When he was struggling to get himself released, he happened to see his grey hair for the first time, and it gave him a shock. He could not even get up. The sage come to know about the plight of his disciple. He came to the place along withhis lotus eyed, fair young daughter who was well versed in dharma shastras. He asked her to wipe his tears with her hands.As she was wiped his tears with both her hands. As she was a young lady she felt shy. When she wiped his tears with bothher palms were completely burnt and the tear drops she had collected burnt and the tear drops she had collected fell downand got scattered on the ground. Even mother Earth could not bear the heat. Gauthama came to know the cause of his disciple'ssorrow. He felt sad at Uttanka's plight. With his power of tapas he blessed Uttanka with youth and blessed his daughterto get back her palm. Uttanka appeared like a young man of sixteen and the sage gave his daughter in marriage to him. Heblessed the newly married couple and permitted them to go home.
Before leaving the ashram, Uttanka fell at the feet of Ahalya Devi, who was his mother-in-law as well, and sought her blessings. He said,"What shall I offer as gurudakshina?" He was very humble and polite in his words.
At first she refused to receive anything in the form of gurudakshina, but when he pressed her she asked for the divine golden earringsstudded with immunerable, expensive and exquisite diamonds which were in possession of the demon king Saudasa. For thispurpose Uttanka had to traverse the three worlds, undergo a lot of difficulties and exhibit his skill and tact. His greatefforts ended on a happy note. He was able to secure the pair of earrings and offer them to his guru's wife.Sage Vaishampayana, thus narrated the sacred story Uttanks to king Janamejaya and added saying,"The great sage Uttankawho had mastered the Vedas and shastras was a brave hero as well." Uttanka's guru, sage Gauthama was a thousand timesgreater than his diciple and this fact was known to people in all the three worlds.
Listening to the great story of sage Gauthama and understanding it and reciting it would bring peace, contentment and satisfactionto a person.
Sage Gauthama had mastered the great Savithri Manthra. This is revealed in the Yajurveda. We also come to know that he wasthe one to whom the great Vyahrthi manthra 'Janah' was revealed.
Gauthama was a great tapasvi and all-knowing. He was a very ardent devotee of God and a generous host. He was a greatlyhonoured sadgrihasta. His heart was simple as that of a cow. There is an interesting story which brings out his greatqualities in a touching way.
There was plenty in sage Gauthama's ashram because of his power of tapas as he had become a Siddhapurusha, a person whocan get things done at his will. Therefore his ashram dwellers had not experienced famine. They were free from want.Once the whole country was reeling under a severe famine. Thousands of sages to drink had to take refuge in his ashram.Sage Gauthama welcomed everyone with open arms and played host to them gladly. He never gave them an oppurtunity to feelneglected. The famine continued for years and the sages felt a bit uneasy Gauthama's hospitality for so long, but Gauthamawould not allow them to leave.
During this period a very interesting thing took place in Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva. When Gowri and Ganesha saw Gangashining like a jewel on Shiva's head, they felt jealous. They thought of bringing her down. Ganesha decided to executehis plan. He came to Gauthama's ashrama and enjoyed the sage's hospitality. He addressed the guests in the ashrama one day,He said, "Don't you people feel ashamed of your behaviour? How long are you going to enjoy someone else's hospitaality and live in his house?" he tried to touch the chord of their self-respect, but they expressed their helplessness. Ganesha thensaid,"I will make a plan. I will crete a magic cow and make it wander round the ashrama and cause a lot of commotion. Gauthamawould come out and try to drive it out by gently hitting it with a darbha grass. It will fall on the ground, to all appearancedead. It will fall on the ground, to all appearance dead. Then you can say,'Gauthama, you have committed the sin of killinga cow. We cannot stay in your ashrama for a single minute more'. So saying you come out. Then sage Gauthama will imploreyou,'O great ones, please pardon me. Please tell me how I can redeem my sin. I will do whatever you suggest, however difficultit is going to be'. Then you tell him,'If you make the Ganga on the head of Lord Shiva come down and flow here, and ifyou take a bath in that Ganga, your sin will be redeemed.' So saying you leave the place. I will drive away the faminefrom your ashrama and make them plentiful.
During this period a very interesting thing took place in Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva. When Gowri and Ganesha saw Gangashining like a jewel on Shiva's head, they felt jealous. They thought of bringing her down. Ganesha decided to executehis plan. He came to Gauthama's ashrama and enjoyed the sage's hospitality. He addressed the guests in the ashrama one day,He said, "Don't you people feel ashamed of your behaviour? How long are you going to enjoy someone else's hospitaality and live in his house?" he tried to touch the chord of their self-respect, but they expressed their helplessness. Ganesha thensaid,"I will make a plan. I will crete a magic cow and make it wander round the ashrama and cause a lot of commotion. Gauthamawould come out and try to drive it out by gently hitting it with a darbha grass. It will fall on the ground, to all appearancedead. It will fall on the ground, to all appearance dead. Then you can say,'Gauthama, you have committed the sin of killinga cow. We cannot stay in your ashrama for a single minute more'. So saying you come out. Then sage Gauthama will imploreyou,'O great ones, please pardon me. Please tell me how I can redeem my sin. I will do whatever you suggest, however difficultit is going to be'. Then you tell him,'If you make the Ganga on the head of Lord Shiva come down and flow here, and ifyou take a bath in that Ganga, your sin will be redeemed.' So saying you leave the place. I will drive away the faminefrom your ashrama and make them plentiful.
A little later he got a doubt. He had pushed the cow with a blade of darbha grass. How could it fall and die with thatgentle touch? There must be some reason for it. He came to know with the power of insight about the plot hatched by thesages. He was very angry. He called them and said,"You ungrateful ones, how could you return my hospitality in that way.Let all your knowledge be lost." He cursed them.
Rishis give knowledge to the World. But as a result of this curse, their minds became blank and got filled with darkness. Theentire world was plunged in the darkness of ignorance. In order to save the world Lord Narayana who is compassion incarnatecame to be born as Veda Vyasa and he restored knowledge to the world.
This incident brings to light great Gauthama's power, his compassion and simplicity. It is the greatest among the greatand deserves to be worshipped. We make obeisance to the great sage Gauthama.
***********************Mangalam*******************************