Princess of the Puru dynasty, who was turned into a stone by the curse of her husband, Gautama, for suspected adultery. She regained her form when Rama touched the stone with his divine feet. (Glossary for the Vahinis)

(Extract taken from (Ramayana: A Divine Drama, Actors in the Divine Play as scripted by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Vol.4)

Ahalya, the wife of the sage, was a woman of great virtue, and a perfect paragon of beauty. There was no one equal to her in personal beauty and charm. So, Gautama was keeping her ever under watch, and guarding her with vigilant care. One day, while Gautama was absent from the Ashram (hermitage), the chief of Gods came into hermitage in the guise of Gautama himself! The virtuous spouse took Him to be her Lord. She served him reverentially, but the real Gautama entered and discovered her apparent faithlessness. He recognized Indra, in spite of his disguise, and became terribly e)nraged. ‘Evil-minded fellow’ he shouted; but Indra had suddenly disappeared.

Gautama curses her:

He turned towards Ahalya in his anger and roared, ‘you have vowed to destroy this hermitage by indulging in vice, is it? I shall not be here for a minute longer. I cannot tolerate the sight of your face. Be prostrate behind some bush, living as a sprite on air, with no food or drink. I am off.’ Gautama hated the place that had been desecrated by deceit.

The sage Gautama cursed his wife Ahalya for transgressing the limits imposed by the higher Self on the lower self . (SSS Vol.16 p.111)

Rama’s Darshan, Sparshan and Sambhaashan cleanses

Ahalya wept her heart out, and pleaded that she was innocent of sin, that she was deceived by the disguise and activated by reverence towards her lord only, that she was carried away by duty of loyalty to her husband. She held his feet and prayed for pardon. Gautama melted a little at her importunities. The truth became clear to him. But since words once spoken could not be withdrawn, he said, ‘Ahalya! You know that I have vowed never to go against spoken word. Therefore, you have to lie in bush and briar, sad and starving, until Rama, son of Dasharatha, comes this way and seeing you, He will shower Grace on you, allowing you to touch His Feet, and He will speak with you in great compassion. The Darshan, Sparshan (Touching the Holy Feet) and Sambhasana, (conversation) will cleanse you and you will shine forth in your real form and charm. I shall then join you. So saying, Gautama left this place and hastened to the Himalayan region. From that moment, Ahalya lost her name and form. She lives on air and is deeply in austerity, eager to join her lord. And this once lovely park suffered neglect. (RKRV Part I p 153-154)

Rama expressed surprise and wanted to know where she was

When Vishwamitra narrated this tale (Rama, the incarnation of Lord Narayana, knew everything, but pretended as though He did not know anything ), Ramachandra expressed surprise. What! You are telling me that she was waiting for me! Poor thing! If you can make know where she is, deep austerity, tell me where.’ As Rama moved on, Vishwamitra and Lakshmana followed him at some distance. He passed through some tangled bushes and entered a hut, behind a bush of briar .

As (Rama) moved toward Ahalya, the vibrations that emanated from His feet brought a new surge of life into her petrified form . Ahalya was until that moment immersed in austerity. She was far away from the eyes of Gods, demons and men; she had forgotten her Name and lost her Form. She had no concern with food and sleep. She merely existed as a piece of rock! She appeared like an orb of the Moon, well hidden by clouds, or the artificial fire covered by thick curtains of smoke. As Rama neared her, his foot touched Ahalya. (RKRV Part I p.154) She immediately clung to the feet of Rama, and prayed to Him to forgive her and shower grace on her .

Ahalya raised her head and seeing the divinely charming Form of Rama, she held the Feet, exclaiming in ecstasy. ‘Ah! I am saved. Oh God come to me to save me from sin! Your heart is moved at last.’ She poured out her gratitude in many hymns of praise. She rose like the moon from behind the clouds, effulgent and fresh. At that moment Gautama too who was a master of the mysteries of yoga, appeared before them for he knew that Rama has come and rescued his wife. He accepted her, purified by rigorous austerity, and blessed by Rama. Both husband and wife fell at the Feet of Rama and Lakshmana; who were both overwhelmed by ananda they had. Gautama offered reverence and homage to Vishwamitra. The bond of disciples was amazed at the wonder they witnessed. They looked at the brothers with the fixed gaze of wonder. Vishwamitra took leave of Gautama, and walked on, in the north easterly direction, with Rama and Lakshmana by his side. (RKRV Part I p.155)

Vishwamitra narrates at Mithila, the purification and liberation of Ahalya; Shatananda’s gratitude:

