The reference here is to Ahalya who is a character in the renowned Hindu epic Ramayana. While most Indians and Indophiles must be aware of the most common parts of Ramayana, some episodes in the epic which are not part of the central theme of this epic are either very well known or are obscure.
To recount the Ahalya episode in Ramayana may serve to delineate some of its mythical and symbolic connotations.
Ahalya was the spouse of Sage Gautama who lived and meditated in a forest in probably what could have been North Central part of modern India.
Ahalya it said was of celestial lineage and possessed exemplary beauty and character and therefore it was not considered fitting by her progenitors for her to betrothed to any mortal.
Apart from mortals who knew of her fame, beauty and grace, she was coveted by celestial beings of all stripes like the Devas (Gods), Ghandarvas (demi-gods), Vasus and Kumaras (celestial physicians).
It is must be of some wonder to some of us that somehow Ahalya was not on the wish-list of the Asuras (Demons).
It is not clear how Rishi(sage) Gautama was singled out among the pantheon of Sages to be the most eligible groom for Ahalya. One of the narratives says that the parents of Ahalya had to implore the Sage to accept Ahalya as his consort, while another claims that Ahalya won over the heart of the till then celibate monk with her service and devotion.
The sage apparently moved by her service and devotion to him sought to reward her labors with a boon, as was customary for Sages of those times. In granting Ahalya what she sought for, both Rishi Gautama and Ahalya ended up in a wedlock.
One of Ahalya's failed suitors who it seems was not prepared to easily accept the fate of Ahalya's marriage to Gautama was the powerful king of Devas, Indra. Unable to contain his lust for Ahalya, he takes recourse to deceit to fulfill his dark desires. Using his magical powers, he is supposed to have carried out a series of deceptions that helps him draw Sage Gautama away from his cottage and take him near to Ahalya.
Whether or how Indra really fulfills his desire of copulation with Ahalya is a subject of furious mythical and folk speculation with at least ten versions.
There are as many versions of how Gautama either
Some of the deceptions that Indra was believed to have used to get to Ahalya which would serve to put Hindi cinematic fantasy to shame:
There are also many confusing versions of how Ahalya dealt with Indra's attempts to woo after he fooled Sage Gautama into leaving his cottage like:
But then there are many theories about why the sage cursed Ahalya ranging from the simplest to the sublime:
It warms the cockles of a religious and puritanical heart to see a woman subjected to the acid test of chastity and fidelity, and lament her fall as a tragic denouement of the acme of female virtue.
Ramayana nowhere tells us how long Ahlaya remained paralyzed in the immobility of a stone, but only that she was rescued from that rocky state by the touch of the feet of Lord Rama, the central character of Ramayana.
If one is puzzled why Ahalya could not be restored to her human state by the touch of Lord Rama's hands, that is perhaps because of how Sage Gautama ordained the end-game for his unfortunate wife in the fullness of his male chauvinistic wisdom and patronizing compassion at the mercy pleas of Ahalya waiting to be turned into stone.
Maybe this is just a liberal and feminist rant against the perceived self-righteousness of Sage Gautama.
Let us proceed to see how some versions of Ahalya's redemption add the injury of masochism to the insult of fallen women-hood . One version says that Rama while passing thru Sage Gautama's cottage stumbled against the stone figure of Ahalya, where his feet touched the stone and brought Ahalya to life again.
Another version with an equal vigor of condescension says that Rama saw the stone statue of Ahalya and wondered how this came about in a desolate forest, whereupon he was told the unfortunate tale presumably without all the salacious detail. Thereupon Rama promptly placed his feet on the stone and restored Ahalya to life only to see Ahalya fall at his feet again overcome with gratitude and seeking his blessings.
As is only to be expected and as predictable as a movie fantasy, Ramayana does not mention whether Ahalya returned to her spouse Sage Gautama and whether he accepted the newly minted and cleansed Ahalya.
While the conclusion of Ahalya's episode might well fit in with sensibilities of the foot-worshiping reliogiosi, the minds of liberal temper will rail at this bizarre rationalization of female subjugation and degradation.
To recount the Ahalya episode in Ramayana may serve to delineate some of its mythical and symbolic connotations.
Ahalya was the spouse of Sage Gautama who lived and meditated in a forest in probably what could have been North Central part of modern India.
Ahalya it said was of celestial lineage and possessed exemplary beauty and character and therefore it was not considered fitting by her progenitors for her to betrothed to any mortal.
Apart from mortals who knew of her fame, beauty and grace, she was coveted by celestial beings of all stripes like the Devas (Gods), Ghandarvas (demi-gods), Vasus and Kumaras (celestial physicians).
It is must be of some wonder to some of us that somehow Ahalya was not on the wish-list of the Asuras (Demons).
It is not clear how Rishi(sage) Gautama was singled out among the pantheon of Sages to be the most eligible groom for Ahalya. One of the narratives says that the parents of Ahalya had to implore the Sage to accept Ahalya as his consort, while another claims that Ahalya won over the heart of the till then celibate monk with her service and devotion.
The sage apparently moved by her service and devotion to him sought to reward her labors with a boon, as was customary for Sages of those times. In granting Ahalya what she sought for, both Rishi Gautama and Ahalya ended up in a wedlock.
One of Ahalya's failed suitors who it seems was not prepared to easily accept the fate of Ahalya's marriage to Gautama was the powerful king of Devas, Indra. Unable to contain his lust for Ahalya, he takes recourse to deceit to fulfill his dark desires. Using his magical powers, he is supposed to have carried out a series of deceptions that helps him draw Sage Gautama away from his cottage and take him near to Ahalya.
