THE MYSTICAL MAGICAL SAGE AGASTYA

A long, long time ago there lived a great sage named Agastya. He was one of the wisest and most powerful sages in all of India. His name appears not just in the four Vedas—the oldest sacred books—but also in many of our Puranas, and even in tales from faraway lands like Java and Southeast Asia.

Sage Agastya’s birth is one big mystery, wrapped in wonder and magic and no one knows when he was actually born. An ancient and fascinating story says that he was not born like other babies. Instead, they say he was born from a mud pot! That’s why some people call him “Kumbh Yoni,” which means “the one born from a pot.”

Even though we don’t know much about his parents, many believe that Sage Agastya came from the family of a wise rishi Pulastya, one of the seven great sages called the Saptarishis.

It is said that Lord Vishnu appeared before Sage Agastya as Lord Hayagreeva—a special form of a powerful and wise being with the head of a horse He taught the sage the Sri Lalitha Sahasranama, a beautiful and powerful hymn that tells the story of the great Goddess Lalita - her many forms, her grand adventures, and the powerful things she did to protect the world. This magical poem includes the thousand names of the Goddess.

Sage Agastya listened carefully and learned every word. The kind sage later taught the hymn to many other sages. It is thanks to Sage Agastya that this sacred hymn has been passed down through generations.

One day, Sage Agastya using his special powers flew through the sky and into the heavenly realms. Here he saw something that made his heart stop. Hanging upside down from a tree, were his ancestors. Sage Agastya was shocked and very sad to see them in such a strange and uncomfortable way.

"Why are you like this?" he asked them with great concern.

His ancestors replied, “We hang in this miserable manner because as you have not married, there will be no one after you to offer prayers and perform special ceremonies to help our souls rest in peace. That’s why we are stuck like this.”

Sage Agastya felt deeply sorry. He never wanted to cause anyone any pain.

Sadly, he bowed his head before his elders and promised, “I will not let you suffer like this. Rest assured that I will find a kind and good person to marry and make sure that my ancestors are never forgotten.”

From that day, Sage Agastya began his search for a special partner, not just for himself, but also to bring peace to his ancestors in heaven.

However, the wait to wed was destined to be a long one.

After visiting the heavens, the sage continued his journey through the Earth. He arrived at the kingdom of Vidarbha at a time when the King and Queen were performing a special yajna to pray for a child. Sage Agastya was a very holy man blessed with many Siddhas (magical powers). He blessed the royal couple and assured them that they would have a child soon. True to the sage’s word the king and queen were blessed with a beautiful and extremely intelligent baby girl who they named Lopamudra.

Sage Agastya, through his divine insight knew that Lopamudra was destined to be his life partner.

But destiny demanded patience. He waited many years until the little princess grew into a young woman. Lopamudra was graceful, clever, and kind—a true treasure of the kingdom. It was when King Vidarbha was seeking a suitable match for his beloved daughter that Sage Agastya returned to Vidarbha and asked the king for Lopamudra’s hand in marriage. The king held the sage in great reverence but he hesitated. After all, the sage was much older than his daughter and lived a simple life in the forest - a far cry from the palace’s luxury and splendour.

He brought the matter to Lopamudra and was surprised at her response which was clear and unwavering, “I choose to marry Sage Agastya.”

With no hesitation at all Lopamudra turned away from the luxuries of the court and with grace befitting a queen and strength known only to the truly wise, she walked beside the sage into a life of austerity and truth.

Lopamudra became more than a wife—she was Agastya’s equal in spirit and intellect, his companion in thought and dharma. In their union, there was no distance of age or world, only the deep, enduring bond of shared purpose. She served him not out of submission, but with a love rooted in devotion and choice.

Rishi Agastya, absorbed in his deep ascetic practices, remained distant. His mind fixed on the eternal, he seemed almost unaware of the presence of his young and devoted wife. Lopamudra did not complain. Instead, she expressed her feelings in a special way. She created a beautiful hymn, that came from her heart. In it, she gently sang of love, longing, and the joy of living together with balance—of mixing wisdom and devotion with family and love.

When Sage Agastya heard her song, something changed inside him. He realized how much he had missed, and how much Lopamudra had quietly given. Realizing the depth of his neglect, Agastya awakened not only to his wife’s pain but to the fullness of life itself. From that moment, he became not only a sage but also a loving and caring husband.

Their home was full of learning and peaceful chanting. Every day, Agastya and Lopamudra would sit together and recite the holy hymns. As they chanted, their baby, who was still growing in Lopamudra’s womb listened quietly. The baby was already learning the ancient wisdom before he was even born!

Later Lopamudra and the rishi had a son they named Drdhasyu. With the birth of their son his ancestors gained entry to heaven.

In the golden age called Satya Yuga, a terrifying group of demons known as the Kalakeyas were causing great trouble. They were led by a fierce and cruel chief named Vritrasura, and they wanted to take over the heavens.

The devas fought to the best they could but were incapable of overpowering the demons. Unable to withstand the fury of these demons they turned in desperation to Lord Brahma for guidance.

