The Glory of Gautama

Verse 1 (shiva.kotirudra.24.1)

सूत उवाच । श्रूयतामृषयः श्रेष्ठाः कथां पापप्रणाशिनीम् । कथयामि यथा व्यासात्सद्गुरोश्च श्रुता मया ॥ 24.1 ॥

sūta uvāca śrūyatāmṛṣayaḥ śreṣṭhāḥ kathāṁ pāpapraṇāśinīm kathayāmi yathā vyāsātsadgurośca śrutā mayā

Suta said: Listen, O excellent sages; I shall relate that sin-destroying story just as I heard it from my true guru, Vyasa.

Verse 2 (shiva.kotirudra.24.2)

पुरा ऋषिवरश्चासीद्गौतमो नाम विश्रुतः । अहल्या नाम तस्यासीत्पत्नी परमधार्मिकी ॥ 24.2 ॥

purā ṛṣivaraścāsīdgautamo nāma viśrutaḥ ahalyā nāma tasyāsītpatnī paramadhārmikī

Long ago there lived a renowned and excellent sage named Gautama; his wife was the supremely virtuous Ahalya.

Verse 3 (shiva.kotirudra.24.3)

दक्षिणस्यां दिशि हि यो गिरिर्ब्रह्मेति संज्ञकः । तत्र तेन तपस्तप्तं वर्षाणामयुतं तथा ॥ 24.3 ॥

dakṣiṇasyāṁ diśi hi yo girirbrahmeti saṁjñakaḥ tatra tena tapastaptaṁ varṣāṇāmayutaṁ tathā

On the mountain known as Brahmagiri in the southern region, he performed austerity for ten thousand years.

Verse 4 (shiva.kotirudra.24.4)

कदाचिच्च ह्यनावृष्टिरभवत्तत्र सुव्रताः । वर्षाणां च शतं रौद्री लोका दुःखमुपागताः ॥ 24.4 ॥

kadācicca hyanāvṛṣṭirabhavattatra suvratāḥ varṣāṇāṁ ca śataṁ raudrī lokā duḥkhamupāgatāḥ

O men of good vows, once there occurred there a terrible drought lasting a hundred years, and the people fell into great distress.

Verse 5 (shiva.kotirudra.24.5)

आर्द्रं च पल्लवं न स्म दृश्यते पृथिवीतले । कुतो जलं विदृश्येत जीवानां प्राणधारकम् ॥ 24.5 ॥

ārdraṁ ca pallavaṁ na sma dṛśyate pṛthivītale kuto jalaṁ vidṛśyeta jīvānāṁ prāṇadhārakam

Not a single green leaf could be seen anywhere upon the earth; how then could water, the sustainer of every living being's life-breath, be found?

Verse 6 (shiva.kotirudra.24.6)

तदा ते मुनयश्चैव मनुष्याः पशवस्तथा । पक्षिणश्च मृगास्तत्र गताश्चैव दिशो दश ॥ 24.6 ॥

tadā te munayaścaiva manuṣyāḥ paśavastathā pakṣiṇaśca mṛgāstatra gatāścaiva diśo daśa

Then those sages, humans, cattle, birds, and deer all scattered there in every direction.

Verse 7 (shiva.kotirudra.24.7)

तां दृष्ट्वा चर्षयो विप्राः प्राणायामपरायणाः । ध्यानेन च तदा केचित्कालं निन्युः सुदारुणम् ॥ 24.7 ॥

tāṁ dṛṣṭvā carṣayo viprāḥ prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇāḥ dhyānena ca tadā kecitkālaṁ ninyuḥ sudāruṇam

O brahmins, seeing that plight, some sages, devoted to breath-control, passed that most terrible time through meditation alone.

Verse 8 (shiva.kotirudra.24.8)

गौतमोऽपि स्वयं तत्र वरुणार्थे तपः शुभम् । चकार चैव षण्मासं प्राणायामपरायणः ॥ 24.8 ॥

gautamo’pi svayaṁ tatra varuṇārthe tapaḥ śubham cakāra caiva ṣaṇmāsaṁ prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇaḥ

Gautama too himself performed there an auspicious austerity directed toward Varuna, devoted to breath-control, for six months.

