Ahalya is disgraced¹³

Gautama, the great sage and philosopher, and his wife, Ahalya, were living together very peacefully, very happily and very fruitfully. But alas, Indra, king of the cosmic gods, became terribly jealous of them.

He said to himself, “Ahalya was the most beautiful woman. It was I who deserved her. How could it be possible for Gautama to marry her? I wanted to marry her. No, I cannot tolerate this! I must do something. I must punish both of them. It is I, the King of the gods, who deserved her and not that silly Gautama.”

So one day he took Gautama’s form and went to Ahalya while her husband was bathing in the river. He appeared before her in an absolutely vital and emotional consciousness.

Ahalya knew it was not her real husband and said, “I know, I know, Indra. You have come and taken the form of my husband. You are not my husband Gautama, but still I love you. I have tremendous love for you. You are so handsome, so beautiful, so powerful. I have tremendous love for you.”

Indra said, “Really I wanted you long before you were married. I always treasured you inside my heart. I have tremendous, tremendous love for you. Your very name, your very beauty, thrill my heart. Certainly we are meant for each other.”

“It seems so,” said Ahalya.

At that very moment Gautama came. As soon as Gautama saw both of them, he used his third eye of destruction. “I am using this, Indra, to punish you. How can you fall in love with my wife? I curse you! With my third eye I am making you impotent.”

Indra said, “Forgive me. Forgive me.”

“No forgiveness. No forgiveness. You impossible, unthinkable character!”

To Ahalya he said, “Unthinkable! Unbelievable! You are my best disciple! You I married because of your father’s request. You surpassed everyone in spirituality. Now this is what you have done with your life? Falling in love with this worst possible scoundrel, Indra! You also I am cursing. You will live here unseen by people. You will eat only wind. You will never have any proper food. You will lie down here practically dead. Nobody will care for you. Everyone will despise you for your unfaithfulness.

“You were the most beautiful woman, but now there will be many who will be more beautiful. Now that I am withdrawing my blessing-power, you will be a disgrace and everyone will hate you. But I tell you, after many, many years, Sri Ramachandra will pass by here and walk over your body. He will forgive you. When he does, you will be relieved of your sin and you will regain your spirituality and beauty. In the meantime, my curse and your life will go together. I gave you my aspiration, my realisation, my occult power, everything! And you became unfaithful. Impossible creature!”

Gautama’s rage cursed both Indra and Ahalya. Indra assumed his own form and was cursed with impotency while Ahalya lost all her physical beauty and withered away to mingle with the dust of Gautama’s palace grounds.