Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.3295

c9.3295

3) Satyavrata and Viśvāmitra's family. When his only son Satyavrata was turned out from the family, King Trayyāruṇa was greatly distressed. He went to the forests to do penance to get another son. At that time the country did not have rains for twelve successive years as a punishment for the King for sending out his son. The people suffered much. Among the people who were suffering were the wife and children of Viśvāmitra. Viśvāmitra at that time had gone to the shores of river Kauśikī for doing penance. Viśvāmitra's family consisted of his wife and three sons during that famine lived in hunger. At last the mother decided to sell the middle son and buy food with the money received by the sale. She put a rope made of darbha grass round the neck of the boy and took him to the market. On the way Satyavrata saw them and on hearing their sad story told them not to sell the child. He assured them that he would take care of them till the return of Viśvāmitra. He removed the darbha rope from the child's neck and the child got the name of Gālava from that time onwards. (Gala = neck). He promised them he would daily place enough meat at the foot of a tree near the āśrama. True to his promise, he hunted in the forests and brought to the foot of the tree fresh flesh of deer or hare or boar and also fresh fruits. The family lived happily because of him.