Ahalya
Lord Ramacandra delivers Ahalya
You are the destroyer of the demoniac dynasties. You are the life of Sītā, the bestower of boons to Guha, and the deliverer of Ahalyā. (Caitanya Bhagavata 2.6.121)
ye prabhu karilā ahalyāra vimocana bhajoṅ hena tribhuvana gurura caraṇa || 331 ||
“I worship the lotus feet of the master of the three worlds, who delivered Ahalyā. (Caitanya Bhagavata 3.4.331)
One of the controversial or the most misunderstood section of Ramayana is Ahalya vimocana, salvation of Ahalya.
As many of us are familiar with the story but not the hidden lesson for spiritualist. In Short, I shall attempt to describe this incident from Ramayana. WHile travelling through the adjacent forest of Mithila, Lord Rama and Lakshmana with sage visvamitra, noticed a deserted hermitage, Lord Rama inquired about this vacant asrama. Visvamitra narrated the past history of the Gautama Maharsi, who performed austerities with his noble and impeccable wife, Ahalya, as the name suggests, she was created by Lord Brahma, without any deformity. (A- not Halya - ploughed/ugly) Soon ,she was desired by many heavenly residents, especially Indra. But Brahma was intent upon giving this girl to a deserving candidate, so he placed her upon the care of elderly Gautama rsi. In due course of time, she turned in a beautiful woman, sage Gautama returned her back to Lord brahma, seeing the self control of Gautama Rsi, Ahalya was granted upon him by Lord Brahmadeva, although she desired Indra within her heart. Gautama was an old ascetic. Indra being envious of austerities of Gautama, feared his position might be occupied by him. The king of demigods, devised a plan to reduce the power of austerities of gautama, by disguising himself as the sage, indra approached Ahalya, being a ascetic she learns that it is not her husband but the Indra in disguise. overpowered by lust and passion, she committed adultery with Indra. Gautama cursed them both, thereby his power of austerities is diminished. Indra was successful in his attempt and Ahalya became the foolish victim.
Less intelligent people who have lost their spiritual sense take shelter of demigods for immediate fulfillment of material desires. Bg 7.20 p
The demigods place many obstacles on the path of those who worship You to transcend the temporary abodes of the demigods and reach Your supreme abode. Srimad Bhagavatam 11.4.10
Ahalya is not an ordinary woman, still she was influenced by the cupid's arrows. This shows that none can overpower the cupid's arrows other than NAra-narayana rsi, the supreme personalities of Godhead. This shows we are tiny, fallible living entities, even though one may placed in a superior position in heavenly plantes, yet jivas have tendency to fall down. Yet Krsna is more merciful, he appears in every millennium to protect his devotees.
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge 4/8
Although a Vaiṣṇava, or devotee of the Lord, has no need to worship the demigods, the demigods, being proud of their exalted material position, sometimes resent the exclusive devotion of the Vaiṣṇava to the Lord and thus try to cause the devotee to fall down, as described in this verse (sura-kṛtā bahavo ’ntarāyāḥ). But the demigods here point out that Kṛṣṇa is directly the protector of His devotees. Therefore, so-called impediments become stimuli for further spiritual advancement for a sincere devotee. (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.4.10 purport)
Aspiring devotees, must be vigilant to understand the attacks of maya, in form of lust, greed and anger which ruins even great demigods and ascetics, to say nothing about humans.
Lust is the greatest enemy of the living entity, and it is lust only which induces the pure living entity to remain entangled in the material world. Wrath is the manifestation of the mode of ignorance; these modes exhibit themselves as wrath and other corollaries. If, therefore, the modes of passion, instead of being degraded into the modes of ignorance, are elevated to the modes of goodness by the prescribed method of living and acting, then one can be saved from the degradation of wrath by spiritual attachment. (Bhagavad Gita 3.37)
Although illicit sex is not harmful to other living entities, this is also a form of jiva himsa, or atma- ha spiritual suicide; killing the souls natural propensity to devotional service. "when the service attitude is transformed into the propensity for sense enjoyment, they come under the sway of lust"
The moment we lose the propensity to serve, that moment we are caught by maya, these are subtle. we may be chanting and following all the limbs of bhakti, yet may not get progress or fall down from the practice gradually. We have to self introspect not blindly follow, make a conscious endeavor to conquer the weeds of devotional service.
