Sages & Others
Trita
त्रित
The Sage in the Well
Who was Trita?
Trita (त्रित): The Sage in the Well, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. Youngest of three ascetic brothers, sons of Gautama, and the only one of them whom kings and Rishis honoured for his own merit.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | त्रित |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | The Sage in the Well |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | resourceful, austere, wronged, wrathful |
| Notable relationships | Father: Gautama, Preceptor of the Gods Who Heard Him: Brihaspati, Pilgrim to His Tirtha: Balarama |
| Featured in | 1 story |
About Trita
Youngest of three ascetic brothers, sons of Gautama, and the only one of them whom kings and Rishis honoured for his own merit. Driving home a herd of sacrificial cattle, he fell into a dry covered well on the Sarasvati, and Ekata and Dwita abandoned him there to keep the animals. Alone in the pit he performed an entire Soma sacrifice in imagination, turning a hanging creeper into the Soma plant and the pebbles into grains, until the gods themselves came down and lifted him out.
In Their Words
If there is no water here, I shall pour the water of my mind; the gods will drink it all the same.
Trita
Traits
- resourceful
- austere
- wronged
- wrathful
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Trita
One further tale on this site names Trita.
Character Arc
- The DesertionHis brothers flee the wolf and leave him in the pit
- The Imagined RiteA creeper becomes Soma and the gods hear his shout
- The CurseHe turns Ekata and Dwita into wolves for their greed
Key Relationships
- FatherGautama
- Preceptor of the Gods Who Heard HimBrihaspati
- Pilgrim to His TirthaBalarama
Places in Trita's Story
Drawn from the story Trita appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.