A powerful sage who has been mentioned extensively in the epics. His antecedents are however unknown, though his wife Ahalya’s is easily known. (see Ahalya)

As per Ramayana Balakanda Sarga 51 verse 2, Gautama’s eldest son was Shatananda. He also had 2 other sons named Chirakari and Sharadvan. As per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 139 verse 2, Sharadvan was born with arrows in his hands. Chirakari has been mentioned in Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 266. He was named so because he always delayed doing things. Sharadvan also came to be known as Gautama as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 129 verse 2. It is because of this that his children Kripa and Kripi are also known as Gautama and Gautami. In addition to these sons, Gautama also had a daughter and she cried when his disciple Utanga bought firewood once as per Mahabharata Ashwamedhaparva Chapter 56 verse 11. But her name is not known. The Vamanapurana Chapter 4 mentions Jaya, Jayanti and Aparaji as Gautama’s daughters.

Once when Gautama was away, Indra visited the hermitage. Since it was the wife’s duty to serve the guest when the husband was not around, Ahalya did so. She gave him fruits and after refreshments, he left. Gautama heard this from her when he came back and became suspicious about her. He summoned Chirakari and asked him to behead her, and left for the forest. Chirakari, as usual, began thinking about it – disobeying the father was a sin, but killing the mother was even bigger a sin. Gautama also began thinking about the issue in the forest, after all his wife had committed no wrong, and yet he had asked his son to kill her. He rushed back and found that Chirakari had still not done the deed. He was happy and blessed that his son would live long.

Utanga was the disciple of Ahalya’s husband Gautama, who liked him more than the other disciples. Despite sending all the other disciples away, he let Utanga stay on at the hermitage. In time, Utanga became old.

Once Utanga went to fetch wood, and when he came back, he was so tired that he collapsed. The guru was saddened and asked him why he was this tired. Utanga told him that though he had completed hundred years at the hermitage, the guru had not given him permission to go and it was because of this sorrow that he had started becoming old. Gautama gave him permission to go and Utanga asked him what he wanted as gurudakshina. See Uttanga for details.

Indra once slept with Ahalya disguised as Gautama. The sage cursed them both. See Ahalya for details.

Once the Ayodhya king Kanmashapada spent 12 years in the forest because of Vasishta’s curse. As per Gautama’s advice, he prayed to Shiva at Gokarna and was released from the curse as per Shivarathrimahatmya. Gautama (known as Nodhas) created Rigveda Mandala 1 Anuvaka 11 Sukta 68. Lakshma once built a palace named Vaijayanta near Gautama’s hermitage as per Uttararamayana. Gautama was considered one of the saptarishis as per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 133 verse 50. As per Mahabharata Sabhaparva Gautama lived in Brahma’s court. Gautama once blessed that Satyavan’s father Dyumatsena’s eyesight would be restored as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 298 verse 11. During the Mahabharata war, Gautama reached there and requested Drona to stop the war as per Mahabharata Dronaparva Chapter 190 verse 36. Gautama was one of the sages who visited Bhishma when he was lying on the bed of arrows as per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 47 verse 10. Once Gautama meditated on top of the Pariyatra mountain for sixty thousand years. Then Yama appeared and Gautama received him as per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 129 verse 5. Once Gautama was insulted by Indra and cursed that his moustache would turn green as per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 352 verse 23. He also advised the king Vrishadarbhi against receiving gifts as per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 93 verse 4. When Gautama was born, the radiance from his body dispelled the darkness around. Thus he got his name (Gau – light, tamas – darkness) as per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 93 verse 94. Gautama was one of the sages who swore that he had not stolen Agastya’s lotuses as per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 94 verse 19.