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== इल्वलः वातापिः च । Ilvala and Vatapi ==

== इल्वलः वातापिः च । Ilvala and Vatapi ==

Ilvala was a daitya (son of Diti) who lived in Manimati. Vatapi was his younger brother. 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 to a brahmana visited his house, he would kill the goat, prepare mutton dishes and set them before his guest. When he had finished eating, ilvala would call aloud. “Vātāpi, come out”. Breaking the stomach of the guest open, vātāpi would come out. In this way ilvala had killed a good number of Brāhmins. It was at this juncture that agastya and the Kings came to beg money of him.

Ilvala was a daitya (son of Diti) who lived in Manimati. Vatapi was his younger brother. 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. It is said that, <blockquote>स चाह्वयति यं वाचा गतं वैवस्वतक्षयम्। स पुनर्देहमास्थाय जीवन्स्म प्रत्यदृश्यत ।।</blockquote><blockquote>''sa cāhvayati yaṁ vācā gataṁ vaivasvatakṣayam। sa punardehamāsthāya jīvansma pratyadr̥śyata ।।''</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.  

While agastya was doing severe penance, lopāmudrā attained puberty and had menstruation. Longing for a child, she went and stood beside agastya. She expressed her wish to lead a family life. Her demands did not stop there. During conjugation, agastya should wear flower garlands and ornaments, and she must be provided with divine ornaments. agastya was surprised at the enormity of her demands. Poor, penniless Agastya! Leaving lopāmudrā in the hermitage he went in search of money. He at first approached King śrutarvā, who produced accounts of his income and expenditure and convinced agastya that he was having no balance at all. agastya, accompanied by śrutarvā, then proceeded to King bradhnāśva. He also produced accounts and refused to help agastya, who then followed by śrutarvā and bradhnāśva went on to the wealthy King trasadasyu, who also producing his accounts refused to render any help to agastya. Finally agastya accompanied by the three Kings, went to the house of ilvala, a noble asura of immense wealth.

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 hospitality and as usual killed the goat, prepared food with it and served the food before agastya. When agastya had finished eating, ilvala called vātāpi loudly. But agastya slowly said, “Vātāpi, jīrṇo bhava” (Let vātāpi be digested) and immediately vātāpi was digested in the stomach of agastya. The awe-stricken asura ilvala gave each Brahmin ten thousand cows and as much gold and to agastya he doubled the quantity of alms. Over and above this, he presented agastya with a chariot hitched with two fine horses called Virāvān and surāvān. agastya returned to his hermitage and adorned himself as lopāmudrā had demanded. (mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 99).

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. However, Rshi Agastya Said,<blockquote>विषादो वो न कर्तव्यो ह्यहं भोक्ष्ये महासुरम् ।। ''viṣādo vo na kartavyo hyahaṁ bhokṣye mahāsuram ।।''</blockquote>Meaning: Do not yield to grief, I will eat up the great Asura.

 

Saying thus, the mighty Rshi sat himself down and the prince of Asuras, Ilvala served the food smilingly. When Agastya had finished eating, Ilvala called Vatapi loudly. He kept repeating, <blockquote>वातापे निष्क्रमस्व । ''vātāpe niṣkramasva ।'' </blockquote>Meaning: Come out, O Vatapi !

 

 

 

To this Ilwala said, <blockquote>दित्सितं यदि वेत्सि त्वंततो दास्यामि ते वसु ।। ''ditsitaṁ yadi vetsi tvaṁtato dāsyāmi te vasu ।।''</blockquote>Meaning: 'If thou say what it is that I mean to give, then will I give you wealth.'

 

To this the sage replied, <blockquote>गवां दशसहस्राणि राज्ञामेकैकशोऽसुर। तावदेव सुवर्णस्य दित्सितं ते महासुर ।।</blockquote><blockquote>मह्यं ततो वै द्विगुणं रथश्चैव हिरण्मयः। मनोजवौ वाजिनौ च दित्सितं ते महासुर ।।</blockquote><blockquote>''gavāṁ daśasahasrāṇi rājñāmekaikaśo'sura। tāvadeva suvarṇasya ditsitaṁ te mahāsura ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''mahyaṁ tato vai dviguṇaṁ rathaścaiva hiraṇmayaḥ। manojavau vājinau ca ditsitaṁ te mahāsura ।।''</blockquote>Meaning: O great Asura, you wish to give each of these Rajas ten thousand cows and as many gold coins. And to me you have thought to give twice as much, as also a chariot of gold with two horses with speed as fast thought attached to it.

 

To this, Ilvala agreed that all that Rshi Agastya had said was true but for the chariot which, according to him, was not made of gold. Rshi Agastya then said,<blockquote>न मे वागनृता काचिदुक्तपूर्वा महाऽसुर। विज्ञायतां रथः साधु व्यक्तमस्ति हिरण्मयः ।।</blockquote><blockquote>''na me vāganr̥tā kāciduktapūrvā mahā'sura। vijñāyatāṁ rathaḥ sādhu vyaktamasti hiraṇmayaḥ ।।''</blockquote>Meaning: O great Asura ! Never has a false statement ever been uttered by me before. Therefore, enquire now, you will soon learn that your chariot is made of gold.

 

And indeed on enquiry, the chariot turned out to be made of gold. 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. 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’ <blockquote>इल्वलस्त्वनुगम्यैनमगस्त्यं हन्तुमैच्छत। भस्म चक्रे महातेजा हुङ्कारेण महाऽसुरम्' ।।</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. (mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 99).

== Agastya and the Vindhyas ==

== Agastya and the Vindhyas ==