Lives of Ancient Indian Saints

Agastya - The progeny

Agastya presented his wife with diamond necklaces, gold ornaments, fine and costly dresses and moneis which he got from the demon king. She was immensely pleased with her husband's presentations.

He asked her whether she wanted one hundred sons each possessing the strength of one thousand men. She wanted the latter. He blessed her with an excellent son named "Dridhasyu " who later on was the father of " Tejesvin " as great as himself. There is another version. Lopamudra was also called 'Kausitaki ' and ' Varaprada'. Agastya gave her two sons Dridhayu and Dridhasyu. In the Rig Veda several hymn sees are mentioned in his family such as Indra-bahu, Mayobhuva and Mahendra and others who perpetuated the family. Thus, Agastya fulfilled his promise given to his forefathers to perpetuate the offspring.

Drinking the Ocean

Once upon a time, Vritra the king of demons, followed by his ferocious ministers and bodyguards called the 'Kalakeyas' invaded the city of gods, defeated Indra, their lord and followed a policy of teasing and torturing the gods. The gods ran up to Lord Brahma seeking his help. He expressed his helplessness but advised them to go to Saint Dadhichi, beg for his bones, which would destroy the demons. They did so. Dadhichi sacrificed himself for the benefit of the gods and gave away his bones to them. Various weapons of warfare were made out of them. The bones belonged to the body which was purified by penance and consequently acquired the highest power. Vajra, Indra's famous weapon of warfare was the first and the best of the weapons. With these most powerful weapons, the gods invaded the Kalakeyas. Unable to withstand the onslaughts of the gods, the Kalakeyas made good their escape. To wreak vengeance against the gods, they used to hide themselves during the day in the sea and come out at dead of night, fall upon the hermitages of saints, kill as many as possible and run away. Their idea in killing the saints was this: these brahmin saints by their sacrificial offerings were responsible for the glory of the gods. If these brahmins were done away with, the gods would be doomed forever. Moreover, to creat chaos and confusion in the world butchering the brahmins was inevitable.

The saints and the gods approached Lord Vishnu to save them. He advised all of them to go to Agastya, request him to drink up the ocean and when the Kalakeyas were out, kill them and thus get rid of the menace. They ran up to the hermitage of saint Agastya in the ' Anandakanana' and begged him for protection. He drank up the vast ocean. The Kalakeyas were all out. The gods with their invincible weapons killed them all and got rid of the menace.

Later on, the gods and saints showered praises on the ocean-drinker and requested him to refill the ocean with water and make the world happy. He replied that the waters of the ocean were already digested in his stomach and that he could leave the waters only as urine. They said that he was the holiest of the holy, his body was holy and the waters also would be holy. Agastya refilled the vast ocean leaving out the water through his male torgan. That was the reason why the waters of the ocean were saltish and useless for drinking purposes. They remain so even now.

His Curse

King Nahusha who was very famous in olden days performed hundred sacrifies, begot many sons and became the knower of the self. So, he went to heaven and was honoured by all the Gods. They made him Indra, king of heaven in appreciation of his greatness when the then Indra ran away from Heavento save himself from the wrath of the sin of his killing a noble brahmin Viswarupa. For some time Nahusha ruled over Heaven very well. But in course of time, he developed pride and arrogance by acquiring power and wealth. He heard about the great beauty of Sachi, the wife of former Indra. He sent word to her that he would visit her that night and asked her to receive him as her husband. On the advice of her 'Guru', teacher, Brihaspati, she replied that she would welcome him provided that he would come to her that night in a chariot drawn up by great saints. The lover-lorn Nahusha ordered the great saints to draw his chariot. Agastya was one amongst them. As he was not at all accustomed to the job, he faltered on the way. Nahusha being angry with him gave him a severe kick. With that, his sin was full to the brim. His good remained nil. Agastya gave him a fierce curse to fall from the Kingship of Heaven to earth as a serpent. Nahusha then came round to his senses, repented for his senseless behavious and begged his pardon saying " Nobody can escape fate. Pride goeth before fall. Pray pardon me. Kindly grant me three boons in my serpent life: let me have the knowledge of my previous birth; the mighty should become weak before me and finally fix up a time limit for my serpent life. "

Agastya granted them and sent him away. The saints and sages never hated men as men. They hated their pride, arrogance and sin. When these vices were subdued, they had nothing but pity for the victims. Punishment and pardon went hand in hand with them. (to be continued)