It was #gautamrishi Jayanti yesterday. Gautam Rishi is attributed with the title of Maharshi often cited as one of the Saptarishis. Now many of you like me would have spent their childhood in Left inspired education and thought process. Gautam Rishi and his treatment towards his wife Ahilya is one of the favorite topics of discussion and portrayals of modern so-called free thinking intellectuals, film makers, story tellers. They never fail to highlight the male chauvinism and harsh treatment of Ahilya turning her into a stone. Ahilya was a beautiful woman and Indra, the king of Gods desired her. Once in absence of Rishi Gautam, he comes to her in the guise of her husband and has intercourse with her. He is caught by Gautam while leaving his hermitage. Enraged, he curses Indra to lose his testicles and also curses his wife to turn to a stone, and says that when Ram, son of Dashrath would come to the hermitage, she would regain her form when touched by his feet. And so this happens when Ram, Lakshman and sage Vishwamitra comes there. Now it shows the harsh treatment to woman and shows that she had to be touched by feet to let her regain her status and forgiven . Many versions of the story also says that Ahalya wasnt even aware that it was Indra and not her husband. Stories vary, but in the Valmiki Ramayan's version that I read, Ahalya knew it very well that its not her husband and whatever Gautam rishi did was because of anger towards her infidelity. And he didnt turn her into stone but made her invisible inside the hermitage and she regained her form as soon as Ram entered there. Both Ram and Ahalya honor each other and pay respect. Its then Gautam Rishi appears and accepts her again. Gautam Rishi also once brought Ganga on to Earth to save land from drought and because of another story associated with a cow. He prayed to Shiva and established the Triyambakeshwar jyotirlinga and Ganga descends from Shiva's hair on to the Earth to be known as Godavari. Descendant of Gautam, Sharadvan was father to Kripacharya who was acharya to both Kauravas and Pandavas in Mahabharat. May Gautam Rishi bless us all with knowledge and forgiving heart By : @lotusofsaraswati - indian contents Likes(18) Dislikes(0) Comments(0)