Agastya Rishi - History - Prof A.V Narasimha Murthy

Agastya is a colourful and active person in Indian tradition. He is generally famous as the Champion of the south as against north. This north - south divide has been there from time immemorial and this has been reflected in many ways as Arya and Dravida and the British played upon this sentiment to their advantage. Unfortunately, this is seemingly true as Southern States even now feel that they are a neglected lot. That is a different story.

Vedic connections:
Though Agastya espoused the cause of South India and became a hero and consequently a sage, he was incorporated in the Vedic tradition long back. His father was Pulastya; mother was Havirbhuk, daughter of Kardama Brahma. Agastya had other names like Kumbhasambhava and Kalashayoni. As he wanted to remain a bachelor, his parents requested him to marry for the sake of progeny and he is said to have obliged them by marrying Lopamudra. He had a son by name Idmavaha.

Though Agastya was a Vedic sage, he performed many feats by which he became famous. He killed two demons Ilvala and Vatapi and brought peace to the community. Another King Nahusha infatuated by his power, tormented the peace - loving sages. He ordered them to draw his chariot in procession. Agastya humbled Nahusha. A group of demons called Kaleyas had hidden themselves in the sea to escape from the wrath of Agastya. But Agastya drank the entire sea water including the demons and thus destroyed them.

Another significant achievement of Agastya was humbling the Vindhya Mountain. The Vindhya Mountain wanted to grow beyond the height of Meru and did not heed to the advice of even Brahma. Agastya was despatched for this purpose. Agastya touched the head of Vindhya and told him to wait till he returned from his tour of South India. He did not return and Vindhya did not grow and thus he became a boundary between north and south India.

Agastya and Kodagu:
To us Kannadigas, Agastya is a personal friend and a benefactor. In a way, he may be referred to as the son-in-law of Karnataka. Skanda Purana gives many versions of this story which are highly interesting. Sage Kavera was doing penance at Brahmagiri (Kodagu) and his daughter was Cauvery. Agastya who was also doing penance requested her to marry him. The beautiful divine damsel Cauvery put a condition “you should not leave me alone: if you do so, I will go away as a river”. Agastya agreed and married her. She entered into the Kamandala he was carrying.

One day Agastya gave his Kamandala to his disciples and went to bathe in the River Kannika. Realising that her husband had left her to the care of his disciples, Cauvery jumped out of the Kamandala and began flowing as a river thus serving crores of Kannada and Tamil people by her sweet and pure water. Kodava damsel she was, she did not desert her husband Agastya; she continued both as his wife and also as the river. There are many smaller and minor differences in this story but this is the gist. Thus, Agastya is closer to the Kodavas. He is called in Tamil literature as Kudugunadu Agastya. The Tamilians believe that there were 34 Agastyas and Podigamalai Agastya is the Agastya of Tamil Nadu. It is futile to follow this controversy.

Leader of South Indian Culture:
Agastya is more famous in Indian history as the leader of Indian cultural expansion in South-east Asian countries in the early centuries of the Christian era. Agastya was a great explorer; travelling from the Himalayas he humbled the Vindhyas; went to Kodagu area and then to Tamil Nadu. After finishing his work here, he turned his attention to Java, Sumatra, Bali, Champa, Borneo and other islands. Many Sanskrit inscriptions of these areas from third to eighth centuries AD refer to Agastya as the inaugurator of Indian culture in these places. It might not have been the work of one single individual Agastya but a group of people who worked under the banner of and inspiration of Sage Agastya. Many sculptures of Agastya have been found in some of these countries.

Temples of Agastya:
People in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have honoured the service rendered by Agastya by building temples. Badami, the capital of the early Chalukyas has Agastya tirtha area in which many temples are built. Near Agumbe, is a place called Agastya Mountain, which is famous for natural beauty. At T. Narasipura is the famous temple dedicated to Siva linga in the form of Agastyesvara. It was a temple built in eleventh century AD, during the period of the Hoysalas. Balamuri and Ramanathapura also have early medieval Agastyesvara temples. His temples are found in Tamil Nadu also.

According to ancient Tamil literary traditions, Agastya is the earliest person to have written a grammar for Tamil language, even before Tolkappiyam (2nd Century BC). Thus Tamil tradition places Agastya on a high pedestal as far as Tamil language and culture are concerned. Thus Agastya has stood as a bridge between north and south India from time immemorial and has championed the cause of south India. But unfortunately, his name is not in daily use as we do not have town and city names, even village names associated with Agastya. It is not a personal name either. Have we forgotten our champion?

Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy,
Former Head,
Department of Ancient History & Archaeology,
University of Mysore.

Courtesy: Star of Mysore