Verse 9 (shiva.kotirudra.24.9)

ततश्च वरुणस्तस्मै वरं दातुं समागतः । प्रसन्नोऽस्मि वरं ब्रूहि ददामि च वचोऽब्रवीत् ॥ 24.9 ॥

tataśca varuṇastasmai varaṁ dātuṁ samāgataḥ prasanno’smi varaṁ brūhi dadāmi ca vaco’bravīt

Then Varuna came there to grant him a boon and said: 'I am pleased; ask a boon, and I shall grant it.'

Verse 10 (shiva.kotirudra.24.10)

ततश्च गौतमस्तं वै वृष्टिं च प्रार्थयत्तदा । ततः स वरुणस्तं वै प्रत्युवाच मुनिं द्विजाः ॥ 24.10 ॥

tataśca gautamastaṁ vai vṛṣṭiṁ ca prārthayattadā tataḥ sa varuṇastaṁ vai pratyuvāca muniṁ dvijāḥ

Then Gautama asked him for rain; O brahmins, Varuna then replied to that sage as follows.

Verse 11 (shiva.kotirudra.24.11)

वरुण उवाच । देवाज्ञां च समुल्लङ्घ्य कथं कुर्यामहं च ताम् । अन्यत्प्रार्थय सुज्ञोऽसि यदहं करवाणि ते ॥ 24.11 ॥

varuṇa uvāca devājñāṁ ca samullaṅghya kathaṁ kuryāmahaṁ ca tām anyatprārthaya sujño’si yadahaṁ karavāṇi te

Varuna said: How can I do that, transgressing the command of the gods? You are wise yourself — ask for something else, which I may do for you.

Verse 12 (shiva.kotirudra.24.12)

सूत उवाच । इत्येतद्वचनं तस्य वरुणस्य महात्मनः । परोपकारी तच्छ्रुत्वा गौतमो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ 24.12 ॥

sūta uvāca ityetadvacanaṁ tasya varuṇasya mahātmanaḥ paropakārī tacchrutvā gautamo vākyamabravīt

Suta said: Hearing these words of the great-souled Varuna, Gautama, ever devoted to the good of others, spoke as follows.

Verse 13 (shiva.kotirudra.24.13)

गौतम उवाच । यदि प्रसन्नो देवेश यदि देयो वरो मम । यदहं प्रार्थयाम्यद्य कर्तव्यं हि त्वया तथा ॥ 24.13 ॥

gautama uvāca yadi prasanno deveśa yadi deyo varo mama yadahaṁ prārthayāmyadya kartavyaṁ hi tvayā tathā

Gautama said: O lord of gods, if you are pleased and wish to grant me a boon, then whatever I ask today, you must surely fulfill.

Verse 14 (shiva.kotirudra.24.14)

यतस्त्वं जलराशीशस्तस्माद्देयं जलं मम । अक्षयं सर्वदेवेश दिव्यं नित्यफलप्रदम् ॥ 24.14 ॥

yatastvaṁ jalarāśīśastasmāddeyaṁ jalaṁ mama akṣayaṁ sarvadeveśa divyaṁ nityaphalapradam

Since you are lord of the mass of waters, give me water itself — O lord of all gods, water that is inexhaustible, divine, and ever fruitful.

Verse 15 (shiva.kotirudra.24.15)

सूत उवाच । इति सम्प्रार्थितस्तेन वरुणो गौतमेन वै । उवाच वचनं तस्मै गर्तश्च क्रियतां त्वया ॥ 24.15 ॥

sūta uvāca iti samprārthitastena varuṇo gautamena vai uvāca vacanaṁ tasmai gartaśca kriyatāṁ tvayā

Suta said: Thus entreated by Gautama, Varuna said to him: Dig a pit.

Verse 16 (shiva.kotirudra.24.16)

इत्युक्ते च कृतस्तेन गर्तो हस्तप्रमाणतः । जलेन पूरितस्तेन दिव्येन वरुणेन सः ॥ 24.16 ॥

ityukte ca kṛtastena garto hastapramāṇataḥ jalena pūritastena divyena varuṇena saḥ

When this was said, he dug a pit one hand-span deep, and Varuna filled it with divine water.

Verse 17 (shiva.kotirudra.24.17)

अथोवाच मुनिं देवो वरुणो हि जलाधिपः । गौतमं मुनिशार्दूलं परोपकृतिशालिनम् ॥ 24.17 ॥

athovāca muniṁ devo varuṇo hi jalādhipaḥ gautamaṁ muniśārdūlaṁ paropakṛtiśālinam

Then the god Varuna, lord of the waters, spoke to that foremost of sages, Gautama, who was devoted to the good of others.

