The river Acchodā (Achchhoda) emerged out of lake Acchoda (Achchhoda).

The famous Caitraratha (Chaitraratha) forest was located on the banks of this river. According to a story in Purāṇas (Puranas), Acchodā was the mānasī (manasi; female conceived by the mind) daughter of a sect of divine manes called Agniṣvātta (Agnisvatta). Her form was that of a river. She is also known as Acchodikā (Achchhodika).

• After Acchodā performed tapasyā (tapasya) for one thousand years, the manes arrived to grant her a boon. All the manes were young, good-looking and well-dressed. Acchodā was enchanted by one of the heavenly manes called Amāvasu (Amavasu), and prayed for his company. It is because of this sinful behaviour that Acchodā fell from the spiritual heights attained by the means of yoga, and was banished to earth. Amāvasu rejected the company of Acchodā by the virtue of his patience. She was embarrassed upon seeing that the laboriously attained fruits of her tapasyā were lost, and she pleaded to the manes for future-glory. The manes informed her that she was to be born of a fish. However, at that time she will be known as the daughter of King Vasu, and she will be called Satyavatī (Satyavati). Dvaipāyana Vedavyāsa (Dvaipayana Vedavyasa) will be born as her son from the seed of sage Parāśara (Parasara). Afterwards, she will become the mother of two sons— Vicitravīrya (Vichitraviya) and Citrāṅgada (Chitrangada) after becoming the wife of Śāntanu (Shantanu). The manes then blessed her and said— after her death, she will arrive at the pitṛloka (pitriloka; the celestial part of the Heaven where the manes dwell) at the time of the star Proṣṭapada (Proshtapada), and there she will be called Aṣṭakā (Ashtaka). Thereafter she will reside on the earth as river Acchodā.