices to please gods or departed souls. Presently some humans have offered such an un-castrated ram to manes and the manes are about to enjoy it. But the gods have come and Agni, the Fire-god, is asking them to part with such an offering, for the sake of Indra. And when the manes were hesitating to go against the existing rules of ritual, then Agni, the Fire-god, is amending those rules and he is saying a boon-like proclamation. 'From now, the manes can enjoy even a castrated ram, if offered by humans on earth, and in turn the manes shall afford plentiful benefits of undiminished value to those offerers, namely humans...'

VERSE 8

अग्नेः तु वचनम् श्रुत्वा पितृ देवाः समागताः
उत्पाट्य मेष वृषणौ सहस्राक्षे न्यवेशयन्

agneḥ tu vacanam śrutvā pitṛ devāḥ samāgatāḥ
utpāṭya meṣa vṛṣaṇau sahasrākṣe nyaveśayan

SYNONYMS

sam āgatāḥ: who gathered [to collect their share of offering] | pitṛ devāḥ: manes, godly ones | agneḥ vacanam śrutvā = āgni: the Fire-god's, words, on hearing | meṣa vṛṣaṇau: ram's, both testes | ut pāṭya: out, pulled [pulled out, extricated] | sahasrākṣe nyaveśayan: to Thousand-eyed Indra, offered. |

TRANSLATION

"On hearing the words of Agni, the Fire-god, the manes-gods who gathered to collect their share of offering have extricated that ram's testes, which is not yet sacrificed but tethered to a sacrificial post, and offered them to the Thousand-eyed Indra. [1-49-8]

VERSE 9

तदा प्रभृति काकुत्स्थ पितृ देवाः समागताः
अफलान् भुंजते मेषान् फलैः तेषाम् अयोजयन्

tadā prabhṛti kākutstha pitṛ devāḥ samāgatāḥ
aphalān bhuṃjate meṣān phalaiḥ teṣām ayojayan

SYNONYMS

kākutstha: oh, Rama of Kakutstha | sam āgatāḥ: who have come to collect their share of offering | pitṛ devāḥ: manes, godly ones | tadā prabhṛti: then, onwards | a phalān meṣān bhunjate: without, testes, goats, they are enjoying | teṣām: their [ of offerings / of rams or goats] | phalaiḥ: with testes / benefits | ayojayan: to join [to join testes to Indra / join benefits to the offerer. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

PURPORT

If rams with testes are offered the manes discard the testes of those rams and enjoy the rest of it. Even if a goat is offered they enjoy it, considering it as homogenous to a ram. In either way, the offerer is blessed with benefits and Indra with testes.

VERSE 10

इन्द्रः तु मेष वृषणः तदा प्रभृति राघव
गौतमस्य प्रभावेन तपसा च महात्मनः

indraḥ tu meṣa vṛṣaṇaḥ tadā prabhṛti rāghava
gautamasya prabhāvena tapasā ca mahātmanaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Oh, Raghava, owing to the efficacy of the great-souled Gautama and his ascesis, from then onwards Indra has became one with the testes of a goat. [1-49-10]

VERSE 11

तत् आगच्छ महातेज आश्रमम् पुण्य कर्मणः
तारय एनाम् महाभागाम् अहल्याम् देव रूपिणीम्

tat āgaccha mahāteja āśramam puṇya karmaṇaḥ
tāraya enām mahābhāgām ahalyām deva rūpiṇīm

SYNONYMS

mahāteja: oh, great-resplendent Rama | tat: therefore | puṇya karmaṇaḥ āśramam āgaccha = vith pietistic, dīds [done by ġautama,] to hermitage, you come: enter into | mahā bhāgām: highly, fortunate one | deva rūpiṇīm: divinity, who is in compose of | enām: her [lady] | ahalyām tāraya: let Ahalya, be atoned. |

TRANSLATION

"Therefore, oh, great-resplendent Rama, enter the hermitage of Gautama whose deeds are pietistic, and atone Ahalya who is highly fortunate and who is in the compose of a divinity." Thus Vishvamitra spoke to Rama. [1-49-11]

VERSE 12

विश्वामित्र वचः श्रुत्वा राघवः सह लक्ष्मणः
विश्वामित्रम् पुरस्कृत्य आश्रमम् प्रविवेश ह

viśvāmitra vacaḥ śrutvā rāghavaḥ saha lakṣmaṇaḥ
viśvāmitram puraskṛtya āśramam praviveśa ha

SYNONYMS

saha lakṣmaṇaḥ rāghavaḥ: with, Lakshmana, Raghava | viśvāmitra vacaḥ śrutvā: Vishvamitra's, words, on hearing | viśvāmitram puraskṛtya: Vishvamitra, keeping afore | āśramam praviveśa ha: hermitage, entered, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

On hearing Vishvamitra's words Rama entered the hermitage along with Lakshmana and keeping Vishvamitra afore. [1-49-12]

