Valmiki Ramayana 1.49.20: Bala Kanda, Sarga 49, Shloka 20

अहल्याशापमोक्षः

The Release of Ahalya and Indra’s Restoration

Devanagari script

साधु साध्विति देवास्तामहल्यां समपूजयन्।तपोबलविशुद्धाङ्गी गौतमस्य वशानुगाम्।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 1.49.20

Transliteration

sādhu sādhv iti devās tām ahalyāṃ samapūjayan |

tapo-bala-viśuddhāṅgī gautamasya vaśānugām ||

Translation

దేవతలు ‘సాధు, సాధు’ అని పలుకుతూ అహల్యను సత్కరించారు—తపోబలంతో శుద్ధమైన దేహముగల ఆమె గౌతముని ఆజ్ఞాధీనగా ఆయన వశాన్ని అనుసరించుచుండెను.

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Word by Word

• sādhu: excellent!
• sādhu: Discourse/exclamation (उद्गार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sādhu (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nipāta-like indeclinable exclamation (उद्गार) ‘well done!’

• sādhu: excellent!
• sādhu: Discourse/exclamation (उद्गार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sādhu (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Repetition for emphasis (पुनरुक्ति)

• iti: thus
• iti: Quotation marker (इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (द्वितीया/2nd), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• ahalyām: Ahalyā
• ahalyām: Karma (कर्म) (apposition to ‘tām’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (द्वितीया/2nd), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• samapūjayan: honoured/worshipped
• samapūjayan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-pūj (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (लङ्) past/imperfect, Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष/3rd), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tapo-bala-viśuddha-aṅgī: whose body was purified by the power of penance
• tapo-bala-viśuddha-aṅgī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of ‘ahalyām’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + viśuddha (कृदन्त) + aṅgī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) ‘yasya aṅgāni tapobalena viśuddhāni’; Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (द्वितीया/2nd), Ekavacana (एकवचन); agreeing with ‘ahalyām’

• gautamasya: of Gautama
• gautamasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gautama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (षष्ठी/6th), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• vaśa-anugām: obedient to/under the control of
• vaśa-anugām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of ‘ahalyām’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + anugā (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from anu-gam)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘vaśam anugatā’; Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (द्वितीया/2nd), Ekavacana (एकवचन); agreeing with ‘ahalyām’

Context

'By his (Gautama's) wrath I have been deprived of my testicles. She (Ahalya) has been deserted by him. He has lost his ascetic energy through the pronouncement of this great curse'.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Ahalya
• Gautama
• Tapas (ascetic power)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes the possibility of moral restoration: sincere penance purifies, and reintegration into rightful order (obedience to just instruction) is publicly affirmed.

What is the narrative situation?

The gods celebrate Ahalya’s purified state and honor her after the completion of her penance and the fulfillment of Gautama’s condition.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ahalya’s endurance and self-purification through tapas—steadfastness in accepting consequences and seeking inner renewal.