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== इल्वलः वातापिः च । Ilvala and Vatapi ==
== इल्वलः वातापिः च । Ilvala and Vatapi ==
Rshi Agastya's encounter with the daityas Ilvala and Vatapi is described in the Chapters 96-99 of the Aranya Parva of the Mahabharata.
Rshi Agastya's encounter with the daityas Ilvala and Vatapi is described in the Chapters 96-99 of the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata.
The daitya (son of Diti) Ilvala lived in Manimati. Vatapi was his younger brother.<ref name=":1">Ramanarayanadatta Shastri Pandeya, Mahabharata ([https://archive.org/stream/Mahabharata04SanskritHindiPanditRamnarayanGitaPress/Mahabharata%2002_%20Sanskrit-Hindi_Pandit%20Ramnarayan_Gita%20Press#page/n325/mode/2up Vol.2]), Gorakhpur: Gita Press.</ref> Once Ilvala approached a tapasvi brahmana and requested that he be granted with a son as powerful as Indra. However, the brahmana refused the same. This enraged Ilvala and since then, filled with anger, Ilvala began to destroy brahmanas. The elder brother converted the younger one (Vatapi) into a goat and served him as the meal everytime a brahmana visited his house. Ilvala had the power to bring back anyone from the yamaloka by merely calling them out by their name.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />It is said that, <blockquote>स चाह्वयति यं वाचा गतं वैवस्वतक्षयम्। स पुनर्देहमास्थाय जीवन्स्म प्रत्यदृश्यत ॥९६.९॥ (Maha. Vana Parv. )<ref name=":1" /></blockquote><blockquote>''sa cāhvayati yaṁ vācā gataṁ vaivasvatakṣayam। sa punardehamāsthāya jīvansma pratyadr̥śyata ॥96.9॥''</blockquote>Therefore, when the brahmana finished eating, Ilvala would call aloud. “Vatapi, come out”. And breaking the stomach of the guest open, Vatapi would come out. In this way Ilvala had killed a good number of brahmanas.<ref name=":0" /> It was to this Ilvala that Rshi Agastya, in order to fulfil his duty as a husband towards his wife Lopamudra, once came to ask for money along with the Rajas Shrutarva, Bradhnashva and Trasadasyu. Ilvala welcomed the guests with due hospitality and as usual killed the goat to offer it to the guests. This disturbed the Rajarshis and they became stunned.<ref name=":1" />However, Rshi Agastya Said, <blockquote>विषादो वो न कर्तव्यो ह्यहं भोक्ष्ये महासुरम् ॥९९.४॥ (Maha. Vana Parv. )<ref name=":1" /></blockquote><blockquote>''viṣādo vo na kartavyo hyahaṁ bhokṣye mahāsuram ॥99.4॥''</blockquote>Meaning: Do not yield to grief, I will eat up the great Asura.
The daitya (son of Diti) Ilvala lived in Manimati. Vatapi was his younger brother.<ref name=":1">Ramanarayanadatta Shastri Pandeya, Mahabharata ([https://archive.org/stream/Mahabharata04SanskritHindiPanditRamnarayanGitaPress/Mahabharata%2002_%20Sanskrit-Hindi_Pandit%20Ramnarayan_Gita%20Press#page/n325/mode/2up Vol.2]), Gorakhpur: Gita Press.</ref> Once Ilvala approached a tapasvi brahmana and requested that he be granted with a son as powerful as Indra. However, the brahmana refused the same. This enraged Ilvala and since then, filled with anger, Ilvala began to destroy brahmanas. The elder brother converted the younger one (Vatapi) into a goat and served him as the meal everytime a brahmana visited his house. Ilvala had the power to bring back anyone from the yamaloka by merely calling them out by their name.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />It is said that, <blockquote>स चाह्वयति यं वाचा गतं वैवस्वतक्षयम्। स पुनर्देहमास्थाय जीवन्स्म प्रत्यदृश्यत ॥९६.९॥ (Maha. Vana Parv. )<ref name=":1" /></blockquote><blockquote>''sa cāhvayati yaṁ vācā gataṁ vaivasvatakṣayam। sa punardehamāsthāya jīvansma pratyadr̥śyata ॥96.9॥''</blockquote>Therefore, when the brahmana finished eating, Ilvala would call aloud. “Vatapi, come out”. And breaking the stomach of the guest open, Vatapi would come out. In this way Ilvala had killed a good number of brahmanas.<ref name=":0" /> It was to this Ilvala that Rshi Agastya, in order to fulfil his duty as a husband towards his wife Lopamudra, once came to ask for money along with the Rajas Shrutarva, Bradhnashva and Trasadasyu. Ilvala welcomed the guests with due hospitality and as usual killed the goat to offer it to the guests. This disturbed the Rajarshis and they became stunned.<ref name=":1" />However, Rshi Agastya Said, <blockquote>विषादो वो न कर्तव्यो ह्यहं भोक्ष्ये महासुरम् ॥९९.४॥ (Maha. Vana Parv. )<ref name=":1" /></blockquote><blockquote>''viṣādo vo na kartavyo hyahaṁ bhokṣye mahāsuram ॥99.4॥''</blockquote>Meaning: Do not yield to grief, I will eat up the great Asura.
