After their union, Indra, now satisfied, spoke to Ahalyā, “O beautiful-hipped one, I am content and will depart as I came.” Without delay, he swiftly left the hermitage. But fear gripped Indra, for as he hurried away, he saw the great sage Gautama himself returning—he who was difficult to approach even for gods and demons, radiant with the power of his austerities, his body shining like a blazing fire, fresh from his sacred bath. Gautama, carrying sacrificial fuel and kuśa grass, appeared before Indra. At the sight of the mighty sage, the lord of the gods was seized by dread; his face grew pale, and anxiety overtook him. For Gautama, the virtuous sage, recognized Indra, though disguised in the form of a sage, and anger flared within him at the wicked deed. With a voice trembling with righteous wrath, Gautama addressed Indra: “Assuming my form, you have committed this sinful act, O evil-minded one. Therefore, you shall become fruitless.” No sooner had Gautama uttered this curse than Indra’s testicles fell to the ground. Turning then to his wife, Gautama, his anger still burning, pronounced another curse: “For many thousands of years, you shall dwell here, sustained only by air, fasting, scorched by penance, lying on ashes, unseen by all beings. You shall remain in this hermitage, hidden from the world. But when Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, comes to this dreadful forest, you shall be purified. By receiving him as a guest, O misguided one, free from greed and delusion, you will, with joy, regain your true form and return to me.” Having spoken thus to the sorrowful Ahalyā, the great sage Gautama, his mind set on further penance, left that hermitage—so often visited by Siddhas and celestial beings—and retreated to the magnificent heights of the Himalayas. Now listen to the next chapter in the glorious Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki. Indra, rendered fruitless and filled with fear, turned to the gods, with Agni at their head, and to the Siddhas, Gandharvas, and Charanas. With downcast eyes, he lamented, “By disrupting the penance of the great-souled Gautama and inciting his anger, I acted for the sake of the gods. But now, by his wrath, I am made fruitless, and Ahalyā is cast out. By his mighty curse, I have deprived him of his penance. Therefore, O best of gods, all of you, together with the sages and Charanas, should make this act—done for your sake—bring some fruit for me.” Hearing Indra’s plea, the gods, led by Agni, approached the Pitṛs, the ancestral spirits, along with the Maruts, and said, “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, thus made fruitless, will bring you supreme satisfaction. For the joy of all, men who offer rams in sacrifice will gain inexhaustible merit, and you, O Pitṛs, shall grant them abundant rewards.” The Pitṛs, hearing Agni’s words, took the testicles of the ram and implanted them in Indra, the thousand-eyed one. From that time on, O descendant of Kakutstha, the Pitṛs partake of fruitless rams, and the merit is assigned to them. And from that day, O Rāghava, Indra bears the testicles of a ram, a result of Gautama’s power and the greatness of his penance. Then, O Rāma of great brilliance, Viśvāmitra said, “Go now to the hermitage of the virtuous Gautama and 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 he beheld the blessed Ahalyā, her radiance intensified by long austerity—so luminous that even gods and demons found her difficult to behold. She seemed fashioned with care by the Creator himself, woven of illusion, her form veiled in a smoky aura like a blazing tongue of fire. Like the full moon’s brilliance obscured by frost and cloud, she shone amidst the waters, difficult to approach, like the radiant sun itself. By Gautama’s words, she had become invisible to all three worlds, but as Rāma gazed upon her, the curse was lifted and she became visible to all. Then the two descendants of Raghu, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, joyfully touched her feet. Remembering Gautama’s words, Ahalyā accepted them with reverence. Composed and gracious, she offered water for washing feet, hospitality, and gifts. Rāma received these offerings according to the sacred rites. At that moment, a great shower of flowers rained down, accompanied by the sound of divine drums. The Gandharvas and Apsarases rejoiced in celebration. The gods praised Ahalyā, saying, “Excellent, excellent!”—her body now purified by the power of her austerity and her obedience to Gautama’s will. Gautama, radiant and content, was reunited with Ahalyā. Together, they joyfully honored Rāma according to proper rites, and then the great ascetic resumed his penances. Rāma, too, having received the highest honor from Gautama, departed for Mithilā. Now let the next chapter of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa be heard. Proceeding northeast, Rāma and Saumitri, guided by Viśvāmitra, approached the sacrificial enclosure. Rāma turned to the foremost sage and said, “Indeed, O Brāhmaṇa, the sacrificial prosperity of King Janaka, the great-souled one, is truly admirable. Here are gathered thousands of highly fortunate Brāhmaṇas from many regions, all devoted to Vedic study. The hermitages of sages are seen, crowded with hundreds of carts. O Brāhmaṇa, please indicate a place where we may stay.