्वं हि कस्यचित्प्राणिनो भुवि । अथाब्रवीत्स तत्रस्थं मेघनादो महाबलः । श्रूयतां वा भवेत्सिद्धिः शतक्रतुविमोक्षणे ।। ७.३०.
—for no living being on earth—then the mighty Meghanāda, standing there, said: 'Let it be heard what boon may bring success in the release of Śatakratu (Indra).'
ममेष्टं नित्यशो हर्व्यैर्मन्त्रैः सम्पूज्य पावकम् । सङ्ग्राममवतर्त्तुं च शत्रुनिर्जयकाङ्क्षिणः ।। ७.३०.
Let the fire, ever honored with offerings and mantras as I desire, be worshipped; and let me descend into battle, seeking victory over my enemies.
अश्वयुक्तो रथो मह्यमुत्तिष्ठेत्तु विभावसोः । तत्स्थस्यामरता स्यान्मे एष मे निश्चयो वरः ।। ७.३०.
Let a chariot yoked with horses arise for me from the fire; standing upon it, may I possess immortality—this is the boon I have resolved upon.
तस्मिन्यद्यसमाप्ते च जप्यहोमे विभावसौ । युध्येयं देव सङ्ग्रामे तदा मे स्याद्विनाशनम् ।। ७.३०.
If, while the recitation and oblation to the fire remain incomplete, I should engage in battle, then, O god, let my destruction come at that time.
सर्वो हि तपसा देव वृणोत्यमरतां पुमान् । विक्रमेण मया त्वेतदमरत्वं प्रवर्तितम् ।। ७.३०.
Indeed, O god, everyone attains immortality through austerity; but by my own prowess, I have established this immortality.
एवमस्त्विति तं चाह वाक्यं देवः पितामहः । मुक्तश्चेन्द्रजिता शक्रो गताश्च त्रिदिवं सुराः ।। ७.३०.
‘So be it,’ said the god Brahmā to him; and Indra was released by Indrajit, and the gods returned to heaven.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे राम दीनो भ्रष्टाम्बरद्युतिः । इन्द्रश्चिन्तापरीतात्मा ध्यानतत्परतां गतः ।। ७.३०.
Meanwhile, O Rāma, Indra, dejected, his radiance and garments lost, his mind overwhelmed by anxiety, entered into deep meditation.
तं तु दृष्ट्वा तथाभूतं प्राह देवः प्रजापतिः । शतक्रतो किमु पुरा करोति स्म सुदुष्कृतम् ।। ७.३०.
Seeing him thus, the god Prajāpati spoke: ‘O Śatakratu, what grievous deed did you commit before?’
अमरेन्द्र मया बह्व्यः प्रजाः सृष्टास्तथा प्रभो । एकवर्णाः समाभाषा एकरूपाश्च सर्वशः ।। ७.३०.
O lord of gods, I created many beings, O mighty one; all were of one color, spoke one language, and were alike in every way.
तासां नास्ति विशेषो हि दर्शने लक्षणे ऽपि वा । ततो ऽहमेकाग्रमनास्ताः प्रजाः परिचिन्तयम् ।। ७.३०.
Among them there was no distinction, neither in appearance nor in features; so, with focused mind, I pondered over these beings.
सो ऽहं तासां विशेषार्थं स्त्रियमेकां विनिर्ममे । यद्यत्प्रजानां प्रत्यङ्गं विशिष्टं तत्तदुद्धृतम् ।। ७.३०.
Then, for the sake of distinction among them, I fashioned a woman; whatever was most excellent in each being, that I gathered together.
ततो मया रूपगुणैरहल्या स्त्री विनिर्मिता । हलं नामेह वैरूपं हल्यं तत्प्रभवं भवेत् ।। ७.३०.
Thus, with form and qualities, I created the woman Ahalyā; ‘hala’ here means deformity, and ‘halya’ would be its source.
यस्मान्न विद्यते हल्यं तेनाहल्येति विश्रुता । अहल्येति मया शक्र तस्या नाम प्रवर्तितम् ।। ७.३०.
Because there was no deformity in her, she became renowned as Ahalyā; and, O Śakra, I gave her this name.
निर्मितायां च देवेन्द्र तस्यां नार्यां सुरर्षभ । भविष्यतीति कस्यैषा मम चिन्ता ततो ऽभवत् ।। ७.३०.
When that woman was created, O Indra, bull among gods, I wondered: ‘For whom will she be?’—such was my thought.
त्वं तु शक्र तदा नारीं जानीषे मनसा प्रभो । स्थानाधिकतया पत्नी ममैषेति पुरन्दर ।। ७.३०.
