  We compare Newtonian and general relativistic descriptions of the stationary
accretion of self-gravitating fluids onto compact bodies. Spherical symmetry
and thin gas approximation are assumed. Luminosity depends, amongst other
factors, on the temperature and the contribution of gas to the total mass, in
both -- general relativistic ($L_{GR}$) and Newtonian ($L_N$) -- models. We
discover a remarkable universal behaviour for transonic flows: the ratio of
respective luminosities $L_{GR}/L_N$ is independent of the fractional mass of
the gas and depends on asymptotic temperature. It is close to 1 in the regime
of low asymptotic temperatures and can grow by one order of magnitude for high
temperatures. These conclusions are valid for a wide range of polytropic
equations of state.
