SAGEAGASTYA- PART 3 Continuedfrom Part 2
Agastya ashram Agastya had a hermitage (ashram), but the ancient andmedieval era Indian texts provide inconsistent stories and location for thisashram. Two legends placeit in Northwest Maharashtra, on the banks of the river Godavari, near Nashik insmall towns named Agastyapuri and Akole. Other putative sites mentioned in Agastyamuni village nearRudraprayag (Uttarakhand), or Satpura Range (Madhya Pradesh)etc. In Southern sourcesand the North Indian Devi-Bhagavata Purana, his ashram is based in Tamil Nadu,variously placed in Tirunelveli,the Pothigai Hills, or Thanjavur. Facing east, he penanced upon a rock at Kanyakumariimmediately after the beginning of Kali Yuga. It is also considered that hisfinal resting place is in Agastyarkoodamin Thiruvananthapuram. AgasthiyarKootam (Agastya Mala) is a 1,868-meter-high mountain peak in the Western Ghats,located inside the NeyyarWildlife Sanctuary in Thiruvananthapuram district, about 60–70 kmfrom Trivandrum city. Agastheeswaram Agastheeswaram, a taluk and village in the Nagercoil area ofKanyakumari district, is directly named after and connected to the legendary Sage Agastya. According to localtradition and history, the sage visited this location to teach the Ramayana. Key Connections toAgasthiar: Name Origin: The place is named Agastheeswaram (meaning Agasthiar's abode or temple)to commemorate Sage Agastya's visit to this region. Cultural Significance: The name is integral to the culturalidentity of the area, with "Agasthiar" and "Agasthialingam"being common in the vicinity. Temple Connection: The region is known for its deep-rootedassociation with ancient Hindu sages, and Agastheeswaram stands as a prominentplace named in his honour. Textual sources-Vedas Agastya is mentioned inall the four Vedas of Hinduism, and is a character in the Brahmanas, Aranyakas,Upanishads, epics, and many Puranas. He is the author of hymns 1.165 to 1.191 of the Rigveda(~1200 BCE). He ran a Vedic school (gurukul), asevidenced by hymn 1.179 of the Rigveda which credits its author to be his wife Lopamudraand his students. He was arespected sage in the Vedic era, as many other hymns of the Rigveda composed byother sages refer to Agastya. The hymns composed by Agastya are known for verbal play andsimiles, puzzles and puns, and striking imagery embedded within his spiritualmessage. Few Agastya Vedicverses With thee, O Indra, are most bounteous riches that further everyone who lives uprightly. Now may these Maruts show us loving-kindness, Gods who of old were ever prompt to help us. —1.169.5, Transl: Ralph T.H. Griffith[29] May we know refreshment, and a community having lively waters. —1.165.15,1.166.15, 1.167.11, etc. Transl: Stephanie Jamison, JoelBrereton;[28] —Rigveda His Vedic poetry is particularly notable for two themes.[28]In one set of hymns, Agastya describes a conflict between two armies led bygods Indra and Maruts, which scholars such as G. S. Ghurye have interpreted asan allegory of a conflict between Arya (Indra) and Dasa (Rudra). Agastya successfully reconcilestheir conflict, makes an offering wherein he prays for understanding andloving-kindness between the two. Twenty one out of the twenty seven hymns he composed inMandala 1 of the Rigveda have his signature ending, wherein he appeals, "may each community knowrefreshment (food) and lively waters". These ideas have led him to be considered as a protectorof both the Arya and the Dasa. However, some scholars interpret the same hymns to be an allegory forany two conflicting ideologies or lifestyles, because Agastya never uses thewords Arya or Dasa, and only uses the phrase ubhau varnav (literally, "both colours").The theme and idea of "mutual understanding" as a means for lastingreconciliation, along with Agastya's name, reappears in section 1.2.2 of theAitareya Aranyaka of Hinduism.