Gālava

Ṛṣi Gālava is a venerable sage in ancient Indian literature, specifically highlighted in the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa for his role in the life of King Ṛtadhvaja. A man of profound wisdom and ascetic power, he is depicted as a Maharṣi dedicated to the performance of sacred rituals and the pursuit of spiritual knowledge. His life became intertwined with the royal house of Śatrujit when a demonic force threatened the sanctity of his hermitage, leading to a sequence of events that brought a divine horse into the human realm.

The Affliction of the Hermitage

Gālava resided in a serene Āśrama where he spent his days in meditation and the performance of Yajña. However, his spiritual practices were frequently disrupted by a wicked demon named Pātālaketu. This demon, seeking to desecrate the sacred space, possessed the ability to change his form at will. He would manifest as a lion, an elephant, or other fierce animals to terrorize the inhabitants of the hermitage and interrupt the silence of the sage during his Samādhi.

Despite the severe provocation, Gālava exhibited extraordinary self-restraint. Although he possessed sufficient Tapas to incinerate the demon with a curse, he was reluctant to deplete his accumulated ascetic energy through anger. He viewed the loss of Tapas as a greater tragedy than the physical harassment, yet the continuous interference with his religious duties eventually led him to a state of deep distress.

Divine Intervention and the Horse Kuvalaya

In a moment of profound despair, Gālava looked toward the heavens and sighed heavily. In response to his plight, a celestial horse descended from the sky and landed before him. A divine Ākāśavāṇī informed the sage that this horse, which would come to be known as Kuvalaya, was a gift from the gods. The voice revealed that the stallion possessed the speed of the sun and the ability to traverse the earth, the sky, the waters, and the subterranean realms without fatigue.

The prophecy further declared that Ṛtadhvaja, the son of the righteous King Śatrujit, was the only one destined to ride this celestial steed and eliminate the demon Pātālaketu. The horse was bestowed upon Gālava so that he might facilitate the fulfillment of this divine plan and restore peace to his Āśrama.

Alliance with King Śatrujit

Guided by the celestial instructions, Gālava traveled to the court of King Śatrujit, leading the divine horse. He explained the situation at his hermitage and requested the king to permit Prince Ṛtadhvaja to accompany him and resolve the demonic threat. Recognizing the importance of protecting the Brāhmaṇas and the performance of Dharma, Śatrujit readily agreed.

The sage gifted the horse to the prince, who subsequently became known by the name Kuvalayāśva due to his association with the divine animal. Under the guidance of Gālava, the prince returned to the hermitage and waited for the demon to reappear.

Victory and Restoration of Order

The confrontation occurred when Pātālaketu returned to the Āśrama in the form of a massive boar during the time of Sandhyopāsana. Ṛtadhvaja, mounted on Kuvalaya and armed with divine weapons, pursued the demon across vast distances. The chase eventually led them to a chasm in the earth that served as a gateway to the subterranean world of Pātāla.

Through the intervention of Gālava and the bravery of Ṛtadhvaja, the demon was eventually defeated, and the hermitage was freed from its long-standing affliction. The role of Gālava in this narrative underscores the traditional relationship between the spiritual authority of the sage and the temporal power of the monarch in maintaining the cosmic order. His legacy remains that of a sage who, through divine grace and strategic alliance, preserved the sanctity of the spiritual path.