Gautama Maharishi in Hinduism was a Rigvedic Sage. He is mentioned in many Sanskrit hymns in the Rig Veda. Several hymns in the Mandala have been authored by Gautama the Vedic sage. He is mentioned in both Buddhism and Jainism. Rahugana from Angirasa’s lineage is the father of Gautama Maharishi. Gautama was the forebearer of the paternal lineage of Gautama gotra. As stated in the Devi Bhagavatam, Godavari has attained its name due to its association with Gautama. Bhadra a hymn is ascribed in the Sama Veda in the name of Gautama Maharishi.
Bharadvaja and Gautama both descendants from Angirasa, share the same ancestry. Both are bracketeted many times together under the name Angirasa. Bharadvaja, Praachina-yogya, Gargya and Shaandilya are some of Gautama’s famous disciples. It is for the sake of Gautama that Lord Shiva’s descendant as Trimbakeshvar constituted a Jyotirlinga source nearby. Gautama initiated one of the sub-branches of the Raanaayani branch of the Sama Veda.
One of the Seven Great Sages Rishis (Saptarishis) is Gautama Maharishi. In Sanskrit, Gautama is known as the ‘Mantra-drashtaa’ – the discoverer of Mantras. The Dharma Shastra of Gautama is considered perhaps as the world’s oldest law book. During Vedic times Gautama Maharishi was one of the Maharishis. The ‘mind born daughter’, Ahalya of Lord Brahma the Creator, is his wife. He circumambulated the divine cow to win the hand of Ahalya. Brahma had stipulated that anyone who goes around the entire Earth first will win over the hand of Ahalya. Nodha and Vamadeva are the sons of Gautama Maharishi.
