The Great Sage Agastya

One of the foremost of sages known in the Bhāratīya tradition is Mahaṛṣi Agastya. Several sources suggest that Agastya is a ‘Tamil’ mystic, who greatly influenced the philosophy of Śaivism in the South and produced pioneering works in Tamil grammar and medicine. The Ṛgveda contains several sets of hymns that are presented by sage Agastya and his celebrated wife, Lopāmudra. The sage also finds mention in the quintessential Bhāratīya texts of the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata; each presenting a portion of the great sage’s earthly sojourn and exploits. Here is a distinguished līlā of sage Agastya, as presented in the Vālmīkirāmāyaṇa. Even the etymology behind the very name of this sage is awe-inspiring. The Rāmāyaṇa states that Agastya was named so because he commanded Mount Vindhya to stop growing — ‘Agam stambhayati iti agastyaḥ’1. Sage Agastya plays a vital role in the avatāric mission of Śrīrāma. The sage remains a repository of power and plays a central role in preserving the mystique of the celestial world, according to the text. Unlike the Kṛṣṇāvatāra, the Rāmāvatāra neither interacts with the characters in the celestial world nor travels to other worlds to acquire the specific tools required for his avatāric mission. Mystical tools descend to the mortal world at specific times and are left in the care of powerful sages; to be claimed by the avatāra when the time is at hand. 1 He who stilled the mount. Sage Agastya fulfils the role of the guardian of said profound tools. He safeguards the divine astras (missiles) left in his care by celestials and hands them over to the Rāmāvatāra when the time is right. He remains as a via media between the celestial world and the mortal world; whereas also remaining as the veil that strictly distinguishes the celestial world from the mortal world. For instance, the mighty bow of Viṣṇu that Paraśurāma uses to challenge Śrīrāma is handed over to Varuṇa (in the Bālakāṇḍa). Varuṇa, in turn, deposits it with sage Agastya. Rāma seeks out sage Agastya in the Araṇya-kāṇḍa to claim the bow and vanquish the rākṣasa horde stationed at Janasthāna in Daṇḍaka forest; a move that will herald the downfall of the powerful Rāvaṇa. Similarly, Rāma finds the need to equip himself with a certain potency to vanquish the rākṣasa king Rāvaṇa, in a battle at Laṅkā. Sage Agastya arrives there at this juncture and initiates Rāma in the Ādityahṛdaya hymn, the spiritual potency, which will subsequently bring about the destruction of Rāvaṇa. Agastya yet again becomes the vehicle through which a mystical potency reaches the avatāra to aid in his avatāric mission. The power of sage Agastya’s penance can be inferred from the vital acts carried out by him in the larger schema of the avatāric mission. The Araṇya-kāṇḍa sheds light on a particular episode in the sage’s life that bears witness to his superior power. When Rāma’s sojourn at one section of the forest ended, it was time for him to make his way to Pañcavaṭī and set about his actual avatāric mission; namely the destruction of the rākṣasa horde and ultimately, Rāvaṇa himself. Rāma needed the bow of Viṣṇu that had been left with sage Agastya to slay the rākṣasas at Janasthāna. Rāma thus asks sage Sutīkṣṇa to direct him to the hermitage of Agastya. In the process of mapping out the way that Rāma must take in order to reach Agastya’s hermitage in the forest, sage Sutīkṣaṇa also sheds some light on the greatness of Agastya. Rāma later shares this anecdote with Lakṣmaṇa as they journey through the forest seeking sage Agastya. Here is the anecdote as narrated in the Rāmāyaṇa. The southern section of the forest had verily become a death trap for the brāhmaṇas and sages. Two rākṣasa siblings — Vātāpi and Ilvala would trick the brāhmaṇas into accepting an invitation to grace the ceremonies they held in order to propitiate the Pitṛs (forefathers). Vātāpi, who could assume forms at will like his brother, would transform himself into a Meṣa (a ram). Ilvala who would don the garb of an innocent brāhmaṇa would cook Vātāpi, the ram, as Śrāddha (ceremony of consecrated offering) to the Pitṛs (forefathers) and would then feed it to the brāhmaṇas. Once the brāhmaṇas have partaken of the consecrated offering, Ilvala would call out to his brother thus thunderously, “Vātāpi, Emerge Forth!”. The rākṣasa would then tear open the guts of the brāhmaṇas and emerge forth with glee, thus killing them. Ilvala and Vātāpi thus systematically and mercilessly slew many a pious brāhmaṇa at the forest, every single day. Noticing the havoc wrecked by the rākṣasa siblings, the celestials rushed to sage Agastya for intervention. Requested by Iṇḍra, Agastya graced the farce of a ceremony that the rākṣasa siblings conducted in the name of the Śrāddha. As was the norm, Ilvala cooked Vātāpi (who was in the form of a ram) and offered the meat to Agastya, upon the completion of the observance. After sage Agastya had partaken of the meal, a delighted Ilvala exclaimed, “Done!” and offered sage Agastya water to mark the end of his meal. Once the sage had accepted the water, Ilvala then called out Vātāpi to emerge; however much he called, Vātāpi did not emerge. While Ilvala was perplexed, Sage Agastya chuckled. He then said to Ilvala with a smile, कुतो निष्क्रमितुं शक्तिर्मया जीर्णस्य रक्षसः। भ्रातुस्ते मेषरूपस्य गतस्य यमसादनम्।। “Wherefrom will your brother, who was in the form of a ram and has since been digested by me and has thus reached the abode of Yama, find the strength to emerge forth?” - Araṇya-kāṇḍa, 11.65 Ilvala was aghast by the tenacity of the sage and greatly enraged. His eyes red with rage, he charged towards sage Agastya desiring to devour him. The ascetic directed his flaming energy (tejas) towards the charging Ilvala. In a trice, the rākṣasa, who had slain many a pious sage in the past, was reduced to cinders. Agastya then carried on with his duties as if nothing had transpired until Rāma came seeking for him. Rendering his homage to Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, and Sītā in his hermitage, the sage handed over a formidable array of weapons to Rāma, including the glorious bow of Viṣṇu. The sage then added, अनेन धनुषा राम हत्वा संख्ये महासुरान्। आजहार श्रियं दीप्तां पुरा विष्णुर्दिवौकसाम्।। Having slain many a rākṣasa in war with this bow, reclaim the splendorous glory of the celestials, as did Lord Viṣṇu in the days of yore. - Araṇya-kāṇḍa, 12.35 Rāma, who had arrived at the hermitage wanting to serve the sage and to spend his remaining sojourn at the forest in the company of the sage, was impelled by these words of Agastya. He requested for a suggested spot appropriate for his residence. In essence, it was as if Sage Agastya had enlivened an aspect of Supreme potency in the avatāra by handing over of the bow of Rāma; thereby hastening the avatāra into his immediate mission of slaying Rāvaṇa. With the power of his penance, the sage had thus revealed a particular aspect of Divine potency that then manifested in Rāma as the resolve to resort to Pañcavaṭī, where he would encounter Śūrpaṇakhā and thereby hasten the battle against Rāvaṇa.

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