Agastya- Hindu FigureMortal"Sage of the South"

Pot-Born

The gods Mitra and Varuna both shed their seed upon seeing the apsara Urvashi. It fell into a water pot. From the pot Agastya was born, earning the name Kumbhaja. He is counted among the Saptarishis and credited with composing hymns of the Rigveda's first mandala.

Drinking the Ocean

The Kalakeya demons, after their leader Vritra was slain by Indra, hid beneath the ocean where the gods could not reach them. They emerged at night to devour mortals, then retreated to the depths before dawn. The gods asked Agastya for help. He walked to the shore and drank the entire ocean in a single draught, leaving the demons exposed on the bare seabed. The gods slaughtered them. The ocean remained empty until it was refilled through the descent of the Ganga.

The Vindhyas

The Vindhya mountain range grew jealous of Mount Meru, around which the sun and moon and stars revolved, and began to rise, threatening to block the sky. The gods could not stop it. Agastya approached the mountains and asked them to bow low so he could pass to the south. Out of reverence, they complied. Agastya told the Vindhyas to stay bowed until he returned. He settled in the south and never came back. The Vindhyas are still waiting.

Vatapi

Two demon brothers had a trick for killing brahmins. Ilvala would transform his brother Vatapi into a ram, cook the flesh, and serve it to guests. After the meal, Ilvala would call Vatapi's name, and Vatapi would tear through the guest's stomach and emerge alive.

They tried this on Agastya. He ate the meal, patted his stomach, and said: "Vatapi, be digested." When Ilvala called his brother's name, nothing happened.