But you, O Śakra, in your mind, considered that woman as your own; yet, by right of position, she became my wife, O Purandara.
सा मया न्यासभूता तु गौतमस्य महात्मनः । न्यस्ता बहूनि वर्षाणि तेन निर्यातिता च ह ।। ७.३०.
She was entrusted by me, as a deposit, to the great-souled Gautama; for many years she remained with him, having been consigned by me.
ततस्तस्य परिज्ञाय महास्थैर्यं महामुनेः । ज्ञात्वा तपसि सिद्धिं च पत्न्यर्थं स्पर्शिता तदा ।। ७.३०.
Then, perceiving the great steadfastness of that great sage, and knowing his accomplishment in austerity, you touched his wife.
सङ्क्रुद्धस्त्वं हि धर्मात्मन् गत्वा तस्याश्रमं मुनेः । दृष्टवांश्च तदा तां स्त्रीं दीप्तामग्निशिखामिव ।। ७.३०.
Angered, you, O righteous one, went to the sage’s hermitage and saw that woman, shining like a blazing flame.
सा त्वया धर्षिता शक्र कामार्तेन समन्युना । दृष्टस्त्वं च तदा तेन ह्याश्रमे परमर्षिणा ।। ७.३०.
She was violated by you, O Śakra, overcome by desire and anger; and you were seen there by that eminent sage in his hermitage.
ततः क्रुद्धेन तेना ऽसि शप्तः परमतेजसा । गतो ऽसि येन देवेन्द्र दशाभागविपर्ययम् ।। ७.३०.
Then, enraged, that one of immense brilliance cursed you with his sword, O Indra, and thus you have come to experience the reversal of a tenth part of your power.
यस्मान्मे धर्षिता पत्नी त्वया वासव निर्भयम् । तस्मात्त्वं समरे राजञ्छत्रुहस्तं गमिष्यसि ।। ७.३०.
Because you, O Vāsava, violated my wife without fear, therefore, O king, in battle you shall fall into the hands of your enemy.
अयं तु भावो दुर्बुद्धे यस्त्वयेह प्रवर्तितः । मानुषेष्वपि लोकेषु भविष्यति न संशयः ।। ७.३०.
This conduct, O fool, which you have displayed here, will certainly appear among humans in the worlds.
तत्रार्धं तस्य यः कर्ता त्वय्यर्धं निपतिष्यति । न च ते स्थावरं स्थानं भविष्यति न संशयः ।। ७.३०.
Whoever is the cause of half of that act, by you, will fall for half; and for you, there will be no firm place, without doubt.
यश्च यश्च सुरेन्द्रः स्याद्ध्रुवः स न भविष्यति । एष शापो मया मुक्त इत्यसौ त्वां तदा ऽब्रवीत् ।। ७.३०.
And whichever lord of the gods there may be, he will not remain constant; thus was this curse pronounced by me, and so he spoke to you at that time.
तां तु भार्यां स निर्भर्त्स्य सो ऽब्रवीत्सुमहातपाः । दुर्विनीते विनिध्वंस ममाश्रमसमीपतः ।। ७.३०.
Then, rebuking his wife, that great ascetic said: 'Wicked one, vanish from near my hermitage!'
रूपयौवनसम्पन्ना यस्मात्त्वमनवस्थिता । तस्माद्रूपवती लोके न त्वमेका भविष्यति ।। ७.३०.
Because, though endowed with beauty and youth, you have been unsteady, therefore, in the world, you will not be the only beautiful woman.
रूपं च ते प्रजाः सर्वा गमिष्यन्ति न संशयः । यत्तदेकं समाश्रित्य विभ्रमो ऽयमुपस्थितः ।। ७.३०.
All beings will lose your beauty, without doubt, since relying on that alone, this confusion has arisen.
तदाप्रभृति भूयिष्ठं प्रजा रूपसमन्विताः । सा तं प्रसादयामास महर्षिं गौतमं तदा ।। ७.३०.
From that time onward, most beings have possessed beauty; then she sought to appease the sage Gautama.
अज्ञानाद्धर्षिता विप्र त्वद्रूपेण दिवौकसा । न कामकाराद्विप्रर्षे प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि ।। ७.३०.
Out of ignorance, O Brahmin, I was violated by a god in your form; not out of desire, O sage—please show me your grace.
अहल्यया त्वेवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच स गौतमः । उत्पत्स्यति महातेजा इक्ष्वाकूणां महारथः ।। ७.३०.
Thus addressed by Ahalyā, Gautama replied: 'A mighty, radiant chariot-warrior will be born among the Ikṣvākus.'