Lives of Ancient Indian Saints

Agastya - The Aditya Hridaya

In the course of his wanderings, Rama with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana came to the hermitage of Agastya, who received him with great affection and reverence. He became his friend, adviser and protector. He gave Rama the bow of Vishnu. He accompanied him to Ayodhya when he was restored to his kingdom after fourteen years of exile.

Agastya revealed the Aditya Hridaya to Rama who killed Ravana after repeating it.

Agastya was the Chief of the the saints of the south. He received Vyasa and his desciples when he was driven away by Lord Siva from Banaras with all kindness and courtesy, he showed him all the important and holi places in Andhra Pradesh , the regions, the rivers and the temples taking him along with him to the skies by the yogic powers he attained. He described the glory of Andhra in detail, showing him the rivers, holy places, holy men and holy mountains by seeing which Vyasa forgot the sorrow of leaving the great city, Banaras.

Agastya is usually considered the first teacher of all sciences, literature, philosophy and morals in the south. Several seers, who are connected with the vedic hymns, are mentioned in the family which they perpetuated. Agastya was represented as a sage of superhuman powers, benevolence and kindheartedness. He was also said to be unsurpassed in the science of archery. His greatness was all-sided and all-comprehensive.

His Works

Many eternal works are ascribed to sage Agastya. Agastya Gita is the essence of his philosophy. It is found in the Santi Parvva of Mahabharatha.

' Agastya Samhita ' is another work of the great Sage. It clearly states the method of worshipping the ten deities, Rama, Krishna, Varuna and others. This fact is stated in the Sanskrit Dictionary, Vachaspatya. " Siva is the giver, Siva is the taker, Siva is the doer, Siva is the action. The whole world is nothing but Siva. Finally, I am Siva myself." is the essence of his teaching. He always laid stress on the inner and not the outer deeds. He was the great upholder of the Advaita Philosophy.

It is said that saint Agastya appeared before Rama when he was not successful in killing Ravana the mighty demon king, as his heads used to come up when they were cut off by the arrows of Lord Rama. Many times he cut off, many times they came up. Rama was in a dilemma as to what he should do. At that time Sage Agastya appeared before Rama and taught the ' Aditya Kavacha ' (armour of the Sun). It is also called ' Aditya Hridaya ' (the heart of the Sun-God). It is this in essence :

" May the Sun-God protect me always

He, who is as white as the Japakusuma

The lotus limbed and the red dressed

He who wears the crown bedecked with gems

And the best of the ornaments

I always think of him, the golden coloured

May the abode of light protect my head

The form of the Vedas protect my forehead

The son of Aditi, protect my eyes

The maker of the day protect my ears

May Bhanu, the God of purity, protect my nose

May Ravi, protect my face

May the world-eyed-God protect my tongue

May Vibhavasu protect my neck

May the Lord of the planets protect my back

May the Lord Prabhakara protect my shoulders

May the lotus-handed Lord protect my hands

May Bhanuman protect my heart

May the seven horsed charioteer protect me

May the Gem of the sky protect my naval

May the twelve formed God protect my body

May the best of the Gods protect my thighs

May the lustrous rayed protect my ankles

May He protect me from head to toe

May He protect my feet ever and anon

May He who protects from death protect my body."

This is the armour of the Sun. No one can break it. It is full of good always. It cures all fears, all diseases and all worries. There is no doubt about it. One who serves the Sun - God for one year with this, will attain an empire. Let us all think of the disc of the Sun, full of rubies, gems and emaralds, full of trees, the giver of all desires full of flowers of the Kadamba trees for the cure of all diseases of the mind and the body.

May the God of all glories and riches be

Pleased with us; May He whose disc

is as red as Sindura be pleased with us

May he the wearer of all ornaments

of the best rubies be pleased with us

May He who is lotus eyed and lotus coloured

The personification of the three Gods

Brahma, Vishnu and Siva be pleased with us

Accepting our red coloured dust

The water from the Golden jar

The red coloured Kumkum and

The flowers and leaves of grass

May He who is Brahma while rising in the east

Maheswara in the afternoon and

Vishnu while setting in the west

Protet us ever and anon

Thus He is the form of trinity

May He the personification of Dharma duty,

That of Daya, Kindness and that of

Satya, the truth, Protect us

Protect us and Protect us.

Eternity

Throughout the month of Bhadrapad (roughly September) during which the star Canopus, the regent of which is sage Agastya appears on the firmament early morning, holy people alter taking their bath offer ' Arghya ' the handful of water. He will be pleased with it and bless them in return with all riches and happiness. With the rise of this star, the waters become clear - crystal clear. with the rise of Canopus, everything on earth assumes a lovely appearance. The Sarat season enters it speaks the glory of Agastya, the Sage eternal.

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