VERSE 13

ददर्श च महाभागाम् तपसा द्योतित प्रभाम्
लोकैः अपि समागंय दुर्निरीक्ष्याम् सुर असुरैः

dadarśa ca mahābhāgām tapasā dyotita prabhām
lokaiḥ api samāgaṃya durnirīkṣyām sura asuraiḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ: he that Rama [has seen one who is] | mahābhāgām = at highly glorious: Ahalya | tapasā dyotita prabhām = by ascesis, brightened, splendour: one who has it | lokaiḥ api: by worldly beings, even | sura asuraiḥ: by gods, demons | samāgamya: on coming close | dur nirīkṣyām = impossible, to stare at: one who cannot be stared at | dhātrā pra yatnāt nirmitām: by Creator, with careful, contemplation, crafted, contrived | divyām: angelic | māyā mayīm iva: phantasmal, completely [entity,] like | tuṣāra āvṛtām = by fog, overspread: befogged moonshine | sa abhrām = vith, clouds: beclouded moonshine | pūrṇa candra prabhām iva: full, moon's, shine, as with | ambhasaḥ madhye: waters, in midst of | durādharṣām: unwatchable | dīptām sūrya prabhām iva = gloving, sun [mirrored sun,] śine, like: she who is lay waste hitherto | dhūmena abhi parīta angīm: by fumes, around, cloaked, limbed, as with | dīptāam agni sikhām iva: flaring, fire, tongue, as with | dadarśa: he has seen. |

TRANSLATION

She whose splendour is brightened by her ascesis, 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 with careful contemplation as an angelic and a completely phantasmal entity, who is like the befogged and beclouded moonshine of a full moon as she is hitherto enshrouded 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 practising an utmost ascesis subsisting on air alone, which ascesis alone made her like a flaring Ritual Fir, and Rama has seen such a highly glorious Ahalya. [1-49-13, 14, 15]

VERSE 16

सस् हि गौतम वाक्येन दुर्निरीक्ष्या बभूव ह
त्रयाणाम् अपि लोकानाम् यावत् रामस्य दर्शनम्
१४९१६

sas hi gautama vākyena durnirīkṣyā babhūva ha
trayāṇām api lokānām yāvat rāmasya darśanam
1-49-16

SYNONYMS

sā gautama vākyena = śe: Ahalya, Gautama, by the word of | rāmasya darśanam yāvat: Rama's, manifestation, until | trayāṇām api lokānām: three, even, for the worlds | durnirīkṣyā babhūva ha: indiscernible, became, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

Ahalya is indeed indiscernible to all the three worlds by the very word of Gautama until the manifestation of Rama. [1-49-16a, b]

VERSE 17

शापस्य अन्तम् उपागंय तेषाम् दर्शनम् आगता

śāpasya antam upāgaṃya teṣām darśanam āgatā

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 18

स्मरंती गौतम वचः प्रतिजग्राह सा च तौ

smaraṃtī gautama vacaḥ pratijagrāha sā ca tau

SYNONYMS

b, 18| sā ca: she, too | gautama vacaḥ smarantī: Gautama's, word, reminiscing | tau = them tvo: Rama, Lakshmana | prati jagrāha: in turn, received | su samāhitā: self-consciously | pādyam arghyam tathā ātithyam: water [for feet-wash,] water [for hand-wash,] like that, guestship | vidhi dṛṣṭena karmaṇā: custom, in view of [customarily,] dutifully | cakāra: [Ahalya] offered | kākutsthaḥ prati jagrāha: Rama of Kakutstha, in turn, acquiesced it. |

TRANSLATION

Reminiscing Gautama's words Ahalya received those two, and self-consciously offered water for feet and hand washing, and like that she also offered guestship customarily and dutifully, and Rama of Kakutstha on his part acquiesced her hospitality. [1-49-18]

VERSE 19

पुष्प वृष्टिः महती आसीत् देव दुंदुभि निस्वनैः
गन्धर्व अप्सरसाम् च एव महान् आसीत् समुत्सवः

puṣpa vṛṣṭiḥ mahatī āsīt deva duṃdubhi nisvanaiḥ
gandharva apsarasām ca eva mahān āsīt samutsavaḥ

SYNONYMS

deva dundubhi nisvanaiḥ: gods, drum's, with sounds [drumbeats] | mahatī puṣpa vṛṣṭiḥ āsīt: abundant, floral, fall, is there [chanced] | gandharva apsarasām ca eva: gandharva-s, apsara-s, also, even | mahān āsīt sam utsavaḥ: superb, is there [revelled in,] splendid, festivity. |

TRANSLATION

There chanced an abundant floral fall form firmament to the drumbeats of god's drums, and the celestials like gandharva-s, apsara-s revelled in a splendid festivity that is superb. [1-49-19]

