Ahalya in Kampan: she knew, and could not let go

Variant

Ahalya is the one woman who sins knowingly in Valmiki, and Kampan lets her admit it.

In Valmiki's Bala Kanda Ahalya knowingly yields to Indra, who has come disguised as her husband Gautama. Kampan's Tamil telling keeps her aware of her wrong yet unable to give up the forbidden pleasure, and shows Gautama as an angry, Shiva-like figure. She is freed by the dust of Rama's feet. In Kampan's telling Indra's curse mark is changed into a thousand eyes.

Who: Ahalya, Gautama, Indra, Rama

Bound to

Guha insists on washing Rama's feet before the boat causes

Kamban's Ramavataram: the Tamil Ramayana that names its patron every 1,000 verses located-at

Places: Tamil Nadu

Where this comes from

commentary · A.K. Ramanujan 'Three Hundred Ramayanas' (summary by S. Naganath) Ahalya section

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