Vishala was a happy and prosperous king who ruled over the kingdom of Vishala. The sole reason for his unhappiness was that he had no sons. His advisers told him to got to Gaya and offer oblations to his dead ancestors. This would guarantee him a son. As soon as Vishala went to Gaya and offered the oblations, three figures appeared before him in the sky. One of the figures was white and the remaining two were red and black respectively.

It transpired that the white figure was Raivya’s father. He was white because he had never committed any sin. The red and the black figures were Raivya’s grandfather and great-grandfather. They had these complexions because they had been evil and were now suffering the consequences of their evil deeds.

Once Raivya offered oblations (pinda) to his ancestors, they were freed from the bondage that had kept them attached to the earth. They were liberated