Indra had come in the guise of Gautama. Ahalya had been clever enough to seek certainty, but not clever enough to turn away when the certainty she sought was not pure certainty, but desire and flattery wearing the form of trust.

As years passed, Rāma became the jewel of the court — the kings, citizens, and elders all loved him. He was still young, between 12 and 16 depending on tradition, when the event that changed Ayodhyā’s destiny began.

Middle Treta Yuga In the radiant line of the Kauśikas, descended from the noble King-Sage Kuśika , there was born a son named Gādhi. His birth fulfilled the divine promise made by Indra to Kuśika — that from his lineage would arise one who would give rise to a sage who would “bridge heaven and earth.” Gādhi was born during the Tretā Yuga , in a time when kings were expected not merely to rule but to embody dharma  itself. As a child, he was taught the Vedas and the duties of