Gautamī and Kausalyā in Svarga

Gautamī and Kausalyā in Svarga · gautamī, kausalyā, svarga, “Gautamī and Kausalyā in svarga”

Kausalyā has other meanings too: see all meanings of Kausalyā.

This is a dialogue in Svargaloka on the greatness of Bhagavān Sūrya. Brahmā tells it to Vishṇu in the Brahma Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa, in the Āditya Māhātmya. The brāhmaṇī Gautamī sees the queen Kausalyā and her husband shining in svarga more brightly than the devas, and asks the cause. Kausalyā answers that all of it came from their service of Bhagavān Sūrya: their radiance from bathing him, their gentleness from the ghee abhisheka, their fragrance from the offerings, and svarga itself from satisfying him with food. Those who serve him without desire, she says, receive moksha.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 115

Gautamī’s question

Brahmā says that mahātmās praise this dialogue of Gautamī and Kausalyā, which took place long ago in Svargaloka.

Once the brāhmaṇī Gautamī, in svarga, saw Kausalyā shining with great beauty together with her husband, and in wonder she asked her: “Kausalyā, devas, wives of devas, siddhas and siddha women dwell in this svarga in their hundreds. But none of them has the fragrance, radiance, beauty or lovely garments that you two have. The hosts of ornaments of none of these dwellers in svarga shine like those of you two.”

“By merely bathing well and putting on cloths your radiance increases. Even when the devas and their rulers do the same, such splendour does not stay long in them. What is the cause? The power of your tapas? The power of dāna? Homa that you performed? Tell me the cause of this surpassing radiance, so that my mind too may turn to doing such things, and human beings too may set about such good deeds.”

Kausalyā’s answer

Kausalyā replied: “Bhagavān Sūrya, who is the form of yajña and the master of yajña, was always satisfied by us. This excellent fruit, the gaining of svarga, came to us through deeds connected with him. Beauty, being loved, a lovely dress pleasing to the beholder, and all you asked about: I tell you they all come from those deeds.”

She named each deed and its fruit:

  • The bath. By bathing Bhagavān Sūrya with tīrtha waters and various fragrances they gained this radiance, which ever lights up the devas who rule the three worlds.
  • The ghee abhisheka. Clearness of mind, gentleness, the marks of ease in the body and belovedness are all the fruits of the ghee abhisheka they did for him.
  • The offerings. In the time when her husband ruled, they kept offering beloved cloths, ornaments, gems, pleasing unguents, incenses, flowers and the like to Bhagavān Sūrya, who is auspicious to see and the protector of all. The fragrance in their bodies and garments came from that offering.
  • The food. “Gautamī, my husband, who desired svarga, and I satisfied Savitṛ Deva, maker of the three worlds, by offering beloved and pure foods. With that our pāpa was destroyed.”

The phalaśruti

“Because we desired svarga, we gained svarga,” said Kausalyā. “To human beings who perform such services without desire, Prabhākara, the Īśvara, gives moksha.”

Then Brahmā resumes in his own voice: “Kṛshṇa, it is by worshipping thus Bhagavān Sūrya, who is Mārtāṇḍa, Arka, Deveśvara and Guru, that I have from long ago been gaining the fulfilment of my desired aims.”

Sources

  • Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 115