Agastya Gita (अगस्त्यगीता)

Agastya Gita features as part of the Varaha Purana across adhyayas 51 and 52. It is called so as it is a conversation between Rshi Agastya and Raja Bhadrashva. Their conversation is related by Rshi Durvasas to the hunter-turned Rshi Satyatapas in the context of enumerating the dvadashivratas that were performed by Mother Earth to please Narayana.

The exposition of Moksha Dharma given by Rshi Agastya on the request of Raja Bhadrashva is designated as Agastya Gita.

परिचयः ॥ Introduction

The Varaha Purana is a conversation between Varaha, the avatara of Vishnu and Dharani or Mother Earth recounted by Suta (the narrator).

The entire discourse is in reply to the questions posed by Dharani to Bhagavan Varaha seeking enlightenment regarding creation, sustenance and destruction of the world, what constitutes righteous conduct, what virtuous actions lead to happiness in life and the ultimate moksha from worldly existence, etc. as she is held up by Bhagavan on his tusk.

One such question Dharani asks is how should Bhagavan be worshipped by men and women with devotion. In this context, Bhagavan narrates the story of a hunter who was directed to the path of devotion by Rshi Aruni when he asked how Vishnu could be attained by mortals. It is said that later Rshi Durvasas being pleased with the power of the hunter's penance granted him the knowledge of the Vedas, Vedangas, Upanishads, Padapatha and Kramapatha of the Vedas, Puranas and Brahmavidya in boon and gave him the name Satyatapas. And at the request of Satyatapas regarding knowledge of the signs through which the Supreme Being who is beyond the scope of name and form may be known, Rshi Durvasas enumerates the vratas undertaken by Mother Earth herself to please the Supreme brahman who is spoken of Narayana-Hari in the Vedas and Shastras.

The benefits of one such vrata performed by Dharani, Padmanabhadvadashi, is recounted by Rshi Durvasas through the story of Raja Bhadrashva.

In the Krtayuga, the Dvadashi vrata was told to Raja Bhadrashva by Rshi Agastya just before leaving for the Pushkara tirtha after spending a week with the Raja. The Rshi is then said to have returned to the palace of Raja Bhadrashva in the month of Kartika.

When mother Earth was thus, being reminded by Varaha about the vratas she herself performed, she expressed her curiosity to know what Rshi Agastya did when he returned to the residence of Raja Bhadrashva. It is said that on his return, the Rshi was requested to expound Moksha dharma by Raja Bhadrashva. And this exposition on Moksha dharma by Rshi Agastya is designated as Agastya Gita.