Gautam Ashram

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Gautam Ashram (Sanskrit: गौतम आश्रम) was a gurukul of the ancient Indian philosopher Gautama.^[1] It is located at the west bank of Khiroi river in Brahmpur village of Jale block of Darbhanga district in Bihar. It is only at a seven kilometres distance from Kamtaul railway station.

It is believed that Aksapada Gautama wrote his famous book Nyaya Shastra at this place. There is also a very famous pond known as Gautam Kund, where Gautam Rishi took his bath daily. It is believed that this Kund was brought by the sage Gautama as symbolic Ganga near his Ashram. Therefore it is also known as Gautami Ganga.^[2][3] Aksapada Gautama was the Acharya of the Ancient Mithila University.^[4] He taught Nyaya Shastra to his disciples. So this place was also a Gurukul of the Ancient Mithila University. Nearby the ashram, there is Ahilya Sthan related to Ahilya. Ahilya was the wife of Gautam Rishi. Gautam Ashram and Ahilya Sthan have a great importance in the history of ancient Mithila.^[5][6][7][8]

In Ramayana, when Guru Vishwamitra along with his disciples Rama and Lakshmana were traveling to the Mithila Kingdom, then the Gautam Ashram was one of the major locations in their journey. When they reached near the Gautam Ashram, they found the ashram in deserted situation having a woman statue in its campus. The disciple Rama inquired about the history of the ashram with his Guru Vishwamitra. Then Vishwamitra narrated the story of the curse of Ahalya.^[9] It is believed that Ahalya was freed from the curse of Gautama Rishi by touching the feet of Lord Rama here.^[10]

A philosophical debate was held by Aksapada Gautama, the kulapati (chancellor), at his ashram. Scholars of ashrams from different parts of Mithila and outside Mithila region gathered to deliver lectures and participate in discussion on problems of the day, spiritualism and mysteries of nature. Aksapada Gautama was very curious to copy all these books. He copied some of them. But he was very busy in welcoming the Scholars and Kulpaties of different Ashrams who came there, so his entrusted the task of copying the books to the Acharyas and Brahmcharies of his own Ashram. Seerdhawaja Janaka, the Emperor of Mithila and Devraj Indra also arrived in this conference. Seerdhawaja Janaka was also the Kuladhipati of all the Kulpaties of the Ashrams in his kingdom. He ensured to Aksapada Gautama for the funding and security of the Ashram. Then the Ashram was decorated very beautiful to welcome Devraj Indra.^[11]