Editing Ahalya (section)

=== Punishments of Ahalya and Indra ===
[[File:Gautama cursed his wife Ahalya for allowing Indra into her hermitage.jpg|thumb|upright|Gautama (left) discovers Indra disguised as Gautama fleeing, as Ahalya watches.]]
The ''Bala Kanda'' mentions that Gautama spots Indra, who is still in disguise, and curses him to lose his [[testicles]]. Gautama then curses Ahalya to remain invisible to all beings for thousands of years, fast by subsisting only on air, suffer and sleep in ashes and be tormented by guilt. Nevertheless, he assures her that her sin will be expiated once she extends her hospitality to Rama, who will visit the ashram. Thereafter, Gautama abandons the ashram and goes to the [[Himalayas]] to practise asceticism. The [[Ayodhya (Ramayana)|Ayodhya]] prince Rama, his brother [[Lakshmana]] and their [[guru]], the sage [[Vishvamitra]] pass Gautama's desolate ashram while travelling to King [[Janaka]]'s court in Mithila. As they near the ashram, Vishvamitra recounts the tale of Ahalya's curse and instructs Rama to save Ahalya. Although Ahalya is cursed, Vishvamitra nevertheless describes her as goddess-like and illustrious,{{sfn|Goldman|1990|pp=217–218}} repeatedly calling her ''mahabhaga'', a [[Sanskrit compounds|Sanskrit compound]] (''maha'' and ''bhaga'') translated as "most illustrious and highly distinguished";{{sfn|Bhattacharya|March–April 2004|pp=4–7}}{{r|Wilson p650}}{{r|Monier-Williams p798}}{{sfn|Macdonell|2008|p=221}} this interpretation contrasts with that of [[Rambhadracharya]], who believes that the word ''mahabhaga'', in the context of Ahalya's story, means "extremely unfortunate" (''maha'' and ''abhaga'').{{efn|name=maha and abhaga}} Following Vishvamitra, the princes enter the ashram to see Ahalya, who, up till then, had been hidden from the universe. Ahalya is described as glowing from the intensity of her ascetic devotion, but hidden from the world like the Sun obscured by dark clouds, the light of a full moon hidden by mist or a blazing flame masked by smoke. Under the direction of his guru, Rama considers Ahalya pure and unblemished and, accompanied by Lakshamana, gives her [[Pranāma|obeisance by touching her by his feet]], an act that restores her social status. She greets them, recalling Gautama's words that Rama would be her redeemer. Ahalya extends her warmest reception, making a "welcome offering" of forest fruits and washing their feet, an act of respect according to the rites of that era. The gods and other celestial beings shower Rama and Ahalya with flowers and bow to Ahalya, who has been purified through her penance. Gautama then returns to his ashram and accepts her.{{sfn|Bhattacharya|March–April 2004|pp=4–7}}{{sfn|Goldman|1990|pp=215–218}}

[[File:Stone sculpt 2 NMND-10.JPG|thumb|upright|alt=A brown stone sculpture. Rama sits on a stone under a tree (right, largest figure) with a bow in left hand and the other hand on the head of Ahaya(centre bottom), who is seated on the ground with flowers in her hand. Behind her stands Lakshamana. The leftmost figure is of Vishvamitra sitting on a stone.|Ahalya offering fruits and flowers to Rama, her saviour, in a 5th-century CE stone sculpture from [[Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh|Deogah]], currently in the [[National Museum, New Delhi]]|left]]

In one instance in the ''Mahabharata'', Indra is said to have been cursed by having his beard turned to gold as he seduces Ahalya, while a curse by Kaushika (sometimes interpreted as synonymous to Gautama) is cited as the reason for his castration.{{sfn|Bhattacharya|March–April 2004|pp=4–7}}{{sfn|Ganguli Shanti Parva|1883–1896|loc=[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m12/m12c042.htm chap. CCCXLIII]}} In the ''Uttara Kanda'', Indra is cursed to lose his throne and endure captivity and bear half the sin of every rape ever committed,{{efn|name=uttarakanda}} while the innocent Ahalya is cursed to lose her status as the most beautiful woman, as it had prompted Indra's seduction. Ahalya claims her innocence (this part is not found in all manuscripts), but Gautama agrees to accept her only when she is sanctified by offering Rama hospitality.{{sfn|Bhattacharya|March–April 2004|pp=4–7}}{{sfn|Söhnen-Thieme|1996|p=45}}{{sfn|Doniger|1999|pp=89–90, 92, 321–322}}

Ahalya's defence plea is also found in some of the ''Purana''s. In the ''Brahma Purana'', Ahalya is cursed to become a dried up stream, but pleads her innocence and produces servants, who were also deceived by Indra's disguise, as witnesses. Gautama reduces the curse on his "faithful wife" and she is redeemed when she joins the Gautami (Godavari) river as a stream. Indra is cursed to carry his shame in the form of a thousand [[vulva]]e on his body, but the vulvae turn into eyes as he bathes in the Gautami. The ''Brahma Purana'' is a rare exception where Rama is dropped from the narrative. Instead, the greatness of the Gautami river is illustrated.{{sfn|Söhnen-Thieme|1996|pp=51–53}}{{sfn|Doniger|1999|pp=95–96, 321–322}} The ''Padma Purana'' tells that as Indra attempts to flee in the form of a cat, Gautama curses him to lose his genitals and to bear a thousand vulvae on his body. The beguiled Ahalya declares herself blameless, but Gautama considers her impure and curses her to be reduced to a mere skeleton of skin and bones. He decrees that she will regain her beautiful form when Rama laughs at seeing her so afflicted, dried out (a reminder of the dried stream motif), without a body (the ''Ramayana'' curse) and lying on the path (an attribute often used to describe a stone). When Rama comes, he proclaims her innocence and Indra's guilt, whereupon Ahalya returns to her heavenly abode and dwells with Gautama.{{sfn|Söhnen-Thieme|1996|pp=54–55}}{{sfn|Doniger|1999|pp=92–93, 321–322}}

{{clear}}