Satya Tapas

Devdutta, a childless Brahmin from Koshala, performed a Yagna with the hope of being blessed with a son. His priest, Sage Godila, recited hymns from the Vedas but made several mistakes. Devdutta corrected him, which angered the priest. Sage Godila declared that while Devdutta would indeed have a son, the boy would be arrogant and unwilling to learn. Devdutta apologized to the priest, who then added that although the boy would not be a scholar, he would be a rishi.

In due course, Devdutta’s son, named Utathya, was born. As foretold, the boy grew to be arrogant and obstinate. He was placed in the Ashram of a guru, yet he was unable to learn a single hymn or practice any rites. The guru grew disgusted with him, and the other students made fun of his inability. In humiliation, Utathya left the Ashram and retreated to a hut on the banks of the Ganga.

Despite his lack of hymns, Utathya devoted himself to bathing in the Ganga with reverence and never uttered a lie. His steadfast commitment to truth earned him the name Satya Tapas, which means “the sage who practices truth.”

One day, a hunter was chasing a boar that took refuge in the hut of Satya Tapas. Soon, the hunter arrived at the hut and asked the sage if he had seen the boar. Satya Tapas refrained from telling a lie, but he also did not wish for the boar to be killed. Out of his anguish, a few poetic lines flowed from his lips, which ultimately changed the hunter’s heart. He decided to give up hunting.

Through the blessings of the Divine, Satya Tapas emerged as a poet, using his passion for truth and compassion to inspire others and enrich the world around him.