Individual verses with meanings
Hari Om.
Let us begin the fortyninth sarga of the bAlakAnDam with offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
In this sarga, sage gautama and dEvi ahalya, redeemed by rAma extend their hospitality to him. Onwards…
indra turned pale as he lost his gonads and the virility. He addressed the assembled gods and said “in the process of pulling down the immense asectic energy of gautama, ahalya has been accursed and I have lost my virility. I have done this sacrifice for your cause and incurred gautama’s wrath. gautama by virtue of the curse he pronounced has lost some of his high position of asceticism. Therefore I have achieved the objective of the celestials. Since I suffered loss of virility in this process, please ensure that my virility is back”.
The gods agreed and sighting a sheep which has received the share of sacrificial offerings of indra, they suggested that the gonads of that animal be grafted onto indra. The pitRdEvas (manes) immediately acted upon the suggestion and conducted the surgery and conferred virility on indra by virtue of the gonads of the sheep. Ever since the manes have been accepting sheep without gonads in their offering.
viSwAmitra continued, “O rAma, the power of gautama’s asceticism is such that indra’s virility was ascribed to a sheep! Let’s enter into this divine hermitage now”. Led by viSwAmitra, rAma and lakshmaNa entered the hermitage.
सा हि गौतमवाक्येन दुर्निरीक्ष्या बभूव ह।।1.49.15।।
त्रयाणामपि लोकानां यावद्रामस्य दर्शनम्।
There in that ASram, rAma beheld ahalya of splendorous form! She was invisible to any other beings until rAma graced that ASram. She appeared like a full moon in a mist filled sky! As per the sage gautama’s words, ahalya was redeemed of her curse at the very sight of rAma! She came into her full form, as rAma and lakshmaNa touched her feet.
Recalling the words of the sage, ahalya immediately brought forth water and as is due to a guest, she washed rAma’s feet and offered water and welcomed the trio into the hermitage. rAma accepted her hospitality. ahalya was redeemed of her curse as she beheld rAma! The dEvas were ecstatic, apsaras danced in the skies, trumpets blared and there was floral rain!
Sage gautama also came forth and along with his consort ahalya, they worshipped rAma in accordance to the high tradition of worship of atithi (guest). rAma was very pleased and after accepting their hospitality, he worshiped and served the sage gautama. The trio then proceeded to mithila.
Here we conclude the fortyninth sarga of the bAlakAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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