Brahma told them, “You must mould a powerful weapon from the bones of Rishi Dadhichi and with this weapon you will the be able to defeat the demonic forces”

The devas rushed to the benevolent Sage Dadhichi's ashram. With absolutely no hesitation he agreed to lay down his life for them and for the greater good of the Universe. He reduced his body to ash through yogic will, leaving behind his bones that were sanctified by a life of austerity and spiritual power. From these sacred remains, the devas fashioned the mighty Vajra, a weapon of divine energy. With it, Indra and the gods struck down Vritrasura and shattered the forces of the Kalakeyas.

But unfortunately, peace was fleeting. The demons who had fled the battle had rushed into the deepest realms of the ocean and found refuge hiding in its shadowy depths. There, they began to plot once more—not merely revenge, but the total annihilation not just of the heavens but of all three worlds: the celestial skies, the earthly plane, and the hidden underworld.

This time, they sought to strike at the source of cosmic balance—the sages and seers. For it was through the rishis’ penance, meditation, and sacred chants that the universe was held in harmony. To destroy all the holy men was to unravel the very threads of creation itself.

It was only after sunset that the Asuras power reached its peak. Cloaked in the shadows of night, when the world lay silent in sleep, the Kalakeyas emerged from their watery lairs like spectres of terror. Under the cover of darkness, they hunted the sages, seized them and with merciless hunger devoured their victims. In just a few days, the land was strewn with the gruesome remnants of their rampage—half-eaten bodies of revered rishis, others broken and bloodied, hurled to the earth with such violence that the sound of their fall echoed like thunder.

Panic swept through the lands like wildfire. Villagers, disciples, and wanderers fled in all directions, overcome with terror. Cries of anguish pierced the air as people scrambled to escape the same horrifying fate. The haven of peace and prayer had become a nightmarish battlefield.

With the first light of dawn, as the sun rose and bathed the world in its golden glow, the devas regained their strength and prepared for battle. But by then, the Asuras had already vanished. The gods scoured the universe in frustration—searching through the skies, the earth, and the hidden depths of the underworld. Yet the enemy eluded them at every turn, leaving behind no trace but silence and ruin.

Then, amidst this desperate search, Indra's sharp eyes caught something—a faint trail, imprints in the soft earth near the shore. His gaze followed them to the water’s edge, and suddenly, realization struck.

He raised his voice in triumph, eyes blazing with newfound hope. “They are hiding beneath the ocean bed!’ he cried.

The mystery had finally uncovered but the battle was far from over.

The gods were gripped with doubt. Battling the Kalakeyas on land was one thing—but to seek and destroy them in the depths of the sea was another matter entirely. In desperation, they turned to Lord Vishnu. Falling at his feet, the devas pleaded, their voices filled with urgency, “Save the world, O Lord. Show us the path!”

Vishnu, the all-knowing, listened with compassion. Then, with calm assurance, he said, “The Kalakeyas have taken refuge beneath the ocean waters. To reach them, you must seek the aid of Sage Agastya—the one who holds within him the power to drink the ocean itself.”

Though Sage Agastya agreed to help the devas he needed to go south to reach the great ocean. However, he faced a major hurdle.  According to the creator Brahma’s dictates, every day the Sun God, Surya, would travel around the great golden Mount Meru, lighting up the world with his warm and glowing rays.

But one day, the proud Vindhya Mountain felt a bit jealous and grumbled, "Why does Surya always have to go around Meru? Why not around me?"

So, the Vindhya Mountain began to grow—up, up, higher and higher, trying to reach the skies and finally achieved what it had set out to do. It grew so tall that it blocked the path of the Sun and Moon.  At that enormous height no one was able to cross the mountain from north to south. Yet Sage Agastya needed to cross the mountain to uphold his pledge to help the gods. No matter how the gods pleaded with the mountain, the Vindhyas stoutly refused to lower its height.

Unfazed, the sage smiled gently and walked straight to the mighty Vindhya. The mountain, proud and towering, bowed politely to greet the wise sage.

Agastya said kindly, “Oh Vindhya, I’m going on an important journey to help the gods. Will you please lower yourself so I can pass?”

The mountain, full of respect for the great sage, agreed. “For you, Sage Agastya, I will bow down,” said the mountain, and it lowered itself all the way down.

Sage Agastya, with a twinkle in his eye, added, “Thank you. Now please stay this way until I return.”

The mountain, true to its word, stayed bowed down.  But Agastya never returned and thus helped the sun and moon shine once again!

After crossing the mighty Vindhya Mountains, the wise Sage Agastya finally reached the vast, blue ocean. Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, hiding among the rocks and sea creatures, were the Kalakeyas. Agastya walked to the edge of the ocean, dipped his hands into the water, and whispered a special prayer to the Sun. And in the next instant, he drew all the ocean's water into his hands and with one big gulp, he drank up all the ocean water!

