Ahalya Rises Radiant from Stone
Bala Kanda, Chhand 22
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Ram's holy feet touch the stone, and the contact destroys the long sorrow held there. Stillness opens. Ahalya appears in her true form, radiant with the power of austerities preserved through the curse.
Before her stands Raghunayaka, giver of joy to devotees, the Lord for whose foot dust she had endured years without movement, company, or visible hope.
She joins her palms and gazes. Release is not merely recovery of a human body. The waiting has ended in direct sight. Tapasya, curse, stone, and grace converge in the moment she rises before Ram.
Stone becomes radiant woman as Ahalya stands before the feet that awakened her.
Read the passage from the Manas
AI-created devotional illustration · Chhand 22
Initial appearance of Ahalya in human form after holy foot touch, standing wordlessly with joined hands before Rama off frame.
Source reference and artistic choices
Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 211, 212 · printed pages 209, 210. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chhand-022. Printed numbering may differ.
Source facts
- Stanza1: on touch of holy sorrow-dispelling feet Ahalya appears in true form, a mass of austerity; seeing Raghunayaka giver of devotees' joy she stands facing Him with joined hands. Love makes her restless, body thrills and no word emerges; most fortunate she clings to His feet with tears from both eyes.
- Stanza2: steadying her mind she recognizes Him and gains devotion by Raghupati's grace; pure praise of the Lord of Raghus known by wisdom. She calls herself an impure woman, Him purifier of the world, foe of Ravana and devotees' joy; lotus-eyed remover of worldly fear, save me, I take refuge.
- Stanza3: she calls the sage's curse great benefit and favor, having fully seen Hari who frees worldly bondage, the gain known to Shankara. She asks no other boon: her mind like a bee drink the nectar of love at His lotus-feet pollen; this is comparison, not literal bee.
- Stanza4: those feet from which the sacred heavenly river emerged, borne on Shiva's head and worshipped by Brahma, merciful Hari put on HER head. Gautama's wife departs, repeatedly falling at His feet; gaining her desired boon, goes joyfully to her husband's realm.
- Centuries of suffering becoming spiritual fire is retained historical interpretation and is not asserted by the literal तपपुंज. Initial joined-hand stance, later clinging/tears, praise and departure are distinct selected parts, not collapsed.
Artistic choices
- New imagined adult Ahalya face, age, braid, modest sari, jewelry, prayer beads and wardrobe colors; no authenticated portrait or prior human-form model claimed.
- Small hermitage, earth path, flowering bough and waist-up standing arrangement are imagined; no physical austerity fire, literal bee, visible transformation or narrated centuries inferred.
- Complete source facts retained in metadata; source and existing translations unchanged.
- Actual new imagined Ahalya appearance: warm gold-brown adult oval face, dark eyes, simple dark hair with subtle gray threads under cream rust-edged veil, dark prayer beads and small gold studs. Small hut, distant pond, ordinary rocks, shrubs and path are scenery, no authenticated geography or surviving Ahalya stone claimed.
An imaginative interpretation, not a historical portrait or documentary evidence.
परसत पद पावन सोक नसावन प्रगट भई तपपुंज सही। देखत रघुनायक जन सुख दायक सनमुख होइ कर जोरि रही।। अति प्रेम अधीरा पुलक सरीरा मुख नहिं आवइ बचन कही। अतिसय बड़भागी चरनन्हि लागी जुगल नयन जलधार बही।। धीरजु मन कीन्हा प्रभु कहुँ चीन्हा रघुपति कृपाँ भगति पाई। अति निर्मल बानीं अस्तुति ठानी ग्यानगम्य जय रघुराई।। मै नारि अपावन प्रभु जग पावन रावन रिपु जन सुखदाई। राजीव बिलोचन भव भय मोचन पाहि पाहि सरनहिं आई।। मुनि श्राप जो दीन्हा अति भल कीन्हा परम अनुग्रह मैं माना। देखेउँ भरि लोचन हरि भवमोचन इहइ लाभ संकर जाना।। बिनती प्रभु मोरी मैं मति भोरी नाथ न मागउँ बर आना। पद कमल परागा रस अनुरागा मम मन मधुप करै पाना।। जेहिं पद सुरसरिता परम पुनीता प्रगट भई सिव सीस धरी। सोइ पद पंकज जेहि पूजत अज मम सिर धरेउ कृपाल हरी।। एहि भाँति सिधारी गौतम नारी बार बार हरि चरन परी। जो अति मन भावा सो बरु पावा गै पतिलोक अनंद भरी।।
At the touch of those holy feet, destroyer of all sorrow, she appeared in her true form, radiant with the power of her long tapas (austerities). Beholding Raghunayaka (Lord of the Raghus), the giver of joy to His devotees, she stood before Him with palms joined together.