As Rāma and his companions journeyed through the forest, they came upon a place that bore all the marks of a hermitage, yet it was strangely silent and empty, untouched by the presence of ascetics. Rāma, filled with wonder, turned to the venerable sage Viśvāmitra and asked, “O revered one, this place resembles a hermitage, but why is it devoid of sages? Whose hermitage was this in former times? I wish to hear its story.” Viśvāmitra, wise and accomplished in speech, smiled gently at Rāma’s inquiry. “Indeed, Rāghava, I shall tell you whose hermitage this is. Listen well, for this place was once cursed in anger by a great soul.” He continued, “This was the sacred hermitage of the illustrious sage Gautama, O best of men. Gautama shone with the brilliance of the divine and was venerated even by the gods themselves. Here, together with his wife Ahalyā, he performed severe austerities for thousands of years, O noble prince.” The sage’s voice grew solemn as he recounted the tale. “It was here that Indra, the lord of Śacī, knowing that Gautama was away, took on the guise of a sage and approached Ahalyā. Speaking to her, he said, ‘O slender-waisted one, those who desire union wait for the proper season with patience, but I desire union with you now.’ “Ahalyā, discerning Indra beneath the disguise but lacking good judgment, was swayed by curiosity for the king of the gods and consented to his request. When their union was complete, she said to Indra, ‘I am satisfied, O lord of gods; quickly go from here, and by all means, protect both yourself and me from Gautama.’ “Indra laughed and replied, ‘O beautiful-hipped one, I am satisfied and will depart as I came.’ With that, he left the hut in haste, fearing Gautama’s return. But as he hurried away, he saw the great sage Gautama entering, radiant from his sacred bath, bearing fuel and kuśa grass. The sight of the sage, whose power was formidable even to gods and demons, filled Indra with dread, and his face grew pale. “Gautama, recognizing Indra in disguise, spoke in anger to the lord of gods, ‘Assuming my form, you have committed this wrongful act, O wicked-minded one. Therefore, you shall become fruitless!’ As the sage uttered these words, Indra’s testicles fell to the ground. “Turning to his wife, Gautama, his wrath still burning, pronounced a curse upon Ahalyā as well: ‘For many thousands of years, you shall dwell here, sustained only by air, fasting, scorched by penance, lying on ashes, unseen by all beings. Here you shall remain in this hermitage. But when Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, comes to this dreadful forest, then you shall be purified. By receiving him as a guest, O misguided one, free from greed and delusion, you shall, with joy, regain your own form and again come to me.’ “Having spoken thus, the great sage Gautama, filled with the power of his austerity, departed from the hermitage, which was frequented by Siddhas and Charanas, and went to perform penance upon the beautiful peak of the Himalayas.” Viśvāmitra paused, and then continued, “Now, Rāma, listen to what befell Indra thereafter. Rendered fruitless by the curse, Indra, his eyes filled with fear, approached the gods with Agni at their head, as well as the Siddhas, Gandharvas, and Charanas. He said, ‘By causing an obstacle to the penance of the great Gautama and provoking his anger, I have acted for the sake of the gods. But by his curse, I have been made fruitless, and Ahalyā has been forsaken. Therefore, O best of gods, together with the sages and Charanas, make this act, done for the sake of the gods, fruitful for me.’ “Hearing Indra’s plea, the gods, led by Agni, went to the Pitṛs, accompanied by the Maruts, and spoke: ‘This ram is whole, while Indra has been rendered without testicles. Take the testicles of the ram and quickly give them to Indra. The ram, made fruitless, will bring you supreme satisfaction, and those men who offer rams will obtain inexhaustible fruit, and you shall grant them abundant rewards.’ “The Pitṛs, hearing Agni’s words, took the testicles of the ram and implanted them in the thousand-eyed Indra. From that time on, O descendant of Kakutstha, the Pitṛs accept fruitless rams as offerings, and the merit of these is assigned to them. And from that time, O Rāghava, Indra has the testicles of a ram, by the power of Gautama’s penance.” Viśvāmitra then turned to Rāma and said, “O one of great brilliance, now go to the hermitage of the virtuous Gautama. Deliver the highly fortunate Ahalyā, who is divine in form.” Hearing these words, Rāma, accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa and led by Viśvāmitra, entered the hermitage. There, Rāma beheld the blessed Ahalyā, whose radiance, intensified by her austerity, was difficult to behold even for gods and demons. She appeared as if fashioned by the Creator with utmost care, her form divine and shrouded in a veil of illusion, her body enveloped in mist like a blazing tongue of fire. She shone with a brilliance like the full moon’s glow, veiled by frost and clouds, radiant in the midst of waters, difficult to approach like the sun itself. By the power of Gautama’s words, Ahalyā had become invisible to all three worlds, but as soon as Rāma’s gaze fell upon her, the curse was lifted and she became visible once more. Then, the two descendants of Raghu, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, joyfully approached and touched her feet. Remembering the words of Gautama, Ahalyā accepted them with reverence.