[34] The second theme, famous in the literature of Hinduism, is a discussion between his wifeLopamudra and him about the human tension between the monastic solitary pursuitof spirituality, versus the responsibility of a householder's lifeand raising a family. Agastya argues that there are many ways to happiness andliberation, while Lopamudra presents her arguments about the nature of life,time and the possibility of both. She successfully seduces Agastya, in thesimile filled Rigvedic hymn 1.179. Agastya is mentioned inboth the oldest and the youngest layers of the Rigveda (c. 1500–1200 BCE), such as in hymn 33 of mandala 7, which isolder than mandala 1.[36] He is also mentioned in the other three Vedas and theVedanga literature such as in verses 5.13–14 of the Nirukta. Agastya and hisideas are cited in numerous other Vedic texts, such as section 7.5.5 ofTaittiriya Samhita, 10.11 of Kathaka Samhita, 2.1 of Maitrayani Samhita, 5.16of Aitareya Brahmana, 2.7.11 of Taittiriya Brahmana, and 21.14 of PancavimsatiBrahmana. Ramayana and SageAgasthia Sage Agastya is mentioned in the Hindu epic Ramayana in several chapters withhis hermitage described to be on the banks of river Godavari. In the Ramayana, Agastya and Lopamudra are described asliving in Dandaka forest,on the southern slopes of Vindhya mountains. Rama praises Agastya as the onewho can do what gods find impossible. Sage Agastya stops theGrowth of Vindhya mountain The legend of Sage Agastya stopping the growth of the VindhyaMountains is a popular story in Hindu epics , appearing in the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and variousPuranas, including the Skanda Purana. It serves as a story ofhumility overcoming pride and explains how the Vindhya range, separating North and South India,remains lower than the Himalayas. The Legend: Vindhya'sPride and Agastya's Trickery Vindhya's Jealousy: The Vindhya Mountains(Vindhyachala) were once very proud and grew taller, rivalling the height ofMount Meru (considered the centre of the world). Obstruction of the Sun: In their arrogance, the Vindhyamountains continued to grow until they reached the sky, obstructing the dailypath of the Sun, Moon, and stars that were supposed to circle Mount Meru. Devas Request Aid: With the world plunged intodistress and the gods unable to stop the growing mountain, they approachedAgastya, a powerful sage known for his immense yogic strength and discipline. Agastya's Strategy: Agastya, who was the guru of the Vindhyas, travelled fromthe North toward the South with his wife, Lopamudra. When he reached the mountains, the Vindhyas, out of respect, prostratedthemselves (bowed down) before the sage. The Promise: Agastya asked the Vindhyas to remain in thatlowered, bowed position until he returned from the South, promising a path forhis journey. Eternal Waiting: Agastya settled in theSouth (in the Podhigai hills/Agasthyamalai) and never returned to the North. TheVindhyas, honouring their promise, nevergrew taller and remain in their bowed position to this day. Key Details andInterpretations Significance of the Name: According to a folk etymology inthe Ramayana, Agastya isderived from Aga (unmoving/mountain) and gam (move), meaning "one whomakes the unmoving move" or "mover of mountains". Geographical Interpretation: The story is often interpreted as an allegory for thespread of Vedic civilization and knowledge from North India to South India, ledby Sage Agastya. Astronomical Connection: Some scholars suggest the storyrepresents the "southern" star Agastya (Canopus) becoming visible topeople in the North only after the "obstruction" of the Vindhya rangewas "removed" or "lowered" in their awareness, highlightingthe migration of people across the mountains. The legend is also closely linked to the story of theearth's imbalance, as Shiva asked Agastya to go south to balance the Earth'sweight when everyone gathered in the North for his wedding with Parvati. Agastya keeps balanceof earth during Lord Siva’s wedding with Parvati The legend of Sage Agastya balancing the earth, which isdeeply connected to the ChengannurMahadeva Temple in Kerala, centres on the divine marriage of Lord Shivaand Goddess Parvati at Mount Kailash in the north. The Legend of CosmicBalance The Problem: According to the Skanda Purana and localtradition, when Shiva and Parvati were to be married in the Himalayas, theentire