Ahalya inspired from Indian mythology: 5 sages known for their temper

Maharishi Gautama cursed his wife Ahalya when he found out her infidelity. Sages were known for their quick temper.  

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A still from the movie Ahalya
A still from the movie Ahalya

Director Sujoy Gosh seems to be quite inspired from Indian mythology. After Kahaani, in which Vidya Balan's character had an allusion to Goddess Durga, Ahalya - the short film released on YouTube, is a contemporary depiction of the most beautiful creature in Hindu mythology - Ahalya (played by Radhika Apte), wife of sage Gautama (Soumitra Chatterjee).

The 14 minute film adheres to the basic plot of Ahalya being a charming but infidel wife who gives into the advances of Indra (the policeman played by Tota Roy Chowdhary).

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But Gosh brings in a twist to the story by making Ahalya and Gautama a scheming couple. Gautama is not the short tempered sage like in the original mythological story and Ahalya, not an infidel wife. They plot the scheme together which would work for their advantage.



As per the mythological story, the otherwise loyal wife Ahalya was seduced by Lord Indra. Maharishi Gautama was filled with rage after he got to know of his wife's act of infidelity, and cursed her. This " short-tempered curse giving that spoils the fate of many" is not a new concept. It has been a widely used one in the realm of myth.

Here are five sages who were known and guided by their temper:

1. Sage Durvasa

Known in Hindu mythology for his quick temper, Durvasa's penance supposedly goes up whenever he curses somebody. His curses have ruined many lives.

In Kalisasa's Abhigyana Shakuntala, he cursed the maiden Shakuntala who was lost in the thoughts of her lover that her lover will forget her.

Ikshvaku king Ambarisha, a great devotee of Vishnu broke his fast in the presence of sage Durvasa by taking a sip of water. The short-tempered sage felt his respect was violated as Ambarisha did not serve food to him before taking his meal. Guided by his wrath, he created a demon to destroy Ambarisha.

2. Sage Vishwamitra

Vishvamitra was a king in ancient India, also called Kaushika ("descendant of Kusha"). He was a valiant warrior and the great-grandson of a king named Kusha.

Menaka, a celestial nymph, was sent by Lord Indra to break Vishwamitra's meditation. Successful in her seduction, Menaka broke the meditation. But when the sage realized that he had been tricked by Lord Indra, he cursed Menaka who was in love with him, to be separated from him forever.

After years of meditation, Vishwamitra is named Maharishi by Brahma but tells him that he lacks control over his passions as he cursed Rambha, queen of Apsaras, to become a stone. She was sent by Lord Indra again to seduce him.

3. Maharishi Bhrigu

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He was one of the seven great sages, the Saptarishis (the Seven Great Sages) created by Brahma (The God of Creation).

While deciding who among the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva should be considered the best, all the sages requested Bhrigu to decide. He agreed and went to Satya Loka, the abode of Brahma first. Brahma being busy in his creations did not receive him properly which made sage Bhrigu curse him. When Bhrigu went to Kailas where Siva was busy in a cosmic dance and did not pay attention to his arrival, he cursed Siva too, for disrespecting him.

When Vishnu killed Usana, wife of Bhrigu with a sharp arrow, sage Bhrigu in anger cursed Vishnu to take birth on Earth and go through the cycles of birth and death.

4. Sage Jamadagni

Jamadagni is one of the Saptarishis. He is the father of Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of Vishnu.

Renuka, the devoted wife of Jamadagni was known for her chastity. Such was the power of her chastity that she used to fetch water from the river in a pot made of unbaked cake, held together by the power of her devotion towards her husband. But one day, she saw a group of Ghandharvas pass by in the sky and the unbaked pot dissolved in the river. When Jamadagni got to know, he ordered his sons to execute her.

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5. Sage Parashurama

Son of sage Jamadagni and the sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu, found his mother crying and beating her chest twenty-one times in a row sitting next to the body of his father. He decided to avenge his father's death. He enacted a genocide on the kshatriyas.

Parashurama killed the world of the kshatriyas twenty-one times over when Arjuna killed his father.