VERSE 20

साधु साधु इति देवाः ताम् अहल्याम् समपूजयन्
तपो बल विशुद्ध अंगीम् गौतमस्य वश अनुगाम्

sādhu sādhu iti devāḥ tām ahalyām samapūjayan
tapo bala viśuddha aṃgīm gautamasya vaśa anugām

SYNONYMS

gautamasya vaśa anu gām = ġautama's, abidance, close, follover: a devotee of Gautama | tapaḥ bala vi śuddha angīm: by ascesis, asset of, verily, purified [depurated,] limbed [Ahalya] | tām ahalyām: at her, Ahalya | devāḥ: gods | sādhu sādhu iti: Gracious!, Goodness!, thus [saying,] sam apuujayan = collectively, reverenced |

TRANSLATION

Gods have collectively reverenced her, whose limbs are depurated by the asset of her ascesis which is performed as a devotee of Gautama remaining in his directives, saying 'Gracious! Goodness!' [1-49-20]

VERSE 21

गौतमो अपि महातेजा अहल्या सहितः सुखी
रामम् संपूज्य विधिवत् तपः तेपे महातपाः

gautamo api mahātejā ahalyā sahitaḥ sukhī
rāmam saṃpūjya vidhivat tapaḥ tepe mahātapāḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Even that great-resplendent Gautama is heartened when he reunited with Ahalya after a long, long a time, and that sage customarily reverenced Rama for actualising his solemn utterance, and that great-ascetic Gautama continued his ascesis together with Ahalya. [1-49-21]

VERSE 22

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे
एको न पंचाशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe
eko na paṃcāśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

rāmaḥ api: Rama, even | gautamasya mahā muneḥ sakāśāt: of Gautama, great saint, in the manifestness of | paramām pūjām vidhivat prāpya: high, veneration, conventionally, on receiving | tataḥ: from there | mithilām jagāma: to Mithila, moved ahead. |

TRANSLATION

Even Rama on receiving a conventionally high veneration in the manifestness of that great-saint Gautama himself, then moved ahead to Mithila. [1-49-22]

PURPORT

The legend of Ahalya is viewed from many viewpoints, because it is unclear whether she is a humanly lady or a divine entity, or a tract of land. The atheists, rather materialists, in their translation of Ramayana take this Ahalya, according to their viewpoint, as an uncultivable tract of land by saying that is a + halya un, ploughed...land' Thereby Rama rendered it as a cultivable land in the course of his socio-economic reforms. There are many other instances in relating these mythical accounts of Ramayana to the earthly plane. Another instance is lavaNa asura samhaara elimination of Saline Demon...' and Rama's elimination of this demon is taken as treatment of saline oceanic water as potable waters...' When the mythology is touched upon, it says that Ahalya is lying there as a stone and by the touch of Rama's foot she regained her divinely human form. This is not evident in Valmiki Ramayana. The idea of petrifaction of Ahalya is brought in from Padma Puraana which says: saa tataH tasya raamasya paada sparshanaat mahaatmanH | abhuut suruupaa vanitaa samaakraantaa mahaa shilaa || by the touch of the feet of that great souled Rama, she was manifest as a divine damsel, getting rid of her stone-shape...' Further, there will be an exchange of words between Indra and Brahma in Uttara Kanda of Ramayana, and there this episode of Ahalya recurs. At that place Brahma defines hala as - distorted shape...' and a halya is one with an impeccable beauty...' Besides the above, Indra will be usually addressed as sahasra aksha - thousand eyed one...' and behind this legend, there is another legend, saying that Gautama's curse to Indra is: since you delighted with Divine Ahalya, who is crafted by Brahma, in carnal pleasures, let there be thousand carnally vaginal apertures on your body...' Then that Indra is agitated for such an appearance, pleads for mercy. Then, the curse is amended saying 'instead of vaginal apertures, the apertures on your body will look like eyes...' thus Indra became sahasra aksha. F. Max Muller records in his History of Sanskrit Literature' the commentary of Kumaarila Bhatt, yet another ancient commentator on Ramayana. "In the same manner, if it is said the Indra was the seducer of Ahalya. This does not imply that the God Indra committed such a crime, but Indra means the Sun and Ahalya the night, from [the words] ahaH the 'day' and lil the 'night'; and as the night is seduced and ruined by the sun of the morning, there is Indra called the paramour of Ahalya." Dharmaakuutam views this as paatityam, patita falling from practise of virtuousness' Such women are said to be accepted by men after making their amends for their faults. tathaa svaruupa naasham kR^itvaa vaayu bhakSha ityaadi vayonuurpa shaapa pradaanena caapalyaat satkR^it para puruSha vR^ittaa strii niyamena shocayitvaa punaH sa~Ngrahya iti suucitam | abhyaase tu paatityam | - tathaa ca gautamaH - nindita karma abhyaasi patitaat tyaaga patitaat tyaaginaH patitaaH - iti - dk