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.'
रामो नाम श्रुतो लोके वनं चाप्युपयास्यति । ब्राह्मणार्थे महाबाहुर्विष्णुर्मानुषविग्रहः । तं द्रक्ष्यसि यदा भद्रे ततः पूता भविष्यसि ।। ७.३०.
'Rāma by name, renowned in the world, will also enter the forest; mighty-armed, Viṣṇu in human form, for the sake of the Brahmins. When you see him, O blessed one, then you will be purified.'
स हि पावयितुं शक्तस्त्वया यद्दुष्कृतं कृतम् । तस्यातिथ्यं च कृत्वा वै मत्समीपं गमिष्यसि ।। ७.३०.
'He alone is able to purify the wrong you have committed; after receiving him as a guest, you will come to me.'
वत्स्यसि त्वं मया सार्धं तदा हि वरवर्णिनि । एवमुक्त्वा स विप्रर्षिराजगाम स्वमाश्रमम् ।। ७.३०.
'Then you will dwell with me, O woman of lovely complexion.' Having spoken thus, the sage returned to his hermitage.
तपश्चाचार सुमहत्सा पत्नी ब्रह्मवादिनः । शापोत्सर्गाद्धि तस्येदं मुनेः सर्वमुपस्थितम् ।। ७.३०.
His wife, devoted to great austerity and conduct, was a speaker of Brahman; but all this befell the sage because of the curse.
तत्स्मर त्वं महाबाहो दुष्कृतं यत्त्वया कृतम् । तेन त्वं ग्रहणं शत्रोर्यातो नान्येन वासव ।। ७.३०.
Recall, O mighty-armed one, the wrong you have done; because of that, O Vāsava, you have been seized by the enemy, not for any other reason.
शीघ्रं वै यज यज्ञं त्वं वैष्णवं सुसमाहितः । पावितस्तेन यज्ञेन यास्यसे त्रिदिवं ततः ।। ७.३०.
Quickly perform the Viṣṇu-sacrifice with full concentration; purified by that sacrifice, you will then ascend to heaven.
पुत्रश्च तव देवेन्द्र न विनष्टो महारणे । नीतः सन्निहितश्चैव आर्यकेण महोदधौ ।। ७.३०.
And your son, O Indra, was not lost in the great battle; he was taken and kept safe by the noble one in the great ocean.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा महेन्द्रस्तु यज्ञमिष्ट्वा च वैष्णवम् । पुनस्त्रिदिवमाक्रामदन्वशासच्च देवराट् ।। ७.३०.
Hearing this, mighty Indra, after performing the Viṣṇu-sacrifice, once again ascended to heaven and ruled as king of the gods.
एतदिन्द्रजितो नाम बलं यत्कीर्तितं मया । निर्जितस्तेन देवेन्द्रः प्राणिनो ऽन्ये तु किं पुनः ।। ७.३०.
This power of Indrajit, which I have described, conquered even Indra; what need to speak of other living beings?
आश्चर्यमिति रामश्च लक्ष्मणश्चाब्रवीत्तदा । अगस्त्यवचनं श्रुत्वा वानरा राक्षसास्तदा ।। ७.३०.
Then Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, upon hearing Agastya's words, both said, 'How astonishing!' as did the monkeys and the rākṣasas.