universe—devas, asuras, sages, and gandharvas—assembled there to witnessthe event. Thismassive concentration of beings in the North caused the Earth to tiltdangerously. Agastya's Mission: To prevent a catastrophic disaster, Lord Shiva summoned Sage Agastya, a highly accomplished sage, andrequested him to travel to the South to restore the earth's balance. The Promise: Agastya was disappointed to miss the celestialwedding. Knowing this, Lord Shiva promised that he would receive a divinevision of the wedding from the South and that Shiva and Parvati would visit himthere later. Stay at Chengannur: Sage Agastya proceeded to the South and settled on a hillknown as Sonadri (or Shonadri), which is identified with the area now known asChengannur in Kerala. His presence and meditation in the Southeffectively served as a counterweight to the weight of the assembly at Kailash. Connection toChengannur Temple Traditions Shiva-Parvati Darshan: True to his word, after thewedding, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati visited Sage Agastya at Sonadri(Chengannur) to grant him darshan in their wedding attire. Ritual Period: Legend holds that whenGoddess Parvati arrived in Chengannur, she began her menstruation cycle (Ritu).Consequently, the divine couple stayed there for 28 days. Idol and Rituals: The temple is unique because the idol of the goddess (Bhagyawati) isworshipped with periodic rituals that reflect this legend. The temple continues to have a strong connection with this legendary"stay". Note: The name Sonadri (Red Hill) in Malayalam becameChenkunnu, which, with 'Ur' (meaning place), evolved into Chengannur. The Thripooth Aarattu(Thriputharattu) at Chengannur Mahadeva Temple in Kerala is a unique, historic festival commemorating the sporadicmenstruation of Goddess Parvathy. The temple, dedicated to Shiva and Parvathy, closes for three dayswhen the idol’s cloth shows signs of menstruation; on the fourth day,the idol is taken to the nearby river for a ceremonial bath (Aarattu). Key Aspects of theFestival: Unique Ritual: The Thriputhu (menstruation) ceremony isexclusive to this temple. Validation: The temple priests (Melsanthi) check for signs of menstruation on theUdayada (vesture of the goddess) and verify it through traditionalofficials. The Ritual: During the three-day closure, rituals areperformed to a processional image. On the fourth day, the idol is taken in agrand procession on an elephant to the Pamba river for the Thriputharattu event (holydip), returning later for the completion of the festival. Temple Location: The Chengannur Mahadeva Temple is located inthe Alappuzha district of Kerala. Legend of ColonelMunro mocking the Tiruppothu ritual in Chengannur temple and later regretting The legend of the British officer and the menstruatinggoddess at the Chengannur Mahadeva Temple in Kerala centres on a colonial-era administrator, oftenidentified as Colonel Munro (a British Resident), who mocked the temple'sunique tradition of observing the menstruation of Goddess Parvati. According to locallore and temple history: The Mockery: Colonel Munro ridiculed the belief that thegranite (or panchaloha) idol of the goddess menstruates and ordered the immediate cessation of the ceremonial grants and ritualsassociated with the "Thripputhu" (menstruation) festival. The Consequences: Following the stoppage of the ritual, it issaid that Colonel Munro's wife developed a severe, nonstopmenstrual bleeding condition that caused her intense pain. The Reversal: Despite consulting many doctors, her conditiondid not improve. Upon being advised by locals that this was a divine curse forstopping the temple rituals, Munrorealized his error. Heimmediately ordered the resumption of the Thripputhu rituals and made asignificant offering to the temple to make amends. The Aftermath: Following the restoration of the ritual, it isbelieved his wife was curedof her ailment. I will continue innext posting Compiled from websitesand Google search. R. Gopalakrishnan 28-03-2026 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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