Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 32
अहल्याशापवर्णनम्
The Account of Ahalyā’s Curse and the Deserted Hermitage near Mithilā
तस्यातिथ्येन दुर्वुत्ते लोभमोहविवर्जिता।।।।मत्सकाशे मुदा युक्ता स्वं वपुर्धारयिष्यसि।
tasyātithyena durvṛtte lobha-moha-vivarjitā |
mat-sakāśe mudā yuktā svaṃ vapur dhārayiṣyasi |
Hỡi kẻ lầm lạc trong hạnh kiểm: nhờ tiếp đãi Ngài làm thượng khách, lìa bỏ tham dục và mê si, lòng tràn hoan hỷ, ngươi sẽ lại nhận lấy thân mình và được ở gần ta.
Having thus cursed Indra, he also cursed Ahalya: 'You will be staying here for thousands of years without food and subsisting on air, lying down in ashes, doing penance, without being seen by any living beings in this ashrama'.
FAQs
Atithi-dharma (righteous hospitality) is portrayed as a purifying act when performed with inner reform—freedom from greed (lobha) and delusion (moha).
Gautama specifies the practical condition of Ahalyā’s restoration: she must receive Rāma as a guest with purified intent, after which she regains her form.
The virtue is inner clarity: renouncing lobha and moha and acting joyfully in accordance with dharma.