Whether or how Indra really fulfills his desire of copulation with Ahalya is a subject of furious mythical and folk speculation with at least ten versions.
There are as many versions of how Gautama either
- caught Indra in the act or
- caught Indra being very close to the act or
- caught Indra slinking away after the act or
- caught Indra slinking away before he could do the act or
- caught Indra slinking away before he could even get near Ahalya
Some of the deceptions that Indra was believed to have used to get to Ahalya which would serve to put Hindi cinematic fantasy to shame:
- Assumed the form of a rooster and crowed well before dawn to draw the sage out of this abode
- Changed to his original form to enter the cottage and meet with Ahalya
- Changed into a cat when he had to escape after he was found out by Gautama
- After he managed to mislead Gautama out of his cottage, he changed into Sage Gautama himself in order to deceive Ahalya and copulate with her.
There are also many confusing versions of how Ahalya dealt with Indra's attempts to woo after he fooled Sage Gautama into leaving his cottage like:
- She refused the amorous advances of Indra till he gave up as he heard the approaching footsteps of the returning Gautama
- She pleaded or remonstrated with Indra about the futility of trying to defile her chastity and modesty
- She initially fell for the charm of Indra and his persistence, but checked herself eventually and did not let her chastity fall a prey to Indra's desires
- She got deceived into copulating with Indra as at that time Indra was disguised as Gautama, but when she realized it she apparently cursed him, thus resulting in the ignominy of Indra being cursed by both Gautama and Ahalya.
- Though Ahalya was initially deceived by Indra's disguise, she was alerted by a change in his voice, which make us take a dim view of Indra's strategy and his poor attention to detail.
- Though she checked herself quickly, Ahalya felt a momentary desire of being possessed with Indra. This is perhaps the most popular version of Ahalya's error in this episode
But then there are many theories about why the sage cursed Ahalya ranging from the simplest to the sublime:
- Like any jealous husband, he turned Othello and decided to wreck his fury on the hapless wife. But alas unlike Othello, he was apparently remorseless about it
- In a version that is considered sanitized enough to be narrated to Indian children in US, but which yet alternates between hilarity and farce, Ahalya was cursed by Gautama because she did not obey his commands
- Being very solicitous about Ahalya's chastity, he realized that this was the only way to secure her from future depredations of immodesty
- While Ahalya's chastity and fidelity was constant in action, it wavered briefly in thought and imagination, which could not escape the prescience of the austere sage. How Newtonian of the sage to be taken in easily by Indra's rooster call, but yet to have the piercing insight to see through the fleeting infidelity of Ahalya.
- There was sin in Ahalya's thought, even though there was none in her action
It warms the cockles of a religious and puritanical heart to see a woman subjected to the acid test of chastity and fidelity, and lament her fall as a tragic denouement of the acme of female virtue.
Ramayana nowhere tells us how long Ahlaya remained paralyzed in the immobility of a stone, but only that she was rescued from that rocky state by the touch of the feet of Lord Rama, the central character of Ramayana.
If one is puzzled why Ahalya could not be restored to her human state by the touch of Lord Rama's hands, that is perhaps because of how Sage Gautama ordained the end-game for his unfortunate wife in the fullness of his male chauvinistic wisdom and patronizing compassion at the mercy pleas of Ahalya waiting to be turned into stone.
Maybe this is just a liberal and feminist rant against the perceived self-righteousness of Sage Gautama.
Let us proceed to see how some versions of Ahalya's redemption add the injury of masochism to the insult of fallen women-hood . One version says that Rama while passing thru Sage Gautama's cottage stumbled against the stone figure of Ahalya, where his feet touched the stone and brought Ahalya to life again.
Another version with an equal vigor of condescension says that Rama saw the stone statue of Ahalya and wondered how this came about in a desolate forest, whereupon he was told the unfortunate tale presumably without all the salacious detail. Thereupon Rama promptly placed his feet on the stone and restored Ahalya to life only to see Ahalya fall at his feet again overcome with gratitude and seeking his blessings.
As is only to be expected and as predictable as a movie fantasy, Ramayana does not mention whether Ahalya returned to her spouse Sage Gautama and whether he accepted the newly minted and cleansed Ahalya.
While the conclusion of Ahalya's episode might well fit in with sensibilities of the foot-worshiping reliogiosi, the minds of liberal temper will rail at this bizarre rationalization of female subjugation and degradation.
"Despite all the conflicts in these versions about the challenges of Indra or the travails of Ahalya, all are unanimous in the conclusion that Sage Gautama cursed Ahalya to be turned into a stone."
ReplyDeleteActually, Ahalya only turns to stone in the Tulsi Ramayana. She is merely made an outcast in the original. You clearly don't read.
Agreed that I don't read clearly and have made a misstatement on the Ahalya's turning into stone. But this article was not about narrative quibbles. Instead the article is about the implication of this tale on social attitudes to women and my parsing of it.
DeleteAnd I would like to know how is the turning of Ahalya into an outcaste in the so-called original version, only a mere thing or a trifle or an inconsequential detail from the perspective of an analysis of ethics and perception of social issues.
Relegation to the ostracism of an outcaste was as dishonorable in those days as it is considered repugnant and unacceptable today.
By the way, whenever I read something that's wrong, I like to correct it. It has nothing to do with my sympathies of this or that. My sympathies are with what is true-- and I will never accept a lie even if it be in the service of a cause I support.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see how the Ahalya episode is handled/hand-waved in Devdutt Pattanaik's recent Ramayana retelling, which according to the following review, features responses to the liberal and feminist umbrage at the epic itself.
ReplyDeletehttp://centreright.in/2013/12/review-sita-an-illustrated-retelling-of-the-ramayana/#.UqNYLhw2nCo