AGASTYA THE GREAT SAGE

 

Agastya is a revered figure in Hindu Puranas, known as a sage and a cultural hero. He is credited with bringing Sanskrit-speaking civilization to South India. One of the notable legends associated with Agastya is his feat of drinking and digesting the ocean. Additionally, he is famed for commanding the Vindhya mountain range to stop growing, a command it obeyed until his return, which, according to the myth, has not yet occurred.

Another notable legend involving Agastya is his interaction with the Vindhya mountain range. According to the myth, when the Vindhya Mountain began to grow excessively, Agastya traveled southward and commanded the mountains to stop growing until his return. The mountains obeyed his command, and as the story goes, Agastya has not yet returned, symbolizing the mountains' continued obedience.

Agastya's stories are part of a broader tradition in Hindu Puranas, where sages and ascetics are endowed with extraordinary powers, often equated with divine figures. These narratives highlight the sages' roles as both spiritual leaders and cultural icons, bridging the divine and human realms.                                                                                           In Hindu Puranas, Sage Agastya is associated with a rich familial background, though details can vary across different texts and traditions.

Parents

Father: Agastya is traditionally considered to be the son of Sage Pulastya, one of the ten Prajapatis created by Brahma, and a key figure in Hindu cosmology.

Mother: His mother is often referred to as Havirbhoo or Havirbhu, though specific details about her are less frequently mentioned in texts.

Education:

Very little is mentioned in the Puranas about the education of Agastya. Still there are ample proofs that he was well-versed in the Vedas and sciences and well skilled in the uses of diverse weapons. In Verse 9, Chapter 139 of Mahabharata, Adi Parva, Drona says to Arjuna as follows:  "Agnivesa, my teacher was the disciple of Agastya, in the art of using bows and arrows and I am his disciple". When it is said that even Agnivesa the teacher of Drona was a disciple of Agastya, his proficiency in the art of using weapons could easily be discerned.

Wife

        Lopamudra: Agastya's wife is Lopamudra, who is also a significant figure in Hindu lore. According to legend, Lopamudra was a princess who later became a devoted wife and a learned woman. She is credited with composing hymns in the Rigveda, indicating her scholarly contributions.

Offspring

Dridhasyu: Agastya and Lopamudra are said to have had a son named Dridhasyu, who is sometimes mentioned in various texts. Like his parents, he is also associated with wisdom and knowledge.

The story of how Agastya ate Vatapi:

Agastya was meditating when his wife, Lopamudra, asked for a family life with wealth and ornaments. Agastya, being poor, sought help from kings Srutarva, Bradhnasva, and Trasadasyu, but they had no money. Finally, they approached Ilvala, a rich asura. Ilvala and his brother Vatapi tricked and killed Brahmins by feeding them goat meat and reviving Vatapi from their stomachs. When Agastya ate Vatapi, he said, "Let Vatapi be digested," killing him. Ilvala, shocked, gave Agastya great wealth. Agastya returned, adorned himself, and fulfilled Lopamudra’s wish.

Agastya taught Sri Rama the Aditya-hrdaya Mantra (A hymn in praise of the Sun):                   When Sri Rama was fighting with Havana in Lanka, dejection befell him, and his heart is weighed down with faintness, for a little while. Havana made the best use of this opportunity and began to advance. The gods had gathered in the sky above to witness the fight. Agastya, at that particular moment, taught Sri Rama the Aditya-hrdaya Mantra, a hymn in praise of the Sun god, and when Sri Rama chanted that mantra, he resumed the fight with Vigour and Ravana was defeated and slain. (Valmiki-Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 107).

        These familial connections highlight Agastya's integration into the broader tapestry of Hindu Puranas, where family lineage often plays a crucial role in the narratives of sages and deities.