The sage Ugraśravasa, seated amidst the serene hermitage of Naimisha, narrated to Sounaka and the assembled sages the grand tale of the Mahabharata. When the discourse reached the deeds of the sage Agastya, Dharmaja entreated the venerable Romasa to recount further the marvels wrought by that seer through his penance.
Romasa thus spoke: In the primeval age of Kruta, there arose a fierce demon named Vṛitra, aided by the powerful Kalakeyas, who waged relentless war upon Indra and the celestial hosts. Distressed and helpless, the gods approached Brahma for counsel. The grandsire directed them to the sage Dadhichi, who, absorbed in austerities on the banks of the Sarasvati, possessed bones sanctified by penance. “Seek his favor,” said Brahma, “for when he offers his bones, they shall turn into invincible weapons capable of destroying the demon host.”
Obeying the creator’s command, the gods went to Dadhichi and prayed, “O noble sage, grant us your sacred bones, that they may become the weapons of divine victory.” The sage, compassionate toward the suffering celestials, yielded gladly, and casting away his mortal frame, ascended to higher worlds. From his bones, the divine artificer Tvaṣṭa forged the thunderbolt of a hundred-fold potency and bestowed it upon Indra. With this mighty weapon, the king of gods smote Vṛitra and restored peace to the heavens.
Yet the Kalakeyas, spared from destruction, turned their wrath upon the world of men. By day they hid in the depths of the ocean, and by night they emerged to prey upon humanity. Knowing that the strength of the world flowed from the sacrifices, the penance of sages, and the blessings of the virtuous, they sought to uproot its very foundation. They stormed the hermitages of the pious, slaughtered holy men, and drenched the sacred groves in blood. The ashram of Vasishtha saw one hundred and ninety-seven saints fall; that of Chyavana lost a hundred, and the house of Bharadwaja twenty more. Rituals ceased, sacrificial fires grew cold, and the rhythm of righteousness faltered beneath their terror.
The guardians of the worlds—Agni, Yama, Varuna, Kubera, and others—despairing at the ruin, went to Vaikuntha and supplicated Vishnu. “O Preserver,” they cried, “thou hast saved the Earth as Varaha, slain Hiranyakasipu as Narasimha, humbled Bali as Vamana, and as Yajnamurti restored the sanctity of sacrifice. Now the Kalakeyas ravage creation, devouring Brahmins, halting rites, and severing the link between gods and men. Hidden in the ocean’s caverns, they defy our might. Without thy aid, the worlds must perish.”
Vishnu replied, “These demons are protected by a boon; they cannot be slain while the ocean endures. The waters must therefore be drained. Only the son of Mitravaruna, the sage Agastya, has the power to consume the sea. Go to him and beseech his aid.”
Thus instructed, the gods approached Agastya, the luminous sage renowned for his deeds. They bowed and said, “O Seer of immeasurable might, thou who once humbled the proud mountain Vindhya, save the world again from ruin.” Dharmaja, eager to know the tale of Vindhya’s subjugation, asked how that feat was performed, and Romasa continued.
Once, as the sun daily circled Mount Meru, the Vindhya grew envious and said, “Why dost thou honor Meru and neglect me, though I am no less majestic?” The sun replied, “I move as ordained by Brahma; none may alter that path.” Angered by this reply, the mountain began to rise higher and higher, blocking the course of the sun, moon, and stars. Darkness enveloped the world, and neither gods nor men could distinguish day from night.
In distress, the gods sought Agastya’s help. The sage, accompanied by his devoted wife Lopamudra, approached the swelling mountain and said, “O Vindhya, I journey southward; give me passage.” Out of reverence for the sage, the mountain bowed low and ceased to grow. Agastya then said, “Remain thus until my return.” Descending to the southern land, he dwelt there for the welfare of the world, and Vindhya remains humbled to this day.
When Romasa concluded this account, he resumed the tale of the Kalakeyas. Hearing the gods’ entreaty, Agastya consented to aid them. He beheld the roaring ocean, its waves rising like mountains, its depths teeming with serpents, whales, and monstrous beings. Around him gathered Garudas, Siddhas, Gandharvas, and Yakshas to witness the wonder. With serene power, the sage drank the ocean dry. The waters vanished into his being, leaving the sea-bed bare and the demons exposed.
The gods, seizing the moment, unleashed their divine weapons. The Kalakeyas perished in countless numbers; those who survived fled to the nether realms. Thus was the world delivered. The gods praised Agastya and said, “By thy grace, creation is preserved. Now, O mighty one, restore the ocean to its former state.”
Agastya replied, “The waters I have absorbed cannot be returned by me.” Then the gods went to Brahma for counsel. After reflection, the grandsire said, “In the future, a king named Bhagiratha shall bring down the celestial river and fill the oceans anew.”
So ended that tale of divine intervention and sage-born might. Through such deeds shines the greatness of the seers, whose austerities safeguard the worlds. Their strength lies not in arms but in restraint, in the harmony between knowledge and action, in endurance for the good of all. The spirit of this land, woven with sacrifice, virtue, and wisdom, holds the light by which humanity ascends toward the eternal.
