Ahalya, beauty incarnate¹²

One day Brahma took her to the great sage Gautama and asked him to take care of her for some time and teach her spiritual discipline and dedication. Gautama was very pleased with his disciple. She was also extremely pleased with her Master.

After some time Brahma came to Gautama to take his daughter back. Gautama returned her, saying, “I was so happy to teach your daughter.”

Brahma said, “I am so grateful to you.”

A few months later Brahma came back to Gautama and said, “You have to marry my daughter, for you have been very kind to her and she is all admiration and adoration for you. I will be so proud to have you as my son-in-law. So please marry my daughter.”

“If that is what you want, O Lord Brahma, then I am willing to have your daughter as my wife. Previously she was my spiritual daughter. Now, if she wants me to be her husband, I am more than willing. She is not only extremely beautiful, but also extremely good and kindhearted. I will be very pleased to have her, and I will happily marry her.”

Gautama and Ahalya were married, and they were exceedingly happy. One day Ahalya told Gautama, “On my return home, my father was all appreciation for you. He was seeing my good qualities and he couldn’t believe his eyes that I had become so spiritual.”

Gautama said, “I am so glad to have taught you. I have had many disciples, but none of them could learn things as fast as you did. In every way you surpassed your spiritual brothers and sisters. So I am very proud of you. Now the time has come for you to teach others.”

Ahalya said, “How can I teach others? I have just learned from you!”

“There will be many newcomers. You will teach them, and once they have learned basic things from you, they can come to me for further spiritual knowledge.”

Ahalya devotedly said, “My Lord, I shall do it. To please you in your own way is my life.”