Verse 18 (shiva.kotirudra.24.18)

वरुण उवाच । अक्षयं च जलं तेऽस्तु तीर्थभूतं महामुने । तव नाम्ना च विख्यातं क्षितावेतद्भविष्यति ॥ 24.18 ॥

varuṇa uvāca akṣayaṁ ca jalaṁ te’stu tīrthabhūtaṁ mahāmune tava nāmnā ca vikhyātaṁ kṣitāvetadbhaviṣyati

Varuna said: O great sage, let this be your inexhaustible water, become a sacred tirtha; and it shall become renowned upon the earth by your very name.

Verse 19 (shiva.kotirudra.24.19)

अत्र दत्तं हुतं तप्तं सुराणां यजनं कृतम् । पितॄणां च कृतं श्राद्धं सर्वमेवाक्षयं भवेत् ॥ 24.19 ॥

atra dattaṁ hutaṁ taptaṁ surāṇāṁ yajanaṁ kṛtam pitṝṇāṁ ca kṛtaṁ śrāddhaṁ sarvamevākṣayaṁ bhavet

Whatever charity, oblation, austerity, worship of the gods, or ancestral rite is performed here shall become inexhaustible.

Verse 20 (shiva.kotirudra.24.20)

सूत उवाच । इत्युक्तान्तर्दधे देवः स्तुतस्तेन महर्षिणा । गौतमोऽपि सुखं प्राप कृत्वान्योपकृतिं मुनिः ॥ 24.20 ॥

sūta uvāca ityuktāntardadhe devaḥ stutastena maharṣiṇā gautamo’pi sukhaṁ prāpa kṛtvānyopakṛtiṁ muniḥ

Suta said: Having said this, the god, praised by that great sage, vanished; Gautama too, having thus benefited others, attained happiness.

Verse 21 (shiva.kotirudra.24.21)

महतो ह्याश्रयः पुंसां महत्त्वायोपजायते । महान्तस्तत्स्वरूपं च पश्यन्ति नेतरेऽशुभाः ॥ 24.21 ॥

mahato hyāśrayaḥ puṁsāṁ mahattvāyopajāyate mahāntastatsvarūpaṁ ca paśyanti netare’śubhāḥ

Reliance upon the great alone becomes the cause of greatness in men; only the great can perceive the true nature of the great, not the unworthy.

Verse 22 (shiva.kotirudra.24.22)

यादृङ्नरं च सेवेत तादृशं फलमश्नुते । महतः सेवयोच्चत्वं क्षुद्रस्य क्षुद्रतां तथा ॥ 24.22 ॥

yādṛṅnaraṁ ca seveta tādṛśaṁ phalamaśnute mahataḥ sevayoccatvaṁ kṣudrasya kṣudratāṁ tathā

A man attains the fruit corresponding to whomever he serves; by serving the great one gains greatness, and by serving the mean, meanness.

Verse 23 (shiva.kotirudra.24.23)

सिंहस्य मन्दिरे सेवा मुक्ताफलकरी मता । शृगालमन्दिरे सेवा त्वस्थिलाभकरी स्मृता ॥ 24.23 ॥

siṁhasya mandire sevā muktāphalakarī matā śṛgālamandire sevā tvasthilābhakarī smṛtā

Service in a lion's den is held to yield pearls, while service in a jackal's lair is remembered to yield only bones.

Verse 24 (shiva.kotirudra.24.24)

उत्तमानां स्वभावोऽयं परदुःखासहिष्णुता । स्वयं दुःखं च सम्प्राप्तं मन्यतेऽन्यस्य वार्यते ॥ 24.24 ॥

uttamānāṁ svabhāvo’yaṁ paraduḥkhāsahiṣṇutā svayaṁ duḥkhaṁ ca samprāptaṁ manyate’nyasya vāryate

This is the nature of the noble: they cannot bear the suffering of others; seeing another's pain, they regard it as their own and strive to remove it.

