Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 2
अहल्याशापवर्णनम्
The Account of Ahalyā’s Curse and the Deserted Hermitage near Mithilā
इमौ कुमारौ भद्रं ते देवतुल्यपराक्रमौ।गजसिंहगती वीरौ शार्दूलवृषभोपमौ।।।।पद्मपत्रविशालाक्षौ खड्गतूणी धनुर्धरौ।अश्विनाविव रूपेण समुपस्थितयौवनौ।।।।यदृच्छयैव गां प्राप्तौ देवलोकादिवामरौ।कथं पद्भ्यामिह प्राप्तौ किमर्थं कस्य वा मुने।।।।
imau kumārau bhadraṃ te devatulyaparākramau |
gajasiṃhagatī vīrau śārdūlavṛṣabhopamau ||
padmapatraviśālākṣau khaḍgatūṇī dhanurdharau |
aśvināv iva rūpeṇa samupasthitayauvanau ||
yadṛcchayaiva gāṃ prāptau devalokād ivāmarau |
kathaṃ padbhyām iha prāptau kimarthaṃ kasya vā mune ||
Semoga berkah menyertaimu, wahai muni. Siapakah dua kumāra ini, yang keberaniannya laksana para dewa? Langkah mereka seperti gajah atau singa; para vīra ini bagaikan harimau dan banteng. Mata mereka lebar bak daun teratai; membawa pedang, tabung anak panah, dan busur. Dalam rupa mereka seperti Aśvin, baru memasuki masa muda, seakan para amara turun dari devaloka. Seakan tanpa disengaja mereka tiba di bumi ini; namun bagaimana mereka datang kemari dengan berjalan kaki, wahai muni—putra siapakah mereka, dan untuk tujuan apa?
"O Sage, wish you well! Who are these two youths who seem to possess the prowess of celestial beings. They walk with the gait of an elephant or a lion. They are courageous like tiger or a bull. Their large eyes are like lotus-petals. They are armed with scimitars, bows and quivers. They are young and handsome like Aswinikumaras dropped from heaven casually. Whose sons are they? How did they come here on foot? With what purpose?
FAQs
Dharma here is expressed as reverent speech and discerning recognition of virtue: Ahalyā greets the sage properly and acknowledges noble qualities without envy or hostility, modeling respectful inquiry.
After Ahalyā’s release from her curse, she beholds Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa with Viśvāmitra and asks the sage who these extraordinary youths are and why they have come.
Ahalyā’s humility and clarity: she offers blessings, speaks courteously, and seeks truthful identification and purpose rather than making assumptions.