Sage Agastya

(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 96 to 105)

• About daityas Ilvala and Vatapi: King Yudhishthira came to the hermitage of sage Agastya at Durjaya with sage Lomasha. Yudhishthira asked sage Lomasha why Vatapi was killed by sage Agastya. Sage Lomasha recounted the story:
There was a daitya named Ilvala living in the city of Manimati. His younger brother was Vatapi. Once Ilvala asked an ascetic brahmana that he wanted a son like Indra. The brahmana did not grant his wish, so Ilavala became exceedingly angry. From that day Ilvala became a destroyer of brahmanas. Ilavala and Vatapi possessed the power of Maya. He made his brother Vatapi a goat. Then cooked his flesh and offered it to the brahmanas. When the brahmanas have eaten the meat, Ilavala used to summon Vatapi from inside their belly. Vatapi would break the body of the brahmana and come out. In this way Ilavala used to kill the brahmanas.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 96)

• Sage Agastya seeing his ancestors hanging in a pit: In the meantime, sage Agastya saw his ancestors (who have died) hanging in a pit with head downwards. When enquired, they said that their condition was due to the want of an offspring. So if Agastya can beget an excellent son, they can be saved from this hell. Sage Agastya promised to accomplish their desire.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 96)

• Sage Agastya and birth of Lopamudra: Sage Agastya could not find a woman suitable for him to beget a son. So he created a woman. The king of Vidharba was then performing a penance to get an offspring. Sage Agastya bestowed the woman created by him such that she was born as the daughter of the king. The brahmanas blessed her and named her as Lopamudra. She grew up and attained the marriage-able age.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 96)

• Sage Agastya marrying Lopamudra: Sage Agastya then went to the king and asked the hand of Lopamudra. The king fainted since he did not want to marry her daughter to the sage, neither can he refuse the sage. Then Lopamudra came to the king and told him to bestow her to sage Agastya. Sage Agastya married Lopamudra.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 97)

• Lopamudra's wishes in regards to children: Lopamudra lived a simple life with sage Agastya and by her service pleased the sage. In proper time, when sage Agastya wanted to have children through her, Lopamudra told her wishes. She said that she would like to be adorned with flowers and ornaments and the sage should come in a bed like she had in the palace of his father. Sage Agastya could have procured the wealth through his ascetic powers, but did not want to reduce his ascetic powers through this. Therefore he decided to ask the kings for wealth.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 97)

• Sage Agastya going to kings for wealth: Sage Agastya first went to king Shrutavana for wealth. The king said that his income and expenditure is the same and told the sage take whatever is appropriate. Sage Agastya did not want to take wealth injuring others. Then sage Agastya and king Shrutavana went to king Bradhnashva. King Bradhnashva told the same thing as king Shrutavana. Then three of them went to king Trasadashyu, the son of Purukutsa. Trasadashyu told the same thing as the other kings and hence sage Agastya could not take his wealth. Then the kings suggested that there is a danava named Ilvala who possessed great wealth. Then sage Agastya and the kings went to Ilavala.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 98)

Sage Agastya eliminating Vatapi:

• Sage Agastya going to Ilavala for wealth and eliminating Vatapi: Ilavala received them cordially and as usual gave cooked meat of Vatapi to them. The kings became aggrieved, but sage Agastya assured them. Sage Agastya ate the meat of Vatapi and digested it. When Ilavala summoned Vatapi he did not came out as usual. Knowing from the sage that Vatapi has been digested, Ilavala became sad. Then Ilavala asked the reason of arrival of the sage. Sage Agastya told about his necessity for wealth. Ilavala told that if the sage could guess what he had intended to give in his mind, he will give them. Sage Agastya said that Ilavala had intended to give each of the kings ten thousand cows and as many gold coins. He had intended to give the sage twice as much as well as a golden chariot with a pair of horses with the speed of mind. Ilavala gave the wealth to sage Agastya. The chariot took sage Agastya and the kings to his hermitage in a moment. The kings then took their leave.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 99)

• Sage Agastya having a son: Lopamudra was pleased and told the sage to beget a son through her. Sage Agastya asked whether she wanted one thousand sons, or hundred sons equal to one thousand, or only a single son equal to one thousand sons. Lopamudra preferred one good son instead of many bad ones. She conceived and the conception grew for seven years. Then a son of great ascetic prowess was born to her who was named Dridasya. Since from childhood he used to carry sacrificial fuel to his father's house, he was called Idhmavaha. River Bhagirathi flowed near the hermitage of sage Agastya. There is also a Bhrigu Tirtha near the hermitage.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 99)

