Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 22
अहल्याशापवर्णनम्
The Account of Ahalyā’s Curse and the Deserted Hermitage near Mithilā
इन्द्रस्तु प्रहसन् वाक्यमहल्यामिदमब्रवीत्।सुश्रोणि परितुष्टोऽस्मि गमिष्यामि यथाऽगतम्।।।
indras tu prahasan vākyam ahalyām idam abravīt |
suśroṇi parituṣṭo ’smi gamiṣyāmi yathāgatam ||
Maka Indra, sambil tersenyum, berkata kepada Ahalyā: “Wahai yang berpinggul elok, aku telah berpuas hati; aku akan pergi kembali melalui jalan yang sama seperti saat aku datang.”
Indra smilingly said to Ahalya, 'O! One with lovely hips, I am gratified. I shall go away the way I have come'.
FAQs
The verse highlights moral contrast: outward pleasure and ease can accompany inner adharma, but dharma ultimately demands truthfulness and restraint, which are absent in Indra’s conduct.
After the illicit act, Indra assures Ahalyā he is satisfied and will leave stealthily by the same path he entered.
Negative exemplum: Indra’s lack of self-restraint and reliance on concealment rather than satya.