Valmiki Ramayana 1.48.17: Bala Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 17

अहल्याशापवर्णनम्

The Account of Ahalyā’s Curse and the Deserted Hermitage near Mithilā

Devanagari script

तस्यान्तरं विदित्वा तु सहस्राक्षश्शचीपतिः ॥१७॥

मुनिवेषधरोऽहल्यामिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.48.17

Transliteration

tasyāntaraṃ viditvā tu sahasrākṣaḥ śacīpatiḥ ||17||

muniveṣadharo 'halyām idaṃ vacanam abravīt |

Translation

लेकिन इंद्र ने मौका देख लिया। इंद्र के पास हज़ार आँखें थीं, वो शची के पति थे। उसने रिशि का रूप बनाया और अहल्या से बात करने लगा। उसने जान बूझ के यह किया था।

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Word by Word

• tasya: of him (Gautama)
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napumsaka, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• antaram: opportunity
• antaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; 'interval/opportunity' object of viditvā

• viditvā: having found out
• viditvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), 'having known/found out'

• tu: but, then
• tu: Vākyaprakāśaka (वाक्यप्रकाशक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adversative/emphatic particle

• sahasra-akṣaḥ: Indra (thousand-eyed)
• sahasra-akṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; bahuvrīhi epithet: 'one who has a thousand eyes' (Indra)

• śacī-patiḥ: consort of Śacī
• śacī-patiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śacī (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'husband of Śacī'

• muni-veṣa-dharaḥ: wearing an ascetic's disguise
• muni-veṣa-dharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + veṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'wearer of a sage's guise'

• ahalyām: Ahalyā
• ahalyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; addressee as object of speech (उद्देश्य)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying vacanam

• vacanam: speech, words
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्, imperfect), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Eka-vacana (singular)

Context

The thousand-eyed Indra, consort of Sachi, having found an opportunity (during the absence of the ascetic), assumed the guise of the ascetic (Gautama) and said to Ahalya:

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Rāma
• Indra (Sahasrākṣa)
• Śacī
• Ahalyā
• Gautama

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

The verse warns against adharma through deception: taking a holy disguise to pursue desire violates satya and corrupts sacred trust.

What is the narrative situation?

Indra exploits Gautama’s absence, disguises himself as an ascetic, and approaches Ahalyā to speak to her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (through violation), the virtue emphasized is truthfulness: the harm begins with false appearance and misuse of religious symbols.