Ahalyā-saṅgama

Ahalyā-saṅgama · ahalyā-saṅgama, “the confluence of the river Ahalyā”

Ahalyā-saṅgama, also called Indra Tīrtha, is the tīrtha where the river Ahalyā met the Gautamī (the Godāvarī), near the āśrama of Gautama Maharshi on Brahmagiri. Ahalyā, Gautama‘s wife, became a river through his śāpa after Indra deceived her in Gautama’s form; when she reached the Gautamī she regained the form Brahmā had first given her. By bathing at the same confluence Indra was freed from his pāpa and became thousand-eyed. The tīrtha sanctifies the three worlds and grants all cherished desires. Brahmā, who saw both these wonders, tells Nārada its account in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa.

Ahalyā is given to Gautama

Brahmā once created many beautiful maidens, and among them one of surpassing beauty. Seeing that neither among the devas nor the asuras was anyone fit to raise her, he gave her to Gautama, a brāhmaṇa rich in tapas and versed in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, to bring up until she came of age. Gautama raised her with an unwavering mind and brought her back to Brahmā, duly adorned.

Indra, Agni, Varuṇa and the other devas, the munis, Sādhyas, dānavas, yakshas and rākshasas all asked Brahmā for her. Brahmā remembered the greatness and steadiness of Gautama and resolved that she should be his alone. Then the devas, the munis and Brahmā called her Ahalyā. Brahmā declared that she would be given to whoever went round the earth and returned first. The devas set out. Gautama saw the divine cow Kāmadhenu with her calf half-born, and remembering that she is the earth, went round her; then he went round the liṅga of Bhagavān Śiva. He came to Brahmā and said he had gone round the earth. Brahmā knew it by dhyāna: the cow in that state is the earth of seven dvīpas, and going round the liṅga gives the same fruit. Pleased with Gautama’s effort, steadiness, knowledge and tapas, he gave Ahalyā to him in marriage, and gave him the sacred Brahmagiri. When the devas came back from their round, they saw the two wedded.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 16

Indra’s deceit and Gautama’s śāpas

Indra could not forget her. Hearing of Brahmā‘s gift, he came to the āśrama in the guise of a brāhmaṇa, and full of desire, heedless of Gautama‘s śāpa, he waited for a chance. One morning Gautama went out with his disciples to the tapovana on the Gautamī and the fields. Indra took Gautama’s form, spoke to Ahalyā and led her inside, and she, believing him to be her husband, did not know him.

Gautama returned. Ahalyā, who always came to meet him, did not come, and the watchman said, “You are seen both inside and outside!” When Gautama called, Ahalyā cried to the one within, “Who are you? In the muni’s guise you have done a pāpa,” and rose in fear. Indra became a cat in fear of the muni. Gautama asked the cat who it was, threatening to burn it to ashes for a lie, and Indra confessed: “I am the husband of Śacī, Purandara, Puruhūta. This pāpa was done by me. Forgive me.”

In great anger Gautama pronounced a śāpa on Indra, that his body would bear a thousand yonis, and on Ahalyā, that she would become a dry river. Ahalyā told him that the stranger had come in his form, and the watchmen bore witness: “It is so; Ahalyā speaks the truth.” Gautama knew the truth by dhyāna, grew calm, and said to her: “When you come into contact with the Gautamī, chief of rivers, you will regain your own form, pleasing to me.” Ahalyā became a river and met the divine Gautamī, and regained the form Brahmā had first created.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 16

Indra is freed

Then Indra fell at Gautama‘s feet: “Save me. I have done pāpa, but I have come to your house as a guest.” Gautama, moved to compassion, said that the devas had appeased him and wished Indra freed, and said: “By bathing in the sacred tīrtha Ahalyā-saṅgama, O husband of Śacī, you will be rid of your pāpas at once and become thousand-eyed (Sahasrāksha).” Brahmā says: “I have witnessed both these wonderful events, O Nārada: the restoration of Ahalyā and Indra becoming thousand-eyed.”

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 16

The tīrtha and its phala

From then on that pure tīrtha became well known as Ahalyā-saṅgama and as Indra Tīrtha.

  • It sanctifies the three worlds.
  • A bath there freed Indra from his pāpa at once.
  • It grants all cherished desires to men.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 16

Sources

  • Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 16