Sage Dhaumya, who was priest to the Pandavas, accompanied them in their exile. They built a hut and lived there. Yudhishthira was worried because he was not able to feed a large number of saints and sages who had come into the forest to meet them. He sought sage Dhaumya’s advice in this regard.
Sage Dhaumya told him to worship the Sun-god as he was the one who gifted food to everyone. So, Yudhishthira began to worship the Sun-god. Pleased with his deep devotion the Sun-god appeared before him and told him to ask for a boon. Seeing the Sun-god in front of him Yudhishthira paid obeisance to him and uttered thus, “O Lord of Light! Blessed am I to have your vision.” Then Yudhishthira sought his help to feed everyone. The Sun-god gave him a miraculous vessel, Akshayapatra meaning ‘an inexhaustible vessel’.
The vessel would give one and all the food required at every meal and become empty only after Draupadi had eaten her food at each meal. The vessel helped the Pandavas throughout their exile, feeding them and their innumerable guests without fail.
Miraculous Akshayapatra
