Agastya - Series on Sages

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Agastya

Sage Agastya is regarded as one of the Saptarishis in the Mahabharata. He is born to the two Gods Mitra and Varuna from Urvashi. He is credited with many hyms of the Rig Veda. He is said to have helped in the development of the Tamil language. He is considered the first and foremost person of Sidda. He has contributed to the Nadi form of astrology. Sage Agastya was the first to listen to the Lalita Sahasranama from Hayagriva. He is said to have composed the Aditya Hrudayam and the Saraswati Stotram

 

 

Agastya & Vindhya

Vindhya mountains separate the North and the South India. Legend has it that the mountain had the tendency to keep growing so as to obstruct the Sun. Agastya journeyed from the Northern part of India to the south. On the way he met the mountain and requested him to give way since it has now become impassable. The mountain in reverence to the Sage bowed low. Now the Sage Agastya and his disciples and family passed from the North to the South. The Sage told the mountain to remain so until his return. Agastya settled permanently in the South. It is beleived that from this incident the Vaasthu Sastra was born

Agastya & the Ocean

It is said that once all the demons hid in the ocean and attacked at night. Sage Agastya drank the entire ocean to enable the Gods to fight and vanquish them

Agastya & Lopamudra

Sage Agastya was a renunciate. But he had to marry and beget children to repay the Manus. So he created a girl child that would be a fit wife for a renunciate and arranged that she be born as the daughter of the Vidarbha King. The child was named Lopamudra. At the oppropriate time Agastya went to the King and sought Lopamudra's hand in marriage. At first the King hesitated but Lopamudra was intent on leaving her father's palace and living in Sage Agasthya's forest Ashram. They were duly married.

Agastya & Vatapi

Ilvala and Vatapi were two demon brothers. Vatapi could changed himself into any form he desired. IIvala knew the Sanjivini Mantra. Hence the demons used to trick people into eating Vatapi who would assume the form of a goat and then IIlava would say the mantra enablign Vatapi to tear the stomach and come out. Agastya wanted to put an end to their ways. Hence we met them and as expected IIlava offered Vatapi as food to the Sage. The Sage after eating simply said "Vatapi Jeerno Bhava". Then IIlava could not bring back his brother's life.

Agastya and Kutralam

There was a Vishnu temple in Kutralam. Sage Agastya was denied access since he was a Shivite. Agastya then assumed the form of a Vishnavite and entered the temple. He then by his miraculous power changed the idol to a Shiva Lingam. He showed the people that Shiva and Vishnu are manifestations of the Supreme Atman.