Individual verses with meanings
Hari Om.
Let us begin the forty eighth sarga of the bAlakAnDam with offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
In this sarga, sumati offers hospitality to the sage and the princes and then as planned they start their journey to mithila. On the way, they see the hermitage of sage gautama and upon enquiry by rAma, viSwAmitra narrates the story of ahalya, the consort of gautama.
Thrilled by the advent of sage viSwAmitra to his kingdom of viSAla, king sumati received the entourage warmly and the sage and the king exchanged pleasantries and inquired about each other’s welfare. At the end of his inquiry of the sage, sumati glanced upon the princes and out of curiosity, asked “O sage, prosperity be to you. Who are these two charming and boys who come across mighty as the gods, with gait of an elephant and lion, valorous as the tiger and the bull, wide eyed reminiscent of lotus petals, wielding sword and bow? They appear handsome as if the celestial twin gods aSwinikumAras have dropped from the heavens on to earth! Why are they coming by walk and whose children are they?
They deck this country like the moon and the Sun adorn the skies. Their appearance and expression resembles each other’s. Why did they take to the treacherous path? Kindly enlighten me factually.
viSwAmitra narrated the events as they happened, including the yajna he conducted at the siddhASrama and protection of the yajna by the princes by vanquishing the demons. The king was extremely delighted to be hosting the princes of ayOdhya, sons of emperor daSaratha. He extended due hospitality to the princes and they rested there for the night. The next morning, they left for mithila from there. As the entourage beheld the city of mithila, the sages exclaimed sAdhu sAdhu (excellent, excellent!!).
There in mithila in one of the groves, rAma sighted an ASram (hermitage) that wore a deserted look and with his now characteristic curiosity asked – ‘O sage, this hermitage seems deserted, to whom did it belong earlier?’. Oh well, rAma, I shall relate to you the tale of the great man whose wrath this hermitage has weathered, said the articulate sage.
The great gautama along with his consort ahalya performed penance here in the past. It was a celebrated place that was held in high regard even by the dEvas.
Once, sensing the absence of the sage in the hermitage, the lord of dEvas entered the ASram in the guise of sage gautama and made amorous advances towards ahalya. He said, O charming woman of slender waist, taken by your beauty I am unable to wait until the end of the abstinence period. In spite of being able to see through the guise and recognising indra, evil-intentioned ahalya consented since it was the honour of courting the lord of the dEvas. After a while, having enjoyed the court-ship, she asked indra to make good his escape soon lest he be apprehended by the sage. indra agreed, praised her and exited the thatched hut. As indra in the guise of gautama came out of the leaf hut he saw the effulgent sage gautama drenched in sanctified waters and beholding kuSa grass and firewood for yajna!
Beholding the sage indra went pale! Sage gautama understood the happenings in no time and cursed indra that he lose his testicles having engaged in a prohibitive act. At once indra’s testicles dropped on to the ground. The sage then turned to ahalya and cursed her to lie in obscurity in the ASram without food and only in-taking air for a thousand years in penance unseen by any living being!
“You shall be purified of your sin when rAma, the son of daSaratha enters this ASram. Abandoning desire and greed when you offer hospitality to rAma, you shall regain your present form and be fit to reside with me”. Thus having censured the bad act of ahalya and showing her a path of redemption, gautama left the hermitage for the himAlayas and performed intense penance there.
वायुभक्षा निराहारा तप्यन्ती भस्मशायिनी।।1.48.30।।
अदृश्या सर्वभूतानां आश्रमेऽस्मिन्निवत्स्यसि।
यदा चैतद्वनं घोरं रामो दशरथात्मज:।।1.48.31।।
आगमिष्यति दुर्धर्षस्तदा पूता भविष्यसि।
Here we conclude the forty eighth sarga of the bAlakAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
Next: bAla kANDam, 49th sarga
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