Gautama Maharishi

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[edit] Great Seer

Gautama Maharishi was one of the Maharishis of Vedic times, known to have been the discoverer of Mantras -- 'Mantra-drashtaa', in Sanskrit. The Rig Veda has several suktas that go with his name. He was the son of Dirgha-tamas, belonging to the line of Angiras. The Devi Bhagavatam says that the river Godavari is so named because of its association with Gautama. He had two sons by name Vaamadeva and Nodhas, both themselves discoverers of Mantras. There is a hymn called Bhadra in the Sama Veda which again is ascribed to Gautama Maharishi. Gautama is one of the sapta-rishis (seven Rishis) of the current Manvantara.

[edit] Personal life

His wife is Ahalya, herself the mentally generated daughter of Creator Brahma. The Puranas speak of the story wherein it is described how Gautama won the hand of Ahalya by perambulating the divine cow in order to fulfill the stipulation of Brahma that whoever first goes round the whole Earth wil win the hand of Ahalya. The Chief priest of King Janaka of Mithila, by name Shatananda, was the son of Gautama and Ahalya. Gautama's sixty-year long penance is mentioned in the Shanti parva of the Mahabharata. The Narada-purana describes the story of the 12-year famine during which Gautama fed all the Rishis and saved them.

[edit] More details

The descent of Lord Shiva as Tryambakeshvar, that constitutes the source of the Jyotirlinga nearby, happened for the sake of Gautama. The Brahmaanda-purana mentions that one of the sub-branches of the Raanaayani branch of Sama Veda was initiated by this Gautama. Some famous disciples of Gautama were Praachina-yogya, Shaandilya, Gaargya, and Bharadwaaja.

[edit] Author of the earliest Dharma-sutra

Gauatama was also the author of Dharma-sutra known as Gautama Dharma sutra. It is in fact the earliest Dharma Sutra. It contains 28 chapters with 1000 aphorisms. Almost every aspect of the observances of Hindu dharma - including the rules for the four Ashramas, the forty samskaras, the four varnas, kingly duties, the punishments for various offences, the obsequies for the dead, do's and don'ts of food consumption, the dharmas of women, the rules for Praayaschitta (atonement for sins), and the rules of succession of property. In this sense Gautama's Dharma Shastra may perhaps be considered the oldest law book of the world.

Gautama, the author of the school of philosophy that goes by the name of 'Nyaya' (Logic) is perhaps a different Gautama.