Verse 25 (shiva.kotirudra.24.25)

वृक्षाश्च हाटकं चैव चन्दनं चेक्षुकस्तथा । एते भुवि परार्थे च दक्षा एवं न केचन ॥ 24.25 ॥

vṛkṣāśca hāṭakaṁ caiva candanaṁ cekṣukastathā ete bhuvi parārthe ca dakṣā evaṁ na kecana

Trees, gold, sandalwood, and sugarcane — these upon the earth are ever skilled in giving themselves for the good of others; none else are quite so.

Verse 26 (shiva.kotirudra.24.26)

दयालुरमदस्पर्श उपकारी जितेन्द्रियः । एतैश्च पुण्यस्तम्भैस्तु चतुर्भिर्धार्यते मही ॥ 24.26 ॥

dayāluramadasparśa upakārī jitendriyaḥ etaiśca puṇyastambhaistu caturbhirdhāryate mahī

The compassionate, the free of pride, the benevolent, and the self-controlled — by these four pillars of merit alone is this earth upheld.

Verse 27 (shiva.kotirudra.24.27)

ततश्च गौतमस्तत्र जलं प्राप्य सुदुर्लभम् । नित्यनैमित्तिकं कर्म चकार विधिवत्तदा ॥ 24.27 ॥

tataśca gautamastatra jalaṁ prāpya sudurlabham nityanaimittikaṁ karma cakāra vidhivattadā

Then Gautama, having obtained that most rare water there, duly performed both his daily and his occasional rites.

Verse 28 (shiva.kotirudra.24.28)

ततो व्रीहीन् यवांश्चैव नीवारानप्यनेकधा । वापयामास तत्रैव हवनार्थं मुनीश्वरः ॥ 24.28 ॥

tato vrīhīn yavāṁścaiva nīvārānapyanekadhā vāpayāmāsa tatraiva havanārthaṁ munīśvaraḥ

Then that lord of sages sowed there rice, barley, and various kinds of wild grain as well, for the purpose of oblation.

Verse 29 (shiva.kotirudra.24.29)

धान्यानि विविधानीह वृक्षाश्च विविधास्तथा । पुष्पाणि च फलान्येव ह्यासंस्तत्राप्यनेकशः ॥ 24.29 ॥

dhānyāni vividhānīha vṛkṣāśca vividhāstathā puṣpāṇi ca phalānyeva hyāsaṁstatrāpyanekaśaḥ

There arose various kinds of grain, various kinds of trees, and flowers and fruits of many varieties as well.

Verse 30 (shiva.kotirudra.24.30)

तच्छ्रुत्वा ऋषयश्चान्ये तत्रायाताः सहस्रशः । पशवः पक्षिणश्चान्ये जीवाश्च बहवोऽगमन् ॥ 24.30 ॥

tacchrutvā ṛṣayaścānye tatrāyātāḥ sahasraśaḥ paśavaḥ pakṣiṇaścānye jīvāśca bahavo’gaman

Hearing of this, other sages too came there in their thousands; cattle, birds, and many other living creatures came there as well.

Verse 31 (shiva.kotirudra.24.31)

तद्वनं सुन्दरं ह्यासीत्पृथिव्यां मण्डले परम् । तदक्षयजलायोगादनावृष्टिर्न दुःखदा ॥ 24.31 ॥

tadvanaṁ sundaraṁ hyāsītpṛthivyāṁ maṇḍale param tadakṣayajalāyogādanāvṛṣṭirna duḥkhadā

That forest became supremely beautiful upon the circle of the earth; owing to that inexhaustible water, the drought no longer brought any suffering.

Verse 32 (shiva.kotirudra.24.32)

ऋषयोऽपि वने तत्र शुभकर्मपरायणाः । वासं चक्रुरनेके च शिष्यभार्यासुतान्विताः ॥ 24.32 ॥

ṛṣayo’pi vane tatra śubhakarmaparāyaṇāḥ vāsaṁ cakruraneke ca śiṣyabhāryāsutānvitāḥ

Many sages too, devoted to auspicious rites, together with their disciples, wives, and sons, made their dwelling in that forest.

Verse 33 (shiva.kotirudra.24.33)

धान्यानि वापयामासुः कालक्रमणहेतवे । आनन्दस्तद्वने ह्यासीत्प्रभावाद्गौतमस्य च ॥ 24.33 ॥

dhānyāni vāpayāmāsuḥ kālakramaṇahetave ānandastadvane hyāsītprabhāvādgautamasya ca

They sowed grain there to pass their days; and by the very power of Gautama, joy pervaded that entire forest.