May 14 - Sargas 47 and 48 of Balakanda.
We read of the establishment of the seven sons of Diti as the Maaruts in various spheres. Then how Vishala became a prosperous kingdom.
We also read of how Indra committed adultery with Ahalya, the wife of sage Gautama, and Gautama's curse on Indra and Ahalya.
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वातस्कन्धा इमे सप्त चरन्तु दिवि पुत्रक ।
मारुता इति विख्याता दिव्यरूपा ममात्मजाः॥
Diti said, "son Indra, I forgive you for your act, because it was my fall grom the penance that resulted in the disememberment of my foetus into seven parts. Now that you are consoling me ( मा रुदः) make these seven into the seven guardians of the winds that travel in the seven worlds as your divine emissaries and earn eternal fame as Maaruts who carry on their shoulders the life-giving winds."
Indra was very happy to carry out this wish and that is how there are seven Maaruts in the universe.
***
Vishwamitra narrates how this spot was indeed where Diti had performed her aborted penance. Later a series of kings in the Ikshwaku dynasty had ruled this kingdom and brought it glory and prosperity. Now the king in reign was Sumati.
Just then king Sumati comes and honours sage Vishwamitra and states it is his supreme good fortune that the sage has graced his kingdom. He then curiously enquires who are these two princes, carrying weapons, radiant in beauty and resembling each other, and how come they are accompanying sage Vishwamitra.
The sage tells the entire story of Dasharatha's Sri Rama and Lakshmana and how they have come and fulfilled their mission. The king is most happy to extend to them the best hospitality.
Next day the entourage proceeds towards Mithila, their final destination. As they enter its portals, all the sages extol its grandeur.
On its outskirts, in a wood they come to a spot that seems to be an abandoned hermitage. Sri Rama asks what is its history and who had sanctified the place and later abandoned it and for what reason.
***
गौतमस्य नरश्रेष्ठ पूर्वमासीनन्महात्मनः।
आश्रमो दिव्यसंकाशः सरैरपि सुपूजितः ॥
स चेह तप आतिष्ठदहल्यासहितः पुरा ।
वर्षपूगाननेकान्श्च राजपुत्रमहायशः ॥
" Oh Rama, I shall recount the story to you. In this place was the hermitage of the celebrated sage Gautama long ago. That ashram was venerated even by the gods for its spiritual atmosphere.
" Sage Gautama with his wife observed austerities here for many years. The sage was of universal acclaim. (In fact Gautama is reckoned as one of Sapta rishis)."
***
Now a twist in the tale.
Once, when the rishi had gone away for his rituals, Indra got a wicked desire to seduce Ahalya. He assumed the appearance of Gautama and came to implore her for sexual union, as his lust could not wait till her prime mating season.Ahalya saw through his disguise and realised it was Indra. But she felt tempted and flattered and so willingly gave in. After their consensual act, both felt very happy.
A scared Indra was thanked by Ahalya, who said that he had better leave at once but should protect her against sage Gautama.
A typical scene indeed from a modern potboiler.
But just as Indra was hurrying away, sage Gautama came to the hermitage, carrying sacred yajna grass and dripping wet after his ritual bath.
The sage was luminous in his spiritual power. Seeing him, Indra paled in utter fright. Gautama saw at once what had transpired. He cursed Indra to become castrated. Indra's testicles dropped to the ground at once.
Gautama also cursed Ahalya to a thousand years of dormancy buried in ashes without food or water or air until Sri Rama would come there to resurrect her.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
