Raghu, Kautsa and Kubera

King Raghu of Ayodhyā gave away his whole treasury at the end of a great yajña. Just then the young ṛshi Kautsa, a pupil of Viśvāmitra, came to him. Kautsa needed fourteen crore gold coins to pay his teacher. Raghu had only earthen pots left, but he promised to help, and he set out toward Kubera. Kubera was afraid of Raghu. He sent a great shower of gold coins down on Ayodhyā. The place became known as Svarṇakhaṇi, the Gold Mine, and it is a holy tīrtha to this day.

This account is told in the Ayodhyā Māhātmya of the Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa of the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa.

The Viśvadigjaya yajña

Raghu was the foremost king of the Sūryavaṃśa, the line of the Sun. By conquering the world he had gathered great wealth. When he came back to Ayodhyā, he called an assembly of ṛshis, among them Vasishṭha, Vāmadeva and Kaśyapa. He asked which yajña would best suit his line. The ṛshis told him to perform the Viśvajit, also called Viśvadigjaya, the best of all yajñas.

Raghu performed the Viśvadigjaya with complete generosity. At its end he gave his whole treasury as dakshiṇā (the priests’ gift). Everything he owned, all the riches gathered over years of conquest, went to the assembled brāhmaṇas. They went home happy and honoured. Raghu was left with nothing in his palace but earthen pots. Yet, by the puṇya (merit) of this yajña, he was praised like Devendra in svarga.

Kautsa comes

At that very moment, when Raghu stood with his treasury empty, the young ṛshi Kautsa, a pupil of Viśvāmitra, came to the palace gate. He had come to ask Raghu’s help in paying his guru-dakshiṇā (gift to his teacher). Viśvāmitra had angrily asked fourteen crore gold coins as his fee. This sum is so great that even an emperor would find it hard to raise at short notice.

Raghu came out and welcomed Kautsa with full honour. He gave him a welcome with only earthen pots. Kautsa was sharp-eyed and gracious. He understood at once that the king had nothing. He chose to take polite leave and said that he would look for the money elsewhere. He would not ask it of a man who had just given away everything.

Raghu’s promise

Raghu would not send a brāhmaṇa guest away unfulfilled. It was rāja-dharma (a king’s duty) toward brāhmaṇas, and he could not set it aside. He asked Kautsa to stay one day. He said he would find a way.

Kautsa agreed. Then Raghu, with a generous mind, set out at once toward the home of Kubera, the keeper of wealth and guardian of the treasures of the three worlds. Raghu had no riches, but he had his arms and his power of conquest. He would simply take from Kubera what was needed.

Kubera’s shower of gold

Kubera learned of Raghu’s coming through his divine knowledge. The thought of meeting the greatest warrior of the Sūryavaṃśa, who had already conquered all four quarters, did not please him. Before Raghu could reach him, Kubera sent a messenger to say that he was ready to give. At the same time he made a great shower of gold coins fall at Ayodhyā, in the area south of Dharmahari in the city.

The place where the gold fell became known as Svarṇakhaṇi, the Gold Mine.

Kautsa takes only what is needed

Raghu showed the Svarṇakhaṇi to Kautsa and gave it wholly to the ṛshi. Then Kautsa showed what kind of man he was. From the huge pile of gold that Kubera had poured down, he took only fourteen crore gold coins, exactly what the guru-dakshiṇā needed. He gave all the rest back to Raghu with respect. He wanted no more than dharma required.

Kautsa’s blessing

Kautsa was full of joy and thanks. Before he left, he blessed Raghu:

“O king, may you get a very good son possessing all the good qualities of your own family. This Svarṇakhaṇi shall immediately bestow the desired benefits on you. There will be a great tīrtha here, always dispelling all pāpa (sin). By taking holy bath here and making charitable gifts, men shall obtain fortune and glory. The annual festival should be celebrated on the twelfth day in the bright half of the month of Vaiśākha.”

With these words Kautsa set out gladly for Viśvāmitra’s āśrama to give him the dakshiṇā. Raghu took the gold that was left and used it for the protection of his people and for the good of brāhmaṇas.

The tīrtha of the Gold Mine

The Svarṇakhaṇi became a lasting tīrtha among the holy places of Ayodhyā. It lies south of Dharmahari. The ground of this holy place is described as made of gold and set with divine jewels. It is a tīrtha of great good fortune. Those who bathe here and give gifts gain glory and prosperity. Its yearly festival is on the twelfth day of the bright half of Vaiśākha.

This episode is an important one in the tradition of the Raghu line. Kālidāsa later retold it in the Raghuvaṃśa.

Sources

• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Ayodhyā Māhātmya, Chapter 4
• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Ayodhyā Māhātmya, Chapter 5