भवत्विह तु पापिष्ठ लिंगं ते निपतिष्यति। गच्छ मे पुरतो मूढ सुरस्थानं दिवौकसः
But here, O most sinful one, your mark will fall; go before me, fool, to the abode of the gods.
पश्यंति मुनिशार्दूला नराः सिद्धास्सहोरगाः। एवमुक्त्वा मुनिश्रेष्ठो रुदंतीं तां पतिव्रताम्
Men, accomplished beings, and serpents will see, O best of sages; having spoken thus, the eminent sage questioned her, weeping though she was, devoted to her husband.
पप्रच्छ किमिदानीं ते कर्म दारुणमागतम्। इत्युक्ता वेपमाना सा भीता पतिमुवाच ह
He asked, 'What is this terrible deed that has now come upon you?' Thus addressed, trembling and afraid, she spoke to her husband.
अज्ञानाद्यत्कृतं कर्म क्षंतुमर्हसि वै प्रभो। मुनिरुवाच- परेणाभिगतासि त्वममेध्या पापचारिणी
'Whatever action was done out of ignorance, you ought to forgive, O lord.' The sage said: 'You have been approached by another, unclean, a doer of evil.'
अस्थिचर्मसमाविष्टा निर्मांसा नखवर्जिता। चिरं स्थास्यसि चैकापि त्वां पश्यंतु जनाः स्त्रियः
Covered only with skin and bones, without flesh, without nails, you shall remain alone for a long time, so that women may see you.
दुःखिता तमुवाचेदं शापस्यांतो विधीयताम्। इत्युक्ते करुणाविष्टो मन्युनापि परिप्लुतः
Distressed, she said to him, 'Let there be an end to this curse.' When she had spoken thus, he, filled with compassion yet overcome by anger,
जगाद गौतमो वाक्यं रामो दाशरथिर्यदा। वनमभ्यागतो विष्णुः सीतालक्ष्मणसंयुतः
Gautama spoke these words: 'When Rāma, son of Daśaratha, comes to the forest, accompanied by Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa,
दृष्ट्वा त्वां दुःखितां शुष्कां निर्देहां पथिसंस्थितां। गदिष्यति च वै रामो वसिष्ठस्याग्रतो हसन्
Seeing you, miserable, dried up, bodiless, standing by the path, Rāma will speak, laughing, before Vasiṣṭha,
किमियं शुष्करूपा च प्रतिमास्थिमयी शवा। न दृष्टं मे पुरा ब्रह्मन्रूपं लोकविपर्ययम्
'What is this dried-up form, this figure made of bones, a corpse? Never before have I seen, O brāhmaṇa, such a reversal in the world.'
ततो रामं महाभागं विष्णुं मानुषविग्रहम्। यद्वृत्तमासीत्पूर्वं तद्वसिष्ठः कथयिष्यति
Then Vasiṣṭha will tell Rāma, the illustrious one, Viṣṇu in human form, what happened before.
वसिष्ठवचनं श्रुत्वा रामो वक्ष्यति धर्मवित्। अस्या दोषो न चैवास्ति दोषोयं पाकशासने
Hearing Vasiṣṭha's words, Rāma, knower of dharma, will say: 'This woman has no fault; the fault lies with the one who inflicted the punishment.'
एवमुक्ते तु रामेण त्यक्त्वा रूपं जुगुप्सितं। दिव्यं रूपं समास्थाय मद्गृहं चागमिष्यसि
When Rāma has spoken thus, you will cast off your loathsome form, assume a divine body, and come to my house.
शप्त्वा तु गौतमस्तां हि तपस्तप्तुं गतो वनम्। ततोत्यंतं शुष्करूपा तथैव पथि संस्थिता
Having cursed her, Gautama went to the forest to perform austerities; then she, extremely emaciated, remained there by the path.
रामस्य वचनादेव गौतमं पुनरागता। गौतमोपि तया सार्द्धमद्यैवं दिवि तिष्ठति
By Rāma's words alone, she returned to Gautama; and Gautama, together with her, now dwells in heaven.
इंद्रोपि त्रपयायुक्तः स्थितश्चांतर्जले चिरम्। स्थित्वा चांतर्जले देवीमस्तौदिंद्राक्षिसंज्ञिताम्
Indra too, filled with shame, remained for a long time in the water; and, staying in the water, he praised the goddess called Indrākṣī.
