After creating prajā (praja; people), the divine grandsire Brahmā (Brahma) found that there were no distinguishing attributes in them — nor in appearance , nor in qualities. So, collecting all beauty and charms from all other people, and combined them to create a beautiful woman, and she was Ahalyā (Ahalya) — yad yat prajānāṃ pratyaṅgaṃ viśiṣṭaṃ tattaduddhritaṃ.

Ahalyā was the most beautiful lady created by Brahmā. ‘Hala’ means ‘deformity’. Adding ṣṇya pratyaya, it becomes ‘halya’. So Ahalyā means a lady who is without any deformity —

yasyā na vidyate halyaṃ tenāhalyeti viśrutā

ahalyetyeva ca mayā tasyā nāma prakīrtitam.

According to Bhāgavatapurāṇa (Bhagavatapurana), Ahalyā was the daughter of Mudgala, one of his twin babies. Mudgala was the son of Bharmyāśva (Bharmyaswa). According to some Purāṇa (Purana), Ahalyā was sired by Vindhyāśva, in other words, Vindhyāśva (Vindhyaswa) or Vṛddhaśva (Vrihadaswa), and born of the womb of Menakā (Menaka). Her twin brother was Divodāsa (Divodasa).

From the very moment of Ahalyā’s birth, Indra, the king of gods, was attracted to Ahalyā and thought of her as his wife —

sthānādhikatayā patnī mamaiṣeti purandara.

Knowing Indra’s attitude, Brahmā kept Ahalyā to Sage Gautama, and after so many years. Gautama showed no attraction to Ahalyā. Seeing this, Brahmā determined that  Gautama would be the most suitable husband for Ahalyā. She lived with Gautama in a grove near Mithilā and practiced ascetic penance. Indra could not overcome his desire for Ahalyā. One day, Sage Gautama went off to have a tīrthasnānaā. Knowing that he was away from the hermitage, Indra assumed his form, and came to enjoy Ahalyā’s company.

Indra said to Ahalyā, ‘a man desiring consummation of love does not wait for a proper season. I would like to consummate with you, here and now. Ahalyā realised that Maharṣi Gautama cannot ask for such an improper consummation. Yet, looking at Indra in disguise, and knowing his true self, she agreed to consummate with him, being curious of how it felt like —
muniveṣaṃ sahasrākṣaṃ vijñāya raghunandana
matiñcakāra durmedhā devarājakutūhalāt.

After the consummation, fearing that Gautama might come any time, Ahalyā asked Indra to leave the place. When Indra was leaving the cottage, he faced Gautama. Seeing Indra assuming his form, Gautama sensed that he had committed something wrong. The next moment, he understood the matter and cursed Indra — viphalastvaṃ bhaviṣyati — that is, his genital organ would fall off. Cursed by the sage, Indra immediately lost his genital organ. Then the sage cursed his wife Ahalyā — you would be living in this hermitage, only feeding on air, remaining invisible to everybody–
vātāvakṣā nirāhārā tapyantī bhasmaśāyinī
adṛśyā arvabhūtānāmāśrame’smin vasiṣyasi.

Gautama also said to Ahalyā, ‘Being so beautiful, you have not been able to maintain your honour. So you will not be the only beautiful woman in this world”. Thus many other beautiful women were born in this world. When Ahalyā  wanted to know about the means of her redemption, Gautama said ‘Rāmacandra, the human incarnation of God Viṣṇu will come to the hermitage, and seeing him, Ahalyā will be redeemed. Saying this, Gautama left the hermitage and went off to Himālaya (Himalaya) to practice tapasyā (tapasya). Since then, Ahalyā also started performing penance remaining invisible to everybody. Many years after, after slaying the rākṣasī (rakshasi) Tāḍakā (Tadaka), when Rāma (Rama), son of Daśaratha (Dasaratha), along with Viśvāmitra, was heading towards Mithilā, capital of Janaka, he stopped by Gautama’s hermitage and entered there. Viśvāmitra narated the story of Ahalyā and Rāmacandra found her shining with the glory of penance, like a flame covered with smoke — dhūmenābhi parītāṅgīṃ-dīptāmagniśikhāmiva.
Seeing Rāmacandra, her tenure of suffering from curse was over. As per Gautama’s previous instruction, Ahalyā offered hospitality to Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa (Lakshmana). Following Scriptural dictates, Rāmacandra accepted her offerings. Here Gautama was reunited with Ahalyā. Then Gautama, along with Ahalyā – who was ‘purified’ through tapasyā made offerings of respect to Rāma, and engaged himself in tapasyā.

In this legend narrated in Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana), Ahalyā had been visited by Rāma, and attained her redemption by his divine grace. The focus of this story is the merciful nature of Rāma, and his divine side. But in Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), the narrative is related in a more liberal way. Yudhiṣṭhira’s question was — how to do a work? Slowly, or in a hurry. Bhīṣma (Bhishma) said, ‘I’ll relate to you an ancient tale, which shows that one should take grave decisions after thoughtful consideration, taking time. Now listen to the story. Maharṣi Gautama had a son named Cirakārī. He used to take much time before doing anything, so he came to be known as Cirakārī. Not only in case of work, he would take much time in sleeping, and when he remained awake, he kept awakened for a long time, and he would finish any task, taking much time —
ciraṃ kāryābhipattiśca cirakārī tathocyate.
It is natural that people would call such a man lethergic and idiotic.
After the adulterous act of Indra and Ahalyā, Gautama called his son and ordered him to kill his mother —
jahīmāṃ jananīmiti.
Giving this order, Gautama left the hermitage and went off to tapasyā, and Cirakārī started his tapasyā of speculation. He thought, how would he disobey his father’s order, and on the other hand, how would he kill his mother, being a son? It was a great ethical dilemma for him, and how would he get rid of this —
kathaṃ dharmacchalenāsmin imajjeyam asādhuvat?
Cirakārī was respectful towards both his parents. He thought about several scriptural verses that establish the glory of the father. He also speculated on what is said in the scriptures about the greatness of the mother. Finally he cme to the conclusion that in a case of adultery, men are more responsible than women. As for his mother , Cirakārī thought — how far was she responsible Indra took the guise of her husband Gautama so accurately, that she took her for Gautama himself, and devoted herself fully to his pleasure —
tasyātmanā tu sadṛśaṃ ātmānaṃ paamaṃ dadau.
The way Cirakārī weighed the respective graces of father and mother, finally the side of the mother became heavier. Even after this, considering so many complications of life, he judged his mother as a woman, and applying a liberal social goodwill, thought that in cases of adultery, the initiative is found in men, and women, since they lack physical strength, cannot resist. So things like adultery and molestation are dependent on the will of men, and the fault is also theirs, not of women —
sarvakāryāparādhyatvān nāparādhyanti cāṅganāḥ.
Finally, Cirakārī blamed Indra for his male desire, and considered his mother as a victim of that. So, instead of killing Ahalyā, Cirakārī judged her in terms of a humane consideration of household matters, and released his mother from all feelings of guilt. In every work, he delays a lot, and he did so in this matter as well.