bhukti-mukti ādi-vāñchā yadi mane haya
sādhana karile prema utpanna nā haya (madhya 19.175)
“If one is infected with the desire for material enjoyment or material liberation, he cannot rise to the platform of pure loving service unto the Lord, even though he may superficially render devotional service according to the routine regulative principles.
bahu janma kare yadi śravaṇa, kīrtana
tabu ta’ nā pāya kṛṣṇa-pade prema-dhana (adi 8.21)
If one is infested with the ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, despite his endeavor to chant the holy name for many births, he will not get the love of Godhead that is the ultimate goal of this chanting.
How to purify ourselves from the contamination of lust, and other corollaries?
To keep oneself free from material contamination and attain the Lord’s favor, one must be sincerely eager to render service to the Lord. This is the only qualification necessary. (purport to caitanya caritamrta madhya lila 19.135)
In other words, one should not desire material profits while engaging in devotional service or sva-dharma or varnasrama dharma. the entire system varnasrama dharma was designed by Lord Krsna in the human society to inculcate the service attitude. Which was abolished by cruel men who took undue advantage of superior position like that of King Vena.
Upon, hearing this Lord Rama liberated Ahalya from the sinful condition, by placing his lotus feet upon her. she regained her original visible form and united with Gautama rsi.
Lord Ramacandra is the most merciful, even to kaikeyi, his step mother. Because Lord Rama is fully aware that we are all puppets in the hands of material nature. Lord Rama never showed any hatred to any living entity, that is His magnificent quality. However this does not nullify the heinous acts performed by them, but great personalities overlook such faults of ignorant jivas.
“In the material world, conceptions of good and bad are all mental speculations. Therefore, saying ‘This is good’ and ‘This is bad’ is all a mistake. (Caitanya caritamrta antya lila 4.176)
Another important argument put forward is why Ahalya is celebrated as a chaste women?
Ahalya is an eternal virgin, not born out of human copulation, even though she was overpowered by cupid's arrows purposefully by indra, which is not her fault, she did not approach Indra to satisfy her sexual desire. this is the reason she is still celebrated as a chaste women, her consciousness was not disturbed by accidental fall down. Through this seemingly blunder, she was able to attain the lotus feet of the supreme personality of godhead, Lord Ramacandra. Which would have otherwise been not possible even by practicing one's dharma perfectly, even perfected beings are conditioned in this material world. Bhakti is given superior preference to mundane perfections of Dharma, Artha, Kama and moksha. we should never vilify great personalities and bring about our own self destruction.
King Indra is position is unparalleled, he is not abhorred by enjoying many celestial women or others wives. Krsna says in Bhagavad Gita, Among the demigods, I Am Indra.
vedanam sama-vedo 'smi
devanam asmi vasavah
indriyanam manas casmi
bhutanam asmi cetana 10/22
Although there may be many obstacles on the path of the sincere devotee who is preaching the glories of the Lord, such obstacles increase the determination of the devotee. Therefore, according to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the continuous obstacles presented by the demigods form a kind of ladder or stairway upon which the devotee steadily progresses back to the kingdom of God. A similar verse appears in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.33):
tathā na te mādhava tāvakāḥ kvacid
bhraśyanti mārgāt tvayi baddha-sauhṛdāḥ
tvayābhiguptā vicaranti nirbhayā
vināyakānīkapa-mūrdhasu prabho
“O Mādhava, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord of the goddess of fortune, if devotees completely in love with You sometimes fall from the path of devotion, they do not fall like non devotees, for You still protect them. Thus they fearlessly traverse the heads of their opponents and continue to progress in devotional service.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.4.10)
Therefore, whether one is a demigod or a demon, a man or a creature other than man, such as a beast or bird, everyone should worship Lord Rāmacandra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appears on this earth just like a human being. There is no need of great austerities or penances to worship the Lord, for He accepts even a small service offered by His devotee. Thus He is satisfied, and as soon as He is satisfied, the devotee is successful. Indeed, Lord Śrī Rāmacandra brought all the devotees of Ayodhyā back home, back to Godhead [Vaikuṇṭha].
