Devalok
Legend · 2 tellings · North India, West India

The gold that fell on Ayodhya (Raghu and Kautsa)

Kautsa comes to King Raghu for his teacher's fee of fourteen crores just after Raghu has given everything away. Raghu prepares to take it from Kubera, and gold rains into his treasury overnight. In Maharashtra the gold fell on the apta and shami trees on Vijayadashami and the surplus was left for the people, which is why apta leaves are given as gold.

Who is in it

Places: Ayodhya, Kailasa · Texts: Raghuvamsha

The story, beat by beat

  1. After the Vishvajit, Raghu receives Kautsa with arghya in a clay pot.
  2. Kautsa sees the king is poor and means to go elsewhere; Raghu asks the fee: fourteen crores.
  3. Raghu asks him to stay as a fourth fire and resolves to take the gold from Kubera.
  4. Gold rains into the treasury overnight; Raghu gives it all, Kautsa wants only the fee; the city praises both.
  5. Kautsa blesses Raghu with a son; Aja is born.
  6. In Maharashtra the gold falls on the apta and shami trees; the surplus is left for the people on Vijayadashami.

generosity teacher's fee gold festival

How it is told, place by place

Base telling · Primary text (translation)

Raghuvamsha, canto 5

North India · sa All traditions 🪔 Dussehra

After the Vishvajit Raghu meets Kautsa with arghya in a clay pot and asks after his teacher's hermitage. Kautsa likens him to wild rice gleaned of grain and the waning moon, and means to go elsewhere, as the chataka does not beg of an empty autumn cloud. Varatantu, pressed, asked fourteen crores. Raghu will not bear the shame and asks Kautsa to stay as a fourth fire; he resolves to take the gold from Kubera and sleeps in his armed chariot. At dawn the treasurers report a rain of gold. Raghu gives it all; Kautsa wants only the fee; the city praises both. The gold goes on a hundred camels and mares; Kautsa blesses Raghu, and Aja is born.

Raghuvamsha of Kalidasa, canto 5, Sanskrit with word-by-word gloss (Giirvaani, on sanskritdocuments.org), with sanskritsahitya.org § 5.1; Raghuvamsha of Kalidasa, canto 5, Sanskrit with word-by-word gloss (Giirvaani, on sanskritdocuments.org), with sanskritsahitya.org § 5.15; Raghuvamsha of Kalidasa, canto 5, Sanskrit with word-by-word gloss (Giirvaani, on sanskritdocuments.org), with sanskritsahitya.org § 5.21; Raghuvamsha of Kalidasa, canto 5, Sanskrit with word-by-word gloss (Giirvaani, on sanskritdocuments.org), with sanskritsahitya.org § 5.26; Raghuvamsha of Kalidasa, canto 5, Sanskrit with word-by-word gloss (Giirvaani, on sanskritdocuments.org), with sanskritsahitya.org § 5.29; Raghuvamsha of Kalidasa, canto 5, Sanskrit with word-by-word gloss (Giirvaani, on sanskritdocuments.org), with sanskritsahitya.org § 5.35

Media

The Dasara telling of Maharashtra

West India · mr Folk 🪔 Dussehra

Varatantu names fourteen crores. Raghu prepares to fight heaven; Narada warns Indra; Indra has Kubera rain gold on the apta and shami trees outside Ayodhya. The teacher keeps fourteen crores and returns the rest; Raghu will not take back a gift; Kautsa leaves the gold under the trees for the people, on Vijayadashami. Hence on Dasara apta leaves are brought home and given as gold: 'Sona ghya, sonyasarkha raha', the custom of sona lutne.

What is different here:

Indra and Narada enter; the gold falls on trees, not in a treasury; the surplus goes to the people; dated to Vijayadashami.

Dasara and the apta leaf: the story of Kautsa's gold (Lokmat; Divya Marathi)

Sources: Raghuvamsha of Kalidasa, canto 5, Sanskrit with word-by-word gloss (Giirvaani, on sanskritdocuments.org), with sanskritsahitya.org; Dasara and the apta leaf: the story of Kautsa's gold (Lokmat; Divya Marathi)

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