Vishwamitra resumed his narrative with the start of the journey towards Mithila. The stories related by the sage to the brothers were also explained to Janaka. When the story of the purification and liberation of Ahalya, the Consort of Sage Gautama at the hermitage which was near the Capital City, was related, Shatananda (chief priest of King Janaka and Gautama’s eldest son) was surprised beyond measure. He ejaculated, ‘What! Has my mother been freed from the curse? Did these Divine personalities render my mother holy, and restore her to my father? Ah! Without doubt, they are Divine.’ While streams of tears of gratitude and joy fell down his cheeks, he became so overcome with emotion that he was unable to move, like a pillar. Vishwamitra observed him and said, ‘Son! Do not be so overwhelmed with the little events that have happened so far! In the coming days, many events vastly more amazing will happen. They will cause amazement and ecstasy, by their superhuman glory. Your parents too will arrive at Mithila City tomorrow or the day after. You can hear the marvellous glory of Rama and Lakshmana direct from them. Calm yourself. (RKRV Part I p.162/163)

Bhagavan’s Interpretation Of Ahalya’s Character:

Ahalya was a lady who disobeyed her husband, Gautama. Gautama cursed Ahalya and she became a stone. When Rama puts His foot on the stone, she comes back to her human form. She comes back to her original form as a woman. A woman cursed to become a stone, becomes a human form again, with Rama’s Name.

Woman is not merely a gender. Woman represents sensitivity, tenderness, receptivity, softness and sweetness. What is a stone? A stone is rock, tough and harsh. Because of disobedience, you become rough, tough and hard, like a stone. By repeating God’s Name, the stone can become a woman, meaning you can become sensitive, receptive, soft, smooth and tender.

Therefore, when Rama’s Name is repeated, one becomes soft. The stony-hearted fellow, a fellow, who does not react to the misery of the other people, and who does not respond to the needs of other people, is worse than a stone. But when this stony-hearted fellow sings the glory of Rama, he becomes a tender-hearted person. He has a heart softer than butter, like that of a woman. (Alarm Bells! Divine p.20-21)

When you feel that it is not the ‘other’ whom you are serving---but, yourself then, your service will be better and more effective. Establish this attitude more and more firmly in your mind. If you do good, you get good from those around you and from the universal entity, God. If you do bad, you get bad. Divinity but resounds, reflects, reacts! God has no favourites, no prejudices.

The thought creates a desire; the desire creates a form through which it is expressed. Have good thoughts, you get desires in good forms. Ahalya was lying as a Stone, for many years, as a result of the curse of her husband. Inside the Stone, there persisted human thought, which was again turned into human form with the touch of Rama’s feet. If Ahalya had become a Stone, with no trace of ‘Thought’, she would not have emerged as a woman from it. So, unless all trace of ‘Thought’ is destroyed, the form will sprout and grow and decline; that is to say, birth and death are inevitable. (SSS Vol.7 p.335-336)

You may have a grand feast on the plate, but, unless you have hunger, you will not be tempted to eat. There are qualifications for every task, be it eating or fasting, be it leading a householder’s life or monk’s life. Only a stone that was once Ahalya and was saturated by dhyana (meditation) and remorse can be transmuted into human form and only the feet of a Divine incarnation can so transmute it. All stones trodden by Rama did not get transformed into women; nor did any of the feet that trod upon that stone had the power of giving life. The Guru must have the awakening touch and the shishya (disciple) must have the eagerness to awake. The relationship should not be like the snake with a frog in the mouth, the frog too weak to escape, the snake too full to swallow. The Guru must be able to save; the shishya must be ready to be saved. (SSS Vol.4 p.54)

Ahalya’s curse:

Rama absolved Ahalya of the curse which had turned her into a stone. Ahalya might be deemed a woman of Rajasika temperament. (SSS Vol.25 p.182)

Ahalya, the wife of Sage Gautama was a great and noble lady, yet, she had to suffer on account of the curse of her husband. He cursed her on one occasion, ‘May you become a stone and lie in the dust!’ It is only due to the grace of Lord Rama at a later date that she could come out of the curse. The moment Rama’s feet touched the stone, the stone transformed itself into Ahalya. God can turn even a stone into a human being and sanctify it. He can purify the impure. However much you suffer from evil thoughts, the moment you think of God, all your impurities will be removed. Mind is the root cause for everything. Hence, ladies and gentlemen, everyone should cultivate sacred and noble thoughts. You must purify your heart. Only then can humanness survive. Otherwise, it degenerates into demonic nature. (SSS Vol.39 p.244-245) Rama came across Ahalya, who had been transformed into a stone. He gave her life, absolved her of sin through penitence and restored her to her husband. (SSS Vol.22 p.67)