Gautama Maharishi
Gautama Maharishi | |
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 An Early 19th Century Painting Showing Maharishi Gautama | |
| Personal | |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Spouse | Ahalyā |
| Children | Shatananda andothers |
| Honors | One of theSaptarishis(Seven Great SagesRishi) |
| Part ofa serieson | |
| Hindu philosophy | |
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| Orthodox | |
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Gautama Maharishi(Sanskrit:महर्षिः गौतम,IAST:Maharṣiḥ Gautama), was a sage inHinduism,who is also mentioned in Jainism and Buddhism. Gautama is mentioned in theYajurveda,Ramayana,andGaṇeśa Pūranaand is known for cursing his wifeAhalyā.Another important story related to Gautama is about the creation of riverGodavari,which is also known as Gautami.
Children[edit]
According to theRamayana,Gautama's eldest son with Ahalya is Shatananda. But according to theAdi Parvaof Mahabharata, he had two sons named Sharadvana and Cirakari. Sharadvana was also known as Gautama, hence his childrenKripaandKripiwere called Gautama and Gautami respectively. A daughter of Gautama is referred too, but her name is never disclosed in the epic.[1]In theSabha Parva,he is described to beget many children through Aushinara (daughter of Ushinara), amongst whom the eldest in Kakshivata. Gautama and Aushinara's wedding takes place at Magadha, the kingdom ofJarasandha.[2]According to theVamana Purana,he had three daughters named Jaya, Jayanti, and Aparajita.[3]
Gautama is also have said to be the ancestor ofShvetaketu,son ofUddalaka Aruniin theBrihadaranyaka Upanishad.[4]
Ahalyā's curse[edit]
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TheGaṇeśa PurāṇaandRamayanadescribesAhalyāas his wife. Their marriage is recorded in the Uttara Khaṇḍa, which is believed as an interpolation to the epic. As per the storyBrahma,the creator god, creates a beautiful girl and gifts her as a bride to Gautama and a son named Shatananda is born.
TheUpāsanā Khaṇḍamentions Gautama cursing Indra when he comes home and findsIndrain an argument with his wife. It is revealed that Indra disguised as Gautama had sexual intimacy with Ahalyā and he curses Indra with 1000 vaginas[5]and turns Ahalyā into a stone untilRāmasteps on her. Indra is eventually returned to normal after Gautama recites a mantra, and finds greatness inGaṇeśathat he reveals to theDevas.[5]and Ahalyā is graced by Rāma's foot.
TheBala Khaṇḍamentions that Gautama spotsIndra,who is still in disguise, and curses him to lose histesticles.Gautama then curses Ahalya to stay in theAashramfor thousands of years, eating and drinking nothing but air and to be absolved only by Raam (verses 29-31).
Upaniṣads[edit]
Gautama is mentioned in two tales insideBṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad.He speaks toYajñavalkyawithUddālaka Āruṇi,Gārgī Vāchaknavīand otherKuruandPañcālasages inKing Janaka'skingdom to test to see ifYajñavalkyais a great sage.[4]
He also has a conversation withPravāhaṇa JaivaliafterJaivalimeetsŚvetaketuand requests to meet his father. Jaivali promises to grant Gautama a boon, and describes the beauty and depth of the physical world, and teaches him how to performyajña.[4]
References[edit]
- ^"Puranic encyclopaedia: a dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature".archive.org.1975.
- ^Mahabharata Sabha Parva Section XXI
- ^"Puranic encyclopaedia: a dictionary with special reference to epic and Puranic literature".archive.org.1975.
- ^abcOlivelle, Patrick (2008).Upaniṣads.New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 41, 82–94.ISBN9780199540259.
- ^abBailey, Greg (2015).The Gaṇeśa Purāṇa: Upāsanā Khaṇḍa vol. 1.New Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass Private Publishers Limited. pp. 102–106, 109–110.ISBN9788120836990.
- Doniger, Wendy(1999). "Indra and Ahalya, Zeus and Alcmena".Splitting the Difference: Gender and Myth in Ancient Greece and India.University of Chicago Press.ISBN978-0-226-15641-5.
