Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 19

अहल्याशापवर्णनम्

The Account of Ahalyā’s Curse and the Deserted Hermitage near Mithilā

Devanagari script

मुनिवेषं सहस्राक्षं विज्ञाय रघुनन्दन।मतिं चकार दुर्मेधा देवराजकुतूहलात्।।

Transliteration

muniveṣaṃ sahasrākṣaṃ vijñāya raghunandana | matiṃ cakāra durmedhā devarājakutūhalāt ||

Translation

哦，罗伽族的欢喜者，阿诃利耶虽心智迷误，却识出那千眼者披着牟尼之衣；因对天帝的好奇与迷恋，便应允了他。

Word by Word

• मुनिवेषम्: sage’s guise
• मुनिवेषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनिवेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः मुनि + वेष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'of a sage')

• सहस्राक्षम्: Indra (thousand-eyed)
• सहस्राक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (सहस्रम् अक्षाणि यस्य)

• विज्ञाय: having recognized
• विज्ञाय: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावे (gerund/absolutive): 'having known/recognized'

• रघुनन्दन: O descendant/joy of Raghu (Rama)
• रघुनन्दन: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रघुनन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः रघु + नन्दन (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• मतिम्: intention/decision
• मतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चकार: made/formed
• चकार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दुर्मेधा: the evil-minded one
• दुर्मेधा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्मेधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (दुष्टा मेधा यस्य)

• देवराजकुतूहलात्: from curiosity about the king of gods
• देवराजकुतूहलात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवराजकुतूहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन; समासः देवराज + कुतूहल (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

Context

O Delight of the Raghus! the evil-intentioned Ahalya, inclined towards the king of thecelestials and knowing him to be the thousand-eyed Indra in the guise of the ascetic, consented for the union.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Rāma
• Ahalyā
• Indra (Sahasrākṣa)

FAQs

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

Dharma teaching here is accountability of choice: even when temptation is powerful, knowingly consenting to wrongdoing is portrayed as a failure of discernment and truth-alignment (satya).

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra states that Ahalyā recognized Indra despite the disguise and still consented, motivated by fascination with his status.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is viveka (moral discernment). The verse marks its absence (durmedhā) as the critical inner lapse leading to later consequences.