Gaṇḍa (son of Vishṭi)
Gaṇḍa
Gaṇḍa was the eldest of the seven sons of Vishṭi, the daughter of Bhagavān Sūrya and Chāyā, and of Viśvarūpa, the son of Tvashṭṛ. He is not Gaṇḍā, the maidservant of the seven ṛshis.
His family
Brahmā tells Nārada of Bhadratīrtha on the Gautamī. Vishṭi was terrible in appearance, and no one would take her as wife, until Sūrya gave her to Viśvarūpa, who was equally terrible. They had seven sons: Gaṇḍa, Atigaṇḍa, Raktāksha, Krodhana, Vyaya, Durmukha and the youngest, Harshaṇa.
Harshaṇa, pure-minded, went to his uncle Yama and asked for a rite by which his father, his mother and his brothers would become calm, handsome and auspicious. At Yama’s word he bathed in the Gautamī and praised Bhagavān Vishṇu, and Hari granted welfare (bhadra) to the whole family. From then Vishṭi was called Bhadrā; as the father became auspicious, so did the sons; and the place became Bhadratīrtha, where Hari is Bhadrapati.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 95
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 95