Lopamudra and Agasthya

 

Lopamudra and Agasthya

We saw the story of Anusuya and Arundhati. (https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/05/anusuya-and-trimurtis.html; https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/05/arundhati.html).This is the story of another Rishipathni, Lopamudra, the wife of Sage Agasthya.

(One clarification – There is a wrong story that goes around that says Agasthya married his own daughter. That is completely incorrect. Agasthya married Lopamudra a woman created using his meditative and yogic powers. Let us see how and why).

(The story of Agasthya and Lopamudra is narrated to Yudhistra by Sage Lomarshana in Vana Parva of the Mahabharata).

Sage Agasthya is well known amongst the galaxy of Sages in the Sanathana cosmos. We will discuss the life and journey of Sage Agasthya in a separate story. Now let us discuss Lopamudra.

Sage Agasthya was wandering the cosmos and saw some pitrus (ancestors) hanging upside down in a pit. Sage Agasthya questioned the elders as to who they were and why they were in suspension. They replied saying that they were Agasthya’s ancestors. and they were awaiting his marriage and progeny to move on in their journey. Agasthya was taken aback that his ancestors were in such a state. In Sanatana Dharma pitru karma or propitiation of ancestors is considered an important duty. It is believed that children who continue the lineage of the family and do regular rituals towards the pitrus provide moksha or salvation to the dead ancestors of that family.

Sage Agasthya decided that he had to make sure that his ancestors were relieved of their distress. That meant he had to get married and have children who can continue the family line. The only problem was Agasthya could not find a bride suitable for himself in terms of knowledge and wisdom. After a long and unsuccessful search, Agasthya decided to create this person using his own powers. Agasthya created an infant girl from the beautiful aspects of many creatures and plants. Since the child was created using the most desirable feature of many plants and animals, she was a perfectly formed beautiful child.

Agasthya was going to the mountains for his penance. So, he handed over this infant girl to the King of Vidharba for upbringing. The King who was childless and was in the process of doing a yagna to get a child was thrilled to receive this child created from the meditative powers of a great sage like Agasthya. The king and the queen named the child Lopamudra (Lopa – loss and mudra – distinctive trait. The loss of distinctive traits of the animals / plants from which the girl was created.)

Lopamudra grew up in the king’s palace to be a beautiful girl. In addition to her beauty, Lopamudra was well known for her knowledge of the scriptures and her wisdom in approaching many knotty issues. The beautiful and intelligent princess was well liked by everyone in the kingdom. The King and the queen were vey proud of their girl and were wondering who could be suitable groom for their daughter.

One day, Agasthya returned from his travels and came to Vidharba. The king and the queen were happy to see him as they were grateful to him for giving them their daughter. After the customary salutations and formalities, Agasthya asked the King. “I have come to your court with a specific request. I want to ask for your daughter Lopamudra’s hand. I want to marry her.” For a moment, the king did not believe what he heard. He was too shocked.

Begging Agasthya for some time to convey his decision, the king consulted his wife, daughter and some of his ministers. All of them felt that denying Agasthya’s request may make him angry and angering Agasthya may not be a wise thing to do. Finally Lopamudra came to the rescue of her father. She told him “Father, do not worry. Give me in marriage to Sage Agasthya. I shall adapt to the life of a wife of a Sage and bring glory to our family and kingdom.” Although worried, the helpless king and the queen gave their daughter to the Sage in marriage.

Lopamudra went to live with Agasthya in the forest. On reaching Agasthya’s dwelling in the forest in the south of Bharat, Lopamudra said “Great sage. I know you married me in order to have a family. I know that you want to do our duty towards your ancestors by having a wife and children who will do the necessary rituals that can help your ancestors to attain moksha. But I am the daughter of a king. I want our children to have some basic comforts, if not the luxuries of a palace. For this, I want you to go out and get wealth that will make our life and that of our children comfortable.”

Agasthya told her that he was an ascetic and not a rich man like her father. He said that while he can perhaps use his meditative powers to become rich, that would be a wrong use of those powers. After listening to him, Lopamudra said “Great sage. You are the man of the house. It is upto you to decide the best way of managing my request. I shall wait to till you bring wealth so that our children can grow up in some comfort.”