Sage Agastya liberating his ancestors:

• Ancestors of sage Agastya getting liberated: After the son was born, the ancestors of sage Agastya got liberated from their previous state and obtained the region they desired.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 99)

Sage Agastya checking the rise of Vindhya:

• Sun going around mount Meru and Vindhya's request: The Sun used to go around mount Meru, the king of mountains, between its rise and setting. Seeing the Sun honouring mount Meru in this way, Vindhya asked the Sun to go around it in this manner. However the Sun declined telling that the creator has assigned this path to it.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 104)

• Vindhya rising and obstructing the path of the Sun: Vindhya became angry and started rising in height to obstruct the path of the Sun. The celestials tried to dissuage Vindhya but it did not heed.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 104)

• Sage Agastya checking the rise of the Vindhyas: The Devas then took refuge of sage Agastya. For the benefit of the Devas, sage Agastya along with wife Lopamudra went to the Vindhya mountain. The sage asked for a path from the Vindhya to go to the south and told that it should not rise till he returns from south. Getting the path, sage Agastya went to the south and did not return till then.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 104)

Sage Agastya drinking the Ocean to eliminate the demons:

• Kalakeyas destroying the Sages: In Treta Yuga, fearful danavas called Kalkeyas with Vritra as their commandar defeated the Devas. The Kalkeyas were invincible in battle. Indra slayed Vritra by creating a Vajra with the bones of sage Dadhichi. Read to the full story on Sage Dadhichi and slaying of Vritra. Seeing Vritra die, the Kalakeyas entered inside the fathomless ocean. There they conspired to destroy the three worlds. They conversed that the worlds are supported by Tapas. Therefore they should destroy the Tapaswins who are the knower of Dharma. If they are destroyed, the world will be destroyed. Thinking in this manner they started devouring the sages at night and entered inside the ocean during the day. They devoured hundred and eight ascetics in the hermitage of sage Vasishtha. They devoured hundred ascetics in the hermitage of sage Cyavana. They devoured two ascetics in the hermitage of sage Bharadwaja. They destroyed many other brahmanas. But the people could not discover them. The worlds started becoming destitute of Vedic studies and Vedic sacrifices.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 100 to 102)

• Devas taking refuge of Lord Narayana: The Devas then went to Vaikuntha with Indra at their head and sought protection of Lord Narayana. They started eulogizing the Lord recounting earlier incidents where the Lord protected the worlds as Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, killing asura Jambha etc. The four order of living beings thrive through the favour of the Lord. The people offer Havya and Kavya (Libations to the Devas and Pitris) and propitiate the Devas. Now the Brahmanas are getting killed at night. If the Brahmanas are destroyed, the world will be destroyed. If the world is destroyed, heaven will be destroyed.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 102 to 103)

• Lord Vishnu telling the Devas to go to sage Agastya: Lord Vishnu told the Devas about the Kalakeyas hiding inside the Ocean during day time and killing the Sages at night. The Lord told the Devas to find some means to dry the Ocean. Except Agastya (who is the son of Varuna) who can do this? Therefore they should go to sage Agastya.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 103)

• Sage Agastya drinking the Ocean: The Devas then took the permission of Lord Brahma and went to the hermitage of sage Agastya. The Devas praised the sage recounting his earlier incidents of protecting them (Making Nahusha fall, checking Vindhya mountain etc.). Enquired by sage Agastya, they told about their predicament and requested the sage to drink the Ocean so that they can kill the Kalakeyas. Sage Agastya agreed for the good of the world and went near the Ocean accompanied by other sages. The celestials also followed him. Reaching the roaring Ocean, the sage declared that he is going to drink it and told the Devas to make their preparations (to kill the Kalakeyas). Then sage Agastya started drinking the Ocean at the sight of all. The celestials and others were astonished. The gandharvas played musical instruments and the celestials showered flowers. The Ocean was soon became waterless.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 103 to 105)

• Devas slaying the Kalakeyas: The Devas then fought courageously with the Kalakeyas who were defeated since they were already burnt by the penance of the sages (whom they killed). The Devas then requested sage Agastya to fill up the Ocean again but Agastya said that it has been digested and they should find some other means of filling it.
(Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Tirtha Yatra Parva - 105)

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