Siva gave him a part of his jata along with the Ganga.

Gautama took the jata and sprinkled the water from the Ganga on the cow. Thecow came back to life. It pardoned Gautama and went its way.

That Ganga water became the river Goda -vari. Because it gave life to a cow, the river got the name Godavari, 'Go' means cow and 'da' means giving.

Because Gautama was instrumental in bringing it, the river is also called Gautami.

At Triyambak there is the famous temple of Triyambakeshwar. He is in the form of a Siva-Linga.

The river Godavari is seen trickling from under the Siva-Linga.

Godavari is one of the great, holy rivers of India.