Communication Breakdown: The Story of Ahalya and Gautama (Amended)

Author's Note: The original source that inspired this story comes from the Ramayana, in which the story of Ahalya and Gautama is shared as background to one of Rama's encounters while on his way to Mithila. The story is one of deception and misunderstanding. Gautama, a sage and Ahalya's caretaker while she grows up, is granted her hand in marriage by Brahma, who made her to be exceptionally beautiful. However, Indra lusts after Ahalya. So, after Gautama leaves one morning, Indra changes his form to Gautama's and then seduces Ahalya. When Gautama returns, he finds the two together in bed and curses Indra to be covered in a 1000 female genitalia (later this is changed to a 1000 eyes) and turns Ahalya to stone. I changed the fate of Ahalya to include a counseling session between her and Gautama with Parvati, the goddess of love, devotion, and destruction. Parvati has her own experiences that make her particularly qualified to bring Gautama around to hearing Ahalya out.

The Story of Ahalya and Gautama (Amended)

Gautama burst into his room, seeing Ahalya, clearly shaken, and a cat attempting to exit the scene. The cat was Indra, the god of the heavens who had lusted after Ahalya for some time and had changed his form to her husband's form (Gautama's form) in order to finally succeed in seducing her. Gautama understood what had happened and immediately cursed Indra, causing him to be covered with a 1000 female genitalia. Just as he was about to lose his temper with Ahalya and turn her to stone, Parvati appeared to the couple and urged them to meditate away from one another until Gautama had calmed down and then discuss the situation.

Ahalya, terrified by the anger her husband had displayed, implored Parvati to mediate their discussion and provide them with guidance as they worked out the issue. Parvati, having been a part of many difficult discussions and engaging in plenty of frustrating situations with her own husband, Shiva, was understanding and promised to stay and guide the couple in their discussion with the goal of leading them to an understanding of what transpired, rather than letting their emotions take hold and destroy their relationship.

Ahalya by Raja Ravi Varma (Wikimedia Commons)

After meditating for the majority of the day, Gautama was ready to discuss the matter with Ahalya, only requiring that he was allowed to discuss his feelings about what he had seen first, and then letting Ahalya share her side of the story. The terms were agreed to and Parvati led the two in their discussion.

"When I saw you there with Indra, I felt completely shattered. It was as though I was being broken into a 1000 pieces as I cursed him to be covered with a 1000....well, maybe I could have handled that differently, but I nearly turned you to stone and if Parvati had not shown up when she did, I probably would have." Gautama seemed very disturbed, although considerably less angry than he had been earlier that day. 

"Ahalya, tell Gautama what you were telling me earlier. I know you are nervous, but surely you can see your husband was angry because he cares about you deeply. You two have a strong bond that is not so easily broken and if you are able to open up and discuss this, you will only become stronger." Parvati encouraged Ahalya who was still worried by her husband's temper.

"Gautama, he came to me in your form. I thought it was you until a moment before you burst into the room. I am so sorry, for I can only imagine how hurt you are, but please consider how hurt I am. I was deceived by Indra, and once I realized what was happening, he had already overcome me. You cannot imagine the fear and relief I felt when I saw you come through that door. I needed you more than ever in that moment, even in all your anger. If you can find a way to just see this from my view and imagine how terrified and disturbed I was, I know you'll find a way to forgive me. I promise you that I love you and only you." Ahalya began to tear up, saddened by the thought of Gautama no longer loving her in the wake of such a devastating event, as well as the thoughts of what Gautama was feeling. Seeing his wife cry, Gautama himself began to tear up and moved across the room to embrace her. 

"Recovering from this will be extraordinarily difficult, but if you two continue to communicate, I know you will be able to overcome this." With that, Parvati left the couple to pick up the pieces and begin the healing process.

Shiva and Parvati in British Museum (Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography:

Narayan's Ramayana (Web Source)

Tales of Ancient India by Edmund Cox (Web Source)