Story of Trita and Saraswati River is found in the Shalya
Parva of the Mahabharata. Tirta lived during the Vedic era and he was the youngest
son of a Sage.
The young boy was wise and learned. He earned the respect of
all and adulation of his parents. His elder brothers were jealous of his name
and fame.
After the death of their father, Trita and his elder
brothers decided to perform a yajna or sacrifice. They went to the forest to
gather the materials required for the yajna.
The jealous and cunning brothers took this opportunity to
get rid of Trita. They threw him into a deep well, which had no water in it. As
the forest was uninhabited by human beings, his cry for help went unanswered.
But the young boy did not lose hope.
Trita was learned and deeply religious and spiritual. He sat
in meditation in the deep well and performed manasa yajna, or mental sacrifice,.
The gods were pleased by his yajna.
Saraswati River flowed into the well and filled it water so
that young Trita could come out of the well.