Trita-Kūpa Upākhyāna

Trita-Kūpa Upākhyāna is an account told in the Śalya Parva of the Mahābhārata. It is about three ṛshi brothers named Ekata, Dvita and Trita, and about a well on the river Sarasvatī that became a holy place.

The place is the tīrtha (sacred place) called Camasodbheda. It is also named Trita-Kūpa, which means “Trita’s well”.

The three brothers

Trita, Ekata and Dvita were three ṛshi brothers. Their names mean “the third”, “the first” and “the second”.

The brothers were travelling together. Ekata and Dvita were tired of the burden that Trita’s share added to the journey. When they came to a well, they pushed Trita into it and left him trapped inside.

Trita’s yajña in the well

Trita did not give up hope inside the well. He decided to perform a yajña (fire ritual) for the devas. He had none of the proper things needed for it. But he knew the ritual very well, and he made a yajña with what he could find:

• Plants and herbs found in the well took the place of Soma.
• Thorny branches took the place of the sacred darbha grass (kuśa).
• The water of the well was offered in place of ghee (clarified butter).

He performed the yajña with every mantra correct. He made his offerings to the devas with devotion and full attention. The devas heard his yajña.

Trita’s situation became known, and he was released.

The well becomes a tīrtha

The well where this happened became the tīrtha known as Trita-Kūpa. It is a holy place on the Sarasvatī. Balarāma visited it during his tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage to holy places).

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Śalya Parva, Chapter 37