Ahalya's Redemption
By the touch of Rama's feet, Ahalya is freed from her long curse and restored to her radiant form. This act of grace sanctifies Gautama's hermitage.
Bal Kand · Episode 41 / 59
Episode Text
परसत पद पावन सोक नसावन प्रगट भई तपपुंज सही। देखत रघुनायक जन सुखदायक सनमुख होइ कर जोरि रही॥ अति प्रेम अधीरा पुलक सरीरा मुख नहिं आवइ बचन कही। अतिसय बड़भागी चरनन्हि लागी जुगल नयन जलधार बही॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
parasata pada pāvana soka nasāvana pragata bhaī tapapuñja sahī। dekhata raghunāyaka jana sukhadāyaka sanmukha hoi kara jori rahī॥ ati prema adhīrā pulaka sarīra mukha nahiṃ āvai bachana kahī। atisaya baṛabhāgī charananhi lāgī jugala nayana jaladhāra bahī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
The moment she touched the holy feet that destroy sorrow, that ascetic form, Ahalya, truly appeared. Seeing Rama, the giver of joy to all beings, she stood before Him with folded hands. Overwhelmed with love, she became restless; her body thrilled with devotion, and she could not utter a word. The greatly blessed Ahalya clung to the Lord’s feet, and streams of tears flowed from both her eyes.
धीरजु मन कीन्हा प्रभु कहुँ चीन्हा रघुपति कृपाँ भगति पाई। अति निर्मल बानी अस्तुति ठानी ग्यानगम्य जय रघुराई॥ मैं नारि अपावन प्रभु जग पावन रावन रिपु जन सुखदाई। राजीव बिलोचन भव भय मोचन पाहि पाहि सरनहिं आई॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dhīraju mana kīnhā prabhu kahaṃ kahuṃ cīnhā raghupati kṛpām̐ bhagati pāī। ati nirmala bānī astutī ṭhānī gyānagamya jaya raghurāī॥ maiṃ nāri apāvana prabhu jaga pāvana rāvana ripu jana sukhadāī। rājīva bilocana bhava bhaya mocana pāhi pāhi saranahiṃ āī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Then, gathering courage in her mind, she recognized the Lord and, by the grace of Raghunatha, obtained devotion. With most pure speech she began to praise Him: Victory to Raghurai, who can be known through wisdom! I am an impure woman, O Lord; yet You are the purifier of the world, the enemy of Ravana, and the giver of joy to Your devotees. O lotus-eyed One, remover of the fear of worldly existence, I have come seeking Your shelter; protect me, protect me.
मुनि श्राप जो दीन्हा अति भल कीन्हा परम अनुग्रह मैं माना। देखेउँ भरि लोचन हरि भवमोचन इहइ लाभ संकर जाना॥ बिनती प्रभु मोरी मैं मति भोरी नाथ न मागउँ बर आना। पद कमल परागा रस अनुरागा मम मन मधुप करै पाना॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
muni śrāpa jo dīnhā ati bhala kīnhā parama anugraha maiṃ mānā। dekheuṃ bhari locana hari bhavamocana ihai lābha śaṃkara jānā॥ binatī prabhu morī maiṃ mati bhorī nātha na māgauṃ bara ānā। pada kamala paragā rasa anurāgā mama mana madhupa karai pānā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
The curse the sage gave me was indeed a great blessing; I regard it as a supreme grace, because of which I was able to behold Hari, the liberator from the world, with my own eyes. Shiva considers this very vision the greatest gain. My prayer to You, O Lord, is this: I am simple-minded and भोली; I ask for no other boon. Let the bee-like mind of mine always drink the nectar of love from the dust of Your lotus feet.
जेहिं पद सुरसरिता परम पुनीता प्रगट भई सिव सीस धरी। सोई पद पंकज जेहि पूजत अज मम सिर धरेउ कृपाल हरी॥ एहि भाँति सिधारी गौतम नारी बार बार हरि चरन परी। जो अति मन भावा सो बरु पावा गै पतिलोक अनंद भरी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jehiṃ pada surasaritā parama punītā pragaṭa bhaī siva sīsa dharī। soī pada paṃkaja jehi pūjata aja mama sira dhareu kṛpāla harī॥ ehi bhām̐ti sidhārī gautama nārī bāra bāra hari carana parī। jo ati mana bhāvā so baru pāvā gai patiloka ananda bharī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
The very feet from which the sacred celestial river Ganga arose, the feet that Shiva bears upon his head, and which Brahma worships as lotus feet—those same feet, O compassionate Hari, You placed upon my head. In this way, Gautama’s wife kept falling again and again at Hari’s feet. Having received the boon that pleased her heart most, she went, filled with joy, to her husband’s world.
अस प्रभु दीनबंधु हरि कारन रहित दयाल। तुलसिदास सठ तेहि भजु छाड़ि कपट जंजाल॥ २११ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
asa prabhu dīnabaṃdhu hari kārana rahita dayāla। tulasīdāsa saṭha tehi bhaju chāṛi kapaṭa jaṃjāla॥ 211 ॥
Meaning:
Such is the Lord Rama, the friend of the poor and the compassionate one who shows mercy without any cause. Tulsidas says: O deceitful mind, give up the web of hypocrisy and worship Him alone.