Agasthya felt that what Lopamudra wanted for her children was reasonable. Reluctant to use his meditative powers towards this, he decided to go and ask the rich kings who had excess wealth for a portion of their wealth.

First, he went to King Shrutarvan. While the king was respectful and happy to see Agasthya, his kingdom was not rich and they were just about managing their affairs. Agasthya realised that he could not take any wealth from Shrutarvan’s kingdom without pushing Shrutarvan and his citizens into poverty.

Next, he went to King Vradhnashva’s kingdom. There the story was similar as that was also a small kingdom. Taking these two kings (Shrutarvan and Vradhnashva) he went king Trasadasyu’s kingdom. No luck again there as well as they had only enough money to manage their kingdom.

The kings saw that Agasthya was worried that if he did not go back with some wealth and comfort for Lopamudra, she may not be happy. The three kings then told Agasthya about the Danava (asura) Ilavala who had lots of excess wealth. They also told him that while Ilavala was very wealthy, he was dangerous and hated brahmins. They then narrated Ilavala’s story to Agasthya and the reason for his hatred towards brahmins.

Ilavala once asked a brahmin to give him a powerful son equal to the God of the devas, Indra. When the brahmin refused this request, Ilavala got angry and decided to punish all the brahmins. For this, Ilavala and his brother Vatapi came up with a plan. Every time a brahmin came as a guest to their home, Ilavala would transform Vatapi into a goat. He would then kill the goat and feed the meat to the brahmin. Once the brahmin ate the food, Ilavala would call out to Vatapi. Vatapi would emerge from the stomach of the brahmin, thereby killing the brahmin. Using this tactic, Ilavala and Vatapi had killed many brahmins. Agasthya decided to go to his kingdom fully aware of the danger.

Ilavala welcomed Agasthya and offered him the customary respect. He then requested Agasthya to have food before stating the purpose of his visit. Agasthya agreed graciously. Ilavala did his usual trick and cooked the meat made from his brother’s body.

Agasthya ate the food pretending to be unaware of everything. Using his powers, Agasthya digested all the food that he ate. As usual, Ilavala called out to Vatapi. Only this time, no one came out. Ilavala kept calling but nothing happened. Agasthya looked at him with a smile and said “Are you looking for someone? If you are looking for your brother, I have digested him and sent him to the next world.” Ilavala realised that he was not dealing with an ordinary brahmin but a great sage. He begged for forgiveness and gave lot of wealth not only to Sage Agasthya but to the three kings accompanying him as well.

Agasthya thanked the three kings, Shrutharvan, Vradhnashva and Trasadasyu. Agasthya went back to Lopamudra a happy man and showed all the wealth he got. Lopamudra was happy not just with the wealth but with the death of Vatapi – the killer of brahmins. Agasthya then realised that Lopamudra’s demand for wealth had another idea behind it.

Agasthya and Lopamudra lived happily and got a son named Dhridasyu.

Lopamudra and Agasthya went on to live a ideal life as a learned and devout couple. In some versions of Lopamudra’s story, it is said that Lopamudra did not want Agasthya to leave her alone. Once when he went to the forest for meditation, Lopamudra got upset and disappeared into a pot and when Agasthya tilted the pot, she came out as the Kaveri river.

Lopamudra is credited as a great scholar and proponent of the Rig Veda. Lopamudra is considered to be one of the foremost women scholars and rishipathnis of the Rig Vedic age. She is believed to have lived during the period 1950 BC – 1100 BC.

Lopamudra is mentioned as one of the women authors (there were others) who contributed some of the hymns in the Rig Veda. Lopamudra’s hymns in the Rig Veda are dedicated to Goddess Sati and talks about the relationship between a husband and wife. Lopamudra and Agasthya are both credited as manthra drashtas (perceiver of the mantras) and mantradika (well versed in the mantras) of the RigVeda.

Lopamudra along with Agasthya was instrumental in spreading the glory of the 1000 names of Goddess Lalithambika in the Lalita Sahasranama. (The Lalitha Sahasranama was revealed to Sage Agasthya by Lord Hayagreeva.)