And indeed on enquiry, the chariot turned out to be made of gold.<ref name=":1" /> The awe-stricken asura Ilvala thus gave each Raja ten thousand cows and as much gold and to Agastya, he doubled the quantity and also presented him with a chariot hitched with two fine horses called Viravan and suravan.<ref name=":0" />In fact, as the horses took flight towards Agastya Rshi’s hermitage along with the wealth and other Rajas, the Asura Ilvala followed the Rshi with the desire to kill him. However, the great Rshi is said to have burnt the Asura with a mere ‘hunkara’<ref name=":1" /> <blockquote>इल्वलस्त्वनुगम्यैनमगस्त्यं हन्तुमैच्छत। भस्म चक्रे महातेजा हुङ्कारेण महाऽसुरम्' ।। (''Maha. Vana Parv.)<ref name=":1" />''</blockquote><blockquote>''ilvalastvanugamyainamagastyaṁ hantumaicchata। bhasma cakre mahātejā huṅkāreṇa mahā'suram' ।।''</blockquote>And thus, Agastya Rshi returned to his hermitage and fulfilled the wishes of his wife Lopamudra.<ref name=":1" />
And indeed on enquiry, the chariot turned out to be made of gold.<ref name=":1" /> The awe-stricken asura Ilvala thus gave each Raja ten thousand cows and as much gold and to Agastya, he doubled the quantity and also presented him with a chariot hitched with two fine horses called Viravan and suravan.<ref name=":0" />In fact, as the horses took flight towards Agastya Rshi’s hermitage along with the wealth and other Rajas, the Asura Ilvala followed the Rshi with the desire to kill him. However, the great Rshi is said to have burnt the Asura with a mere ‘hunkara’<ref name=":1" /> <blockquote>इल्वलस्त्वनुगम्यैनमगस्त्यं हन्तुमैच्छत। भस्म चक्रे महातेजा हुङ्कारेण महाऽसुरम्' ।। (''Maha. Vana Parv.)<ref name=":1" />''</blockquote><blockquote>''ilvalastvanugamyainamagastyaṁ hantumaicchata। bhasma cakre mahātejā huṅkāreṇa mahā'suram' ।।''</blockquote>And thus, Agastya Rshi returned to his hermitage and fulfilled the wishes of his wife Lopamudra.<ref name=":1" />
== अगस्त्यपुत्रः ॥ Agastya's Son ==
The birth of Rshi Agastya's son is described in the chapter 99 of the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata. When Rshi Agastya's wife Lopamudra expressed her desire for a powerful son, Rshi Agastya who was pleased with her virtuous behaviour asked her, <blockquote>सहस्रं तेऽस्तु पुत्राणां शतं वा दशसम्मितम् । दश वा शततुल्याः स्युरेको वाऽपि सहस्रजित् ॥९९.२१॥ (Maha. Vana Parv.)<ref name=":1" /></blockquote><blockquote>''sahasraṁ te'stu putrāṇāṁ śataṁ vā daśasammitam । daśa vā śatatulyāḥ syureko vā'pi sahasrajit ॥99.21॥''</blockquote>Meaning: A thousand ordinary sons, or hundred sons each having the strength of ten ordinary sons, or ten sons each having the strength of hundred ordinary sons, or one son greater and nobler than one thousand sons - which of these do you prefer?<ref name=":0" />
Lopamudra preferred one son. She said,<blockquote>सहस्रसम्मितः पुत्र एकोऽप्यस्तु तपोधन । एको हि बहुभिः श्रेयान् विद्वान् साधुरसाधुभिः ॥९९.२२॥<ref name=":1" /></blockquote><blockquote>''sahasrasammitaḥ putra eko'pyastu tapodhana । eko hi bahubhiḥ śreyān vidvān sādhurasādhubhiḥ ॥99.22॥''</blockquote>Meaning: Oh sage, may I have just one great son equal to a thousand. For, in comparison to many wicked sons, one scholarly and great son is always considered best.
Rshi Agastya granted her wish and as she was carrying, he went to the forest to do penance. This lustrous child of Rshi Agastya and Lopamudra, born after spending 7 years in his mother's womb was the great hermit Drdhasyu. Right from the time of his birth, this child is said to have studied the Vedas along with its Shad angas and the Upanishads. Since he used to gather samidha, also known as idhma, (twigs for kindling the ritual fire) for his father, he was also known by the name Idhmavaha (one who carries idhma).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
== Agastya and the Vindhyas ==
== Agastya and the Vindhyas ==