Kautsa
Kautsa, simply known as Kautsa, Sanskrit: कौत्स, Telugu: కౌత్సుడు, Hindi: कौत्स.
Kautsa was a devoted disciple of the ṛshi Viśvāmitra. The Purāṇas remember him as a model of faithful guru-dakshiṇā (the teacher’s fee). When his studies were done, he pressed his teacher again and again to name a fee. At last Viśvāmitra, irritated, asked for fourteen crore gold coins.
Kautsa’s search for this sum took him to King Raghu of Ayodhyā. In the end it led Kubera to shower gold on Ayodhyā. It is one of the dear narratives of the Sūryavaṃśa (the solar line of kings). Kautsa took only what he needed, and he gave Raghu a kind blessing. These acts are held up as the right conduct of a ṛshi.
Discipleship under Viśvāmitra
Kautsa studied for many years under the great ṛshi Viśvāmitra and served him with great devotion. This included the long time when Viśvāmitra stood still for a thousand divine years with cooked rice in his hand, waiting for Durvāsa Maharshi to come back from his bath. All through this time Kautsa stood attending his teacher. The Skanda Purāṇa describes him as “devoted to holy rites, of great liberal mind, free from jealousy.”
When Kautsa’s studies were complete, Viśvāmitra formally released him to go home and live as a householder. Kautsa asked him to name the dakshiṇā, the teacher’s fee. At first Viśvāmitra, whose austerities had made him stern and demanding, put the question aside: “Your service itself is my fee. Go home.” But Kautsa pressed him again and again. The repeated asking showed that he was sincere, and at last it irritated Viśvāmitra, who spoke in anger:
“Bring me fourteen crores of gold pieces of excellent colour as my fee, O Brāhmaṇa, and go home thereafter.”
No ordinary person or king could simply produce fourteen crore gold coins on demand. Kautsa accepted the demand without complaint and set out to meet it.
The search for the dakshiṇā
Kautsa went to the greatest giver of his time, King Raghu of Ayodhyā, the pride of the Sūryavaṃśa. But Raghu had just finished the Viśvadigjaya Yajña, in which he gave away his whole treasury. When Kautsa came to the palace, Raghu received him with full honour. Yet he could offer only earthen pots for the welcome rites, because no gold or silver was left.
Kautsa saw the situation at once. He chose to leave rather than burden a king who had nothing. He said politely: “O king, may you be prosperous. I am going elsewhere for the fee. I do not intend to request you as you have donated everything and yourself lack in funds.”
Raghu was deeply moved. He was set on honouring his brāhmaṇa guest. He asked Kautsa to stay one day and promised to find a way. Then he set out to conquer Kubera. Kubera was alarmed and acted first. He sent a great shower of gold, which fell at the Svarṇakhaṇi (gold mine) south of Dharmahari in Ayodhyā.
Acceptance and return
Raghu showed Kautsa the Svarṇakhaṇi, the heap of gold that Kubera had showered. Here Kautsa’s character shone most clearly. From that gold he took only the fourteen crore coins needed for the guru-dakshiṇā. He respectfully gave all the rest back to Raghu. He did not seize the windfall for himself. A ṛshi of his quality had no use for more than dharma required.
Before leaving, Kautsa gave Raghu two varas (boons):
- A noble son. A son with all the excellent qualities of the Raghu line.
- A lasting tīrtha. The Svarṇakhaṇi itself would become a great tīrtha, always removing pāpa (sin), with a yearly festival on the twelfth day of the bright half of Vaiśākha.
Having secured the guru-dakshiṇā, Kautsa went joyfully to Viśvāmitra’s āśrama to pay what he owed.
Why Kautsa’s account matters
Kautsa’s account shows the bond between student and teacher in the gurukula tradition. He insisted on paying the dakshiṇā, even at great cost and even when his teacher said it was not needed. He took only the least that was required, which shows the ideal of a brāhmaṇa: to take nothing beyond need.
The account fills two chapters of the Ayodhyā Māhātmya. Later Kālidāsa told it again in his Raghuvaṃśa. In it Kautsa joins the generosity of Raghu, the giving way of Kubera and the birth of a holy tīrtha.
Sources
- Skanda Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Ayodhyā Māhātmya, Chapter 4 (Raghu, Kubera and the Svarṇakhaṇi)
- Skanda Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Ayodhyā Māhātmya, Chapter 5 (Viśvāmitra’s demand)