Sage Agasthiar

Sudeekshana let out a cry that was happy and loud

His happiness, on seeing Lord Rama, he could not shroud

He ran towards Lord Rama, and hugged him tight

Lord Rama had come back to his ashram, giving delight

“It is ten long years, and I thought you had forgotten

To visit me again, I thought, you wouldn’t think as important

But are You not The Ram, who always keeps up His word?

A promise made by You is a milk that never becomes curd”

The Noble Three, stayed in Sudeekshana’s ashram for months, ten

They were cared for, like the eyes by the eye lid, by his disciple men

Once as they were sitting and chatting about spiritual things

Their talk came upon Sage Agasthiar, who had done wonderful things

Sudeekshana narrated story of Sage Agasthiar, a man of little stature

But, who possessed stupendous powers, inherent in him, all by nature

“Sage Agasthiar is one of the seven rishis, created by Lord Brahma, first

Lord Brahma seemed to have given to sage Agasthiar, all his best

Sage Agasthiar lived in Kailash, worshipping Shiva the Great

A different course in life was planned for him by mighty fate

Once, all beings ever created, were in Kailash, while Shiva married

Earth lost its balance, as, so much weight, at one point it carried

To balance this, by all knowing Shiva, sage Agasthiar was sent

Earth regained its balance when, from North to South, Agasthiar went

This was the least of all miracles the sage did, I would say

For, he handled many challenges, and succeeded in a miraculous way

Once the Vindhya Mountain started to grow, out of greed, very tall

With a loud command, the little sage stopped its growth and made it fall

He had to do so, as it obstructed between sun and earth, the relative motion

Causing the confusion of days and nights, which led to a great commotion

Once lived in this forest, two demonic brothers, a wicked pair

Ilvala and Vathaapi by names, and cruel by nature, they were

Vaathaapi could come back to life even if he was, to ashes, burnt

By performing difficult penance for long, this trick, he had learnt

Ilvala and Vaathaapi cunningly used this skill

To trick innocent sages, and wickedly kill

Vaathaapi, with his powers, would become a goat

Ilavala would cook him after cutting his throat

Ilvala then would piously invite some sage to be his guest

And serve, the sage, cooked Vaathaapi as if it was the best

Once the sage innocuously finishes the deceitful dinner

Ilvala would call out Vaathaapi, the deadly sinner

Vaathaapi would revive, leaving the sage’s body torn

The poor sage’s life would have, by then, helplessly gone

They played this trick on sages, until sage Agasthiar they met

The better of the little sage, their dubious tricks could not get

Sage Agasthiar finished his meal served by Ilavala, and belched

Following which Ilvala’s longtime arrogance was squelched

For, when Ilvala called out Vaathaapi, he received his lifetime shock

As the little sage said, ‘Vaathaapi is digested’ and laughed to mock

To attack and kill the little sage, furious Ilvala rushed

But the little sage burnt him by creating fire, and easily flushed

Thus, the forest again became a safe haven for the pious sages

As it had ever been, for the past hundreds of ages

Once upon a time there existed Kalakeyas, a deadly clan

To torture all beings on earth was their only plan

Indra was furious at this, and decided to kill them all

In order to protect themselves, into the ocean, they did fall

Indra approached sage Agasthiar, and asked for help

Sage Agasthiar approached the ocean, and drank it in a gulp

The Kalakeyas were revealed to Indra’s sight

And were killed, to the last, in a bitter fight

Thus goes on the little sage Agasthiar’s wonderful deeds

With amazing ease, he plucks out the problematic weeds

He has accomplished so much and more with his height, three feet

He is the father of Tamil, the language, so beautiful and sweet

He gave for Tamil its grammar books

He has also given many medicinal books”

Saying thus, the little sage’s story, Sudeekshana ended

The Noble Three said the story was edifying and splendid

The Noble Three had not met with sage Agasthiar till then

Though they had met with almost all sagacious men

About this desire, to Sudeekshana, Lord Rama said

Sudeekshana, in agreement, nodded his head

The Noble Three must meet sage Agasthiar, Sudeekshana felt

The way to sage Agasthiar’s ashram, Sudeekshana spelt

Sudeekshana told Them to stay in some ashram on the way in the dark

And that, on the next morning again, on their journey, they could embark

The Noble Three started on a morning before the sun reached high

Sudeekshana with tears, and along with his disciples, said good bye

They came upon an ashram when the sun had just set

A sage came out of the ashram and, with Them, he met

The sage was sage Agasthiar’s brother

With pride and love, he spoke about his brother

The next morning, The Noble Three again started

To sage Agasthiar’s ashram, they duly departed

In sage Agasthiar’s ashram, before sunset, The Noble Three were

Sage Agasthiar’s disciples invited Them in with utmost care

Sage Agasthiar came to them as soon as he was informed

All his other works, for Them, he immediately postponed

The Noble Three fell at his feet, seeking his blessing

He accepted with humility their praiseful addressing

He blessed The Noble Three with a heart that was sincere

He had to look up at Lord Rama who, to him, was procere

“Welcome Rama and Lakshman! To my humble abode

That, The Three of You would come, I did forebode

Welcome Sita! To my simple house

Rama is lucky for having you as spouse

Rama! You have come so very down from Your height

You will lift this world and mankind to a great height

Success and glory from reaching You none can withhold

Does it not show in the lofty values that you uphold

Sita! What You have done can be done only by Janaka’s daughter

Though being a king, he lives like a sage without a falter

You are the form of those qualities called chastity and purity

I can say this pledging my head with utmost surety

Lakshman! What can I say about you, my sunny boy?

This princely body of yours, to be a servant, you employ!

If only all men value love, before wealth and comfort, like you

To live on this heavenly earth, even gods will stand in queue”

Saying thus, and more, the sage, for long, sincerely appreciated them

His wisdom was such, with closed eyes, he could say stone from gem

The sage gifted Lord Rama and Lakshman with two marvelous bows

And two magical quivers that would supply arrows in unending rows

After staying with the sage for numerous days

The Noble Three wanted to stay in a separate place

They were satisfied They had completed a long pilgrimage

They decided to stay put in a separate hermitage

Sage Agasthiar told them about Panchavati, an abundant place

Which, The Noble Three would find fit for the rest of the exile phase

Sage Agasthiar and his disciples bid farewell to Ram,

While their hearts chanted, “Jai Shri Ram! Jai Jai Shri Ram!!”