Valmiki Ramayana 1.49.21 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 49, Shloka 21

अहल्याशापमोक्षः

The Release of Ahalya and Indra’s Restoration

Devanagari script

गौतमोऽपि महातेजा अहल्यासहितस्सुखी।रामं सम्पूज्य विधिवत्तपस्तेपे महातपा:।।।।

Transliteration

gautamo 'pi mahā-tejā ahalyā-sahitaḥ sukhī |

rāmaṃ sampūjya vidhivat tapas tepe mahā-tapāḥ ||

Translation

ฝ่ายพระโคตมะผู้มีเดชยิ่งและเป็นมหาตบส ก็เปี่ยมสุขพร้อมอหัลยา ครั้นบูชาพระรามตามพิธีโดยชอบแล้ว ก็กลับไปประกอบตบะอันยิ่งใหญ่อีกครั้ง

Word by Word

• gautamaḥ: Gautama
• gautamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gautama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• api: also
• api: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta, additive ‘also’

• mahā-tejāḥ: of great splendour
• mahā-tejāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘mahac ca tat tejaḥ’; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agreeing with ‘gautamaḥ’

• ahalyā-sahitaḥ: accompanied by Ahalyā
• ahalyā-sahitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ahalyā (प्रातिपदिक) + sahita (कृदन्त from sah)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘ahalyayā sahitaḥ’; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agreeing with ‘gautamaḥ’

• sukhī: happy
• sukhī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agreeing with ‘gautamaḥ’

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म) of ‘sampūjya’
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• sampūjya: having worshipped
• sampūjya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-pūj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) ‘having duly worshipped’

• vidhivat: according to rite
• vidhivat: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vidhivat (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya adverb ‘according to rule’

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• tepe: practised (performed)
• tepe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tap (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्) perfect, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana, Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• mahā-tapāḥ: great ascetic
• mahā-tapāḥ: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘mahac ca tat tapaḥ’; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; epithet in apposition to ‘gautamaḥ’

Context

'For that reason, O rishis, charanas and great devatas! it is your duty to restore my testicles for the benefit I have given you'.

Characters & Entities

• Gautama
• Ahalya
• Rama

FAQs

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

Dharma is restored through rightful honoring and reconciliation: once purification is complete, relationships return to order, and spiritual discipline resumes without resentment.

What is the narrative situation?

After Ahalya’s restoration, Gautama—now reunited with her—honors Rama properly and returns to his ascetic practice.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Gautama’s magnanimity and steadiness: he honors virtue where it appears (Rama) and remains anchored in tapas.