Mutual Cursings

A devotee who had recently returned after a visit to Tiruchuli enquired: “There is a pipal tree on the banks of the Sula Thirtha (tank which is opposite to the Bhoominatheswara Temple in Tiruchuli). It is said that Gautama performed tapas (austerity) under that tree.

A devotee who had recently returned after a visit to Tiruchuli enquired: “There is a pipal tree on the banks of the Sula Thirtha (tank which is opposite to the Bhoominatheswara Temple in Tiruchuli). It is said that Gautama performed tapas (austerity) under that tree. Is it a fact? If so, what is the reason of his doing tapas there?”

“Yes. It is a fact,” said Bhagavan. “It is stated in the Sanskrit version of the Trisula Purana, that at the instance of Sanaka, Gautama went to Avartha Kshetra to perform tapas. In the Tamil version of the Tirchuli Puranam, however, it is different. It is well known that Gautama cursed Indra and Ahalya. Indra approached Ahalya (wife of Gautama) taking the form of Gautama and she yielded without knowing that he was not her husband. Without ascertaining the truth, Gautama cursed her to become a stone. Angered thereby Ahalya said, ‘Oh, you fool of a Muni! Without enquiring into the truth, you have cursed me and have not even stated when I shall be free from the curse. Tell me, when will the curse end and how? Why not have some consideration for me and tell me at least that?’ Gautama thereupon told her that she would be released from the curse at the time of Rama Avatar, and when the dust from Rama’s feet fell on her. Immediately thereafter she became a stone.

“Gautama left that place and tried to get into his daily rituals but he could not, for he had no peace of mind. He tried his level best but could not control his mind and became more and more troubled. On thinking deeply over the matter, he realised that he had cursed his wife Ahalya without proper enquiry and also recollected that she had in return cursed him, by saying, ‘You fool of a Muni!’. After all, she was also a great tapaswini! (a female ascetic). Hence those words which were unusual must have resulted in an irrevocable curse on himself. He therefore decided to seek the help of Ishwara by seeing his ‘Nataraja Dance’ in order to get relieved of the curse. He therefore went to Chidambaram. At that place he heard an ethereal voice saying, ‘I shall be pleased to give you darshan of my Thandava Dance in Trisulapura.’ Gautama immediately left that place and went on foot towards Trisulapura. On nearing the place, and at the mere sight of it, even from a distance, his mind began to get clear. He stayed there for a very long time doing tapas. At last Ishwara was pleased and gave him a darshan of his Nataraja Dance in the month of Dhanur when the Ardra star was predominant. It was at that time Gautama is reported to have lived under the tree and performed tapas. After seeing the dance of Ishwara, Gautama worshipped Ishwara, went to his original place and began to perform his rituals as usual.

“Later on, Ahalya became purified by the dust of the feet of Sri Rama, regained her normal form and approached Gautama. He too was very pleased to see her back and both of them went to ‘Avartha Kshetra’ (Tiruchuli) with a view to obtain the blessings of Ishwara before they resumed their normal family life. Ishwara also gave them darshan of His own ‘Marriage Festival’ and blessed them. Gautama worshipped Ishwara as all their obstacles had been removed

and then went back to his native place accompanied by his wife, where they resumed their worship. This is how it has been described in the Tamil Puranam.”

Devotee: “Is there a story about Gautama also being affected by a curse? I have never heard it.”

Bhagavan: The story about these mutual curses is found only in the Thiruchuli Puranam. In the Ramayana it is only stated that Satananda, who was at the time with Janaka, heard through Viswamitra about the restoration of his mother (Ahalya) to her original state at the touch of the dust of Sri Rama’s feet and that after worshipping Rama she went back to his father. On hearing the story, he was very happy about the reunion. The other things are not in it.

Devotee: “If so, the statement that Ahalya turned into a stone applies only to her mind and not to her body. Is that so?”

Bhagavan: That is so. If it is not for the mind, could it be for the body? It is only ordinary people that say that her body turned into a stone and that Rama restored her to its original form by putting his foot on the stone. How is that possible? It only means that the mind lost its awareness of the Self, and unable to think of anything else, she became dull like a stone. That dullness got relieved by the darshan of a great personage. As she herself was a great tapaswini she could immediately become aware of the Self. She worshipped Sri Rama as the embodiment of the Self. This inner meaning could be found in the Ramayana. The moment Rama set his foot in Gautama Ashrama the mind of Ahalya was restored to its original state, like the blossoming of a flower.”