When Rishi Lomasa recited the list of pilgrim sites the Pandavas should visit, he also mentioned the rituals to perform and the procedures to follow. Simultaneously, he shared interesting stories about events from the past that occurred in some of the sacred locations. The story of Gaya was one such episode.
Amurtarayas’s son, Gaya, was a supreme rajarishi who donated lavishly and conducted many yagnas. Mountains and mountains of food were made available for people to eat every day. Anyone who wanted food could eat in his kingdom. The king also ensured that the food was of good quality and tasty. In fact, whenever there was a yagna, the servers went around and asked if everyone had eaten to their fill as there was much food left for them to consume.
When he distributed gifts, the sound of Brahman rose to the skies and echoed everywhere. His fame spread everywhere as bards sang about his generosity. The gods were pleased with his sacrifices and offerings, so much so that it was hard for them to accept other offerings.