PURPORT
Lord Śrī Rāmacandra is so kind and merciful to His devotees that He is very easily satisfied by a little service rendered by anyone, human or not. This is the special advantage of worshiping Lord Rāmacandra, and there is the same advantage in worshiping Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Rāmacandra, in the manner of kṣatriyas, sometimes showed Their mercy by killing asuras, but Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu awarded love of God without difficulty even to the asuras. All the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead—but especially Lord Rāmacandra, Lord Kṛṣṇa and, later, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu—delivered many of the living entities present before Them, indeed almost all of them. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is therefore represented in the six-armed form of ṣaḍ-bhūja-mūrti, which is a combination of Lord Rāmacandra, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The best purpose of human life can be fulfilled by worshiping the ṣaḍ-bhūja-mūrti, the form of the Lord with six arms—two arms of Rāmacandra, two arms of Kṛṣṇa and two arms of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.19.8, Translation and Purport)
"when the service attitude is transformed into the propensity for sense enjoyment, they come under the sway of lust"
tabu ta’ nā pāya kṛṣṇa-pade prema-dhana (adi 8.21)
If one is infested with the ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, despite his endeavor to chant the holy name for many births, he will not get the love of Godhead that is the ultimate goal of this chanting.
How to purify ourselves from the contamination of lust, and other corollaries?
To keep oneself free from material contamination and attain the Lord’s favor, one must be sincerely eager to render service to the Lord. This is the only qualification necessary. (purport to caitanya caritamrta madhya lila 19.135)
In other words, one should not desire material profits while engaging in devotional service or sva-dharma or varnasrama dharma. the entire system varnasrama dharma was designed by Lord Krsna in the human society to inculcate the service attitude. Which was abolished by cruel men who took undue advantage of superior position like that of King Vena.
Upon, hearing this Lord Rama liberated Ahalya from the sinful condition, by placing his lotus feet upon her. she regained her original visible form and united with Gautama rsi.
Lord Ramacandra is the most merciful, even to kaikeyi, his step mother. Because Lord Rama is fully aware that we are all puppets in the hands of material nature. Lord Rama never showed any hatred to any living entity, that is His magnificent quality. However this does not nullify the heinous acts performed by them, but great personalities overlook such faults of ignorant jivas.
“In the material world, conceptions of good and bad are all mental speculations. Therefore, saying ‘This is good’ and ‘This is bad’ is all a mistake. (Caitanya caritamrta antya lila 4.176)
Another important argument put forward is why Ahalya is celebrated as a chaste women?
Ahalya is an eternal virgin, not born out of human copulation, even though she was overpowered by cupid's arrows purposefully by indra, which is not her fault, she did not approach Indra to satisfy her sexual desire. this is the reason she is still celebrated as a chaste women, her consciousness was not disturbed by accidental fall down. Through this seemingly blunder, she was able to attain the lotus feet of the supreme personality of godhead, Lord Ramacandra. Which would have otherwise been not possible even by practicing one's dharma perfectly, even perfected beings are conditioned in this material world. Bhakti is given superior preference to mundane perfections of Dharma, Artha, Kama and moksha. we should never vilify great personalities and bring about our own self destruction.
King Indra is position is unparalleled, he is not abhorred by enjoying many celestial women or others wives. Krsna says in Bhagavad Gita, Among the demigods, I Am Indra.
vedanam sama-vedo 'smi
devanam asmi vasavah
indriyanam manas casmi
bhutanam asmi cetana 10/22
Although there may be many obstacles on the path of the sincere devotee who is preaching the glories of the Lord, such obstacles increase the determination of the devotee. Therefore, according to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the continuous obstacles presented by the demigods form a kind of ladder or stairway upon which the devotee steadily progresses back to the kingdom of God. A similar verse appears in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.33):
bhraśyanti mārgāt tvayi baddha-sauhṛdāḥ
tvayābhiguptā vicaranti nirbhayā
vināyakānīkapa-mūrdhasu prabho
“O Mādhava, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord of the goddess of fortune, if devotees completely in love with You sometimes fall from the path of devotion, they do not fall like non devotees, for You still protect them. Thus they fearlessly traverse the heads of their opponents and continue to progress in devotional service.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.4.10)
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