The ocean floor became dry, like a big sandy playground, and the hiding demons had nowhere to hide. The gods were ready. They pounced on all the demons and destroyed them. The few sneaky Kalakeyas who managed to escape the onslaught virtually tore open the earth and escaped to pataḻa (the underworld) from where they had come.

Continuing on his travels Sage Agastya came to a town called Manimati Nagaram. In this town there lived two demon brothers named Ilvala and Vatapi.  The elder brother Ilvala had approached a Brahmin sage and requested him to bestow a boon upon him so that he could have a child as powerful as Indra. The Sage had refused. Ilvala was so very angry that from that day on, he started hating all Brahmins and made it his mission to destroy the whole Brahmin community.

With his evil magic, Ilvala would turn his brother Vatapi into a goat. Then he would cook the goat meat and offer it as food to any Brahmin who visited. Once they finished eating, Ilvala would shout, "Vatapi, come out!" Instantly Vatapi would tear through the Brahmins tummy and come out alive, killing the poor Brahmin.

Then one warm sunny day, Sage Agastya accompanied by some kings came to visit Ilvala. As usual, Ilvala welcomed him kindly and served him goat meat—just like he did with others. Agastya smiled and ate all the food calmly. At the end of the meal Ilvala shouted, "Vatapi, come out".

Agastya gently countered Ilvala’s command by saying, “Vatapi, digest well!”

Agastya was a man who had incredible powers. The demon was unable to override the sages command and Vatapi was then fully digested in the stomach of Agastya. 

Ilvala though very upset pretended that he was not and instead asked Agastya what he could offer him. Agastya cleverly requested huge wealth for the kings who had accompanied him and for himself. Ilvala arranged the money, and his guests left in a chariot.

By this time Ilvala’s rage was irrepressible. He raced after the chariot determined to kill the sage. Agastya looked back and with a simple motion of his hand turned Ilvala to ashes.

Returning to his ashram Agastya began a twelve-year-long yajna. Several Sages took part in the fire sacrifice. As they had left their own ashrams to join Sage Agastya in his yajna the sages could not perform yajnas in their own ashrams for twelve years. As a result, Indra did not receive havis (oblations and offerings). Annoyed Indra stopped the rain. The earth dried, and crops failed. Yet to the other sages' astonishment Agastya fed everyone sumptuously.

But as the earth was reeling with drought the sages worried about those on earth. When they voiced their concerns to Agastya, he quietly responded, ‘O revered sages, do not worry. If Indra causes rain to fall on the earth, it is well and good. If he does not, I will assume his role and protect everyone on the earth.”

When Indra heard about Agastya’s resolve and knowing how powerful the sage was he immediately sent rain onto the earth.

It is said that even the mighty Ravana had to bow down to Sage Agastya. Ravana, was a renowned musician. Extremely proud of his talent Ravana challenged sage Agastya to a musical duel. Ravana was famed for his skill with the Veena and for his musical creations. He was confident about winning. However, when Agastya, through his divine power and musical prowess began to sing, the melody melted the Pothigai hills and delighted the birds, animals, trees and plants around so much that they stopped all movement. Humbled by the sages brilliance Ravana fell at the feet of the great rishi and acknowledged defeat.

Sage Agastya was such a pious and sacred sage that even Lord Rama chose him as his Guru. When Lord Rama was banished to the forest He along with Sita and Laxman went to Sage Agastya’s hermitage to pay their respects to the revered sage. The pious sage suggested that Lord Rama build his forest dwelling at Panchavati on the banks of the river Godavari and Rama heeding this suggestion chose to build his home at the specified location and spent a long and peaceful time there.

The sage's devotion to Lord Rama was so profound that he bestowed upon him the divine bow crafted by Vishwakarma himself. Along with it, he gifted the mighty , a celestial arrow of immense power. To Lakshman, he presented a radiant sword, forged to shine with valor. For both brothers, he offered inexhaustible quivers, ensuring they would never run out of arrows in battle. Armed with these sacred weapons, Rama and Lakshman were prepared to face any challenge and uphold righteousness by protecting the world from evil.

Later, during the fierce battle against the evil Ravana to rescue his beloved Sita from captivity, Sage Agastya imparted to Rama the sacred Aditya Hridaya—a powerful hymn dedicated to the Sun God. The sage revealed that chanting it with true devotion would grant strength and ensure victory. With unwavering faith, Lord Ram recited the hymn, drawing divine energy and resolve.

Empowered by its radiance, he vanquished Ravana and triumphed over evil.

When the victorious Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya and was crowned king, Sage Agastya offered him wise counsel on the duties, ethics, and decorum befitting a righteous ruler. He continued to serve as the revered guru and advisor to Rama, Lakshman, Bharat, and Shatrughna for many years.

The profound role that Sage Agastya played in Rama’s earthly incarnation is best captured in Lord Rama’s own words of praise, when he declares the sage as “the one who can accomplish what even the gods find impossible.”

LIFE LESSONS

1. Like Sage Agastya we must be devoted to God.

2. Like Sage Agastya we must always try to help those in need.

3. Like the devas we too are assured of help if we turn to God.

4. Righteousness will always prevail