सुप्रसन्ना ततो देवी स्तोत्रेण परितोषिता। गत्वोवाच ततः सा च वरोस्मत्तो विगृह्यताम्
Then the goddess, well-pleased and satisfied by his hymn, said to him, 'Now, choose a boon from me.'
ततो देवीमुवाचेदं शक्रः परपुरंजयः। त्वत्प्रसादाच्च मे देवि वैरूप्यं मुनिशापजम्
Then Indra, conqueror of enemy cities, said to the goddess: 'By your grace, O goddess, may the disfigurement caused by the sage's curse—'
किंतु बुद्धिं सृजाम्यद्य येन लोकैर्न लक्ष्यते
But today I will create a thought by which I will not be noticed by the people.
योनिमध्यगतं दृष्टि सहस्रं ते भविष्यति। सहस्राक्ष इति ख्यातस्सुरराज्यं करिष्यसि
A thousand eyes will appear upon you at the center of your loins; you will be known as 'Thousand-Eyed,' and you shall attain the kingship of the gods.
मेषांडं तव शिश्नं च भविष्यति च मद्वरात्। इत्युक्त्वा सा जगन्माता तत्रैवांतरधीयत५० 1.54.
By my boon, your phallus will become a ram's testicle. Having spoken thus, the Mother of the Universe vanished right there.
शक्रो देववरैः पूज्यो ह्यद्यापि दिवि वर्तते। इंद्रस्यैतादृशी कामादवस्था द्विजसत्तम
Śakra, honored by the best of the gods, even now dwells in heaven; such is the condition of Indra, brought about by desire, O best of twice-born.
इति श्रीपाद्मपुराणे प्रथमे सृष्टिखंडे अहल्याहरणंनाम चतुष्पंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Padma Purāṇa, in the first section on creation, ends the fifty-fourth chapter, called 'The Abduction of Ahalyā.'
श्रीभगवानुवाच- अपरं च प्रवक्ष्यामि कामेनाधिष्ठितस्य च। पुरा भागीरथी तीरे द्विजः परमहंसकः
The Blessed Lord said: I will tell you another tale, concerning one overpowered by desire. Long ago, on the banks of the Bhāgīrathī, there was a twice-born sage of the highest order.
उपदेष्टा सहस्राणां द्विजानां शांतिदः परः। एकदंडधरः साक्षात्कूर्मवद्धरणी स्थितः
He was the teacher of thousands of twice-born, a supreme giver of peace, bearing a single staff, standing firm on the earth like a tortoise.
एकाकिनः सतस्तस्य देवागारे विनिष्कृते। पत्युर्गृहात्परं गेहं गंतुं सायं समुद्यता
While he was alone, his wife, having left the house of her husband, prepared in the evening to go to another home.
अकस्माद्युवती नारी मिलिता रूपधारिणी। दृष्ट्वा तां भगवान्विप्रो मन्मथस्य भयार्दितः
Suddenly, a young woman of striking appearance approached. Seeing her, the venerable sage was seized by the fear of Kāma.
अगारजठरे कृत्वा स चैनां प्राक्षिपत्क्षपाम्। अर्गलं सा दृढं कृत्वा देवागारे सुशोभने
He brought her into the house and locked her away for the night, securing the beautiful divine chamber with a strong bolt.
कदाचिदपि तं द्वारादागंतुं न ददाति ह। एवंभूतः समाधिस्थः क्षपां क्षिप्त्वा विलप्य सः
At no time did she allow him to enter through the door. Thus, remaining in meditation, he spent the night lamenting.
चिंतयंस्तां वरारोहां द्वारि किं वा कृतं मम। एवं संचिंत्यतामाह द्वारं देहीह नः प्रिये
Thinking of that beautiful woman, he wondered at the door, 'What have I done?' Thus reflecting, he said, 'Give me the door, beloved.'
पतिश्च वशगः कांते दयितस्ते भविष्यति। ततस्तं प्राह सा विप्रं वृद्धं कामप्रलालसम्
'Your husband, O lovely one, will be under your control; your beloved will be yours.' Then she addressed the sage, old and maddened by desire.