Post 14/?
Am returning to some of the things mentioned in post 11 about the famous Vedic Rishi Agastya. Because it is relevant to the next post.
1. The wackypedia page on Podighai (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pothigai) mentions (or did) that the MBh recounts how Vyasa and Agastya were sent by Shiva to be progenitors of Samskrita and Tamil languages. I will have to look that up.
For now, as is known even to me, the MBh does mention that Agastya travelled south of the Vindhyas and didn't return north.
2. In the meantime: as mentione before, Pauranic accounts repeat how Agastya was sent by Shiva to the south and that he settled in Potigai specifically;
3. Further, another Purana (Vayu Purana, see below) is supposed to refer to an incident of how Agastya - visiting Indran - once pronounced a shaapam on Urvashi when she makes a few missteps while dancing, because she's meanwhile fallen deeply in love with Indran's son Jayanta and they are both made to incarnate on earth along with Narada's particular type of Veena. Why this last should be remotely relevant will hopefully become clearer by the end of the next post.
1. mahabharataonline.com/translation/mahabharata_03104.php
2. Several Puranas (and ancient local traditions) cover the travel of Agastya to the south, Agastya's settling in TN and that this was on Shiva's direction, his sacred dwelling in Potiyil as well as his travels, his initiation into Tamil by Shiva and Murugan, and also his being the father of the Tamil language.
The fact of his presence in Potiyil was rather well-established, so that instead of pointing out all the Puranas, I'm just going to quote from one for brevity, then move on to the next point and will return to the subject when quoting from Silappadikaaram in the next post.
From Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 10, Chapter 79: Pilgrimage of Balarama
The subsection "The All-BhArata Pilgrimage of BalarAma", shlokas as marked.
After travelling to other parts of India, visiting various important Hindu kShetras there, Bhagavaan Balaraamar eventually came south and has reached Karnataka, AP, TN and Kerala regions at this point:
3. A totally unrelated account about Agastya, but it's important for the next post.
The account may exist in other pan-Hindu shaastras too, but it certainly exists in the Vayu Purana:
archive.org/stream/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft_djvu.txt
Variations of the above:
- maharishis.blogspot.in/2008/10/agastya.html
(which has more famous narratives on Agastya at link) mentions Urvashi's incarnation as Madhuri by name, while still keeping Jayanta as a flower bud.
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayanta
which mentions the happy ending when everybody returns to Swargam after their divine play, as usual.
Am returning to some of the things mentioned in post 11 about the famous Vedic Rishi Agastya. Because it is relevant to the next post.
1. The wackypedia page on Podighai (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pothigai) mentions (or did) that the MBh recounts how Vyasa and Agastya were sent by Shiva to be progenitors of Samskrita and Tamil languages. I will have to look that up.
For now, as is known even to me, the MBh does mention that Agastya travelled south of the Vindhyas and didn't return north.
2. In the meantime: as mentione before, Pauranic accounts repeat how Agastya was sent by Shiva to the south and that he settled in Potigai specifically;
3. Further, another Purana (Vayu Purana, see below) is supposed to refer to an incident of how Agastya - visiting Indran - once pronounced a shaapam on Urvashi when she makes a few missteps while dancing, because she's meanwhile fallen deeply in love with Indran's son Jayanta and they are both made to incarnate on earth along with Narada's particular type of Veena. Why this last should be remotely relevant will hopefully become clearer by the end of the next post.
1. mahabharataonline.com/translation/mahabharata_03104.php
Quote:Section CIV
"Yudhishthira said, 'O great saint! I am desirous of hearing in detail why it was that Vindhya, made senseless with wrath, suddenly began to increase his bulk.'"
"Lomasa said, 'The sun between his rising and setting used to revolve round that monarch of mountains--the great Meru of golden lustre. And seeing this the mountain Vindhya spake to Surya saying, 'As thou every day goest round Meru and honourest him by thy circumambulations, do thou even the same by me, O maker of light!' Thus addressed, the sun replied to the great mountain, saying, 'I do not of my own will honour this mountain by my circumambulations. By those who have built this universe hath that path been assigned to me.' Thus addressed the mountain suddenly began to increase from wrath, desirous, O chastiser of foes, of obstructing the path of the Sun and the Moon. And all the assembled gods came to Vindhya, the mighty king of mountains, and tried to dissuade him from his course. But he heeded not what they said. And then all the assembled gods went to the saint, living in the hermitage, engaged in the practice of austerities, and the very best of persons devoted to virtue; and stated all that happened to Agastya, possessed of exceeding marvellous power.
"The gods said, 'This king of hills, Vindhya, giving way to wrath, is stopping the path of the Sun and the Moon, and also the course of the stars. O foremost of Brahmanas! O thou great in gifts! excepting thyself, there is none who can prevent him; therefore do thou make him desist.'
Hearing these words of the gods the Brahmana came to the mountain. And he with his wife, having arrived there, came near Vindhya and spake to him, saying, 'O thou best of mountains! I wish to have a path given to me by thee, as, for some purpose, I shall have to go to the southern region. Until my return, do thou wait for me. And when I have returned, O king of mountains, thou mayst increase in bulk as much as thou pleasest.' And, O slayer of foes! having made this compact with Vindhya up to the present day Varuna's son doth not return from the southern region.
2. Several Puranas (and ancient local traditions) cover the travel of Agastya to the south, Agastya's settling in TN and that this was on Shiva's direction, his sacred dwelling in Potiyil as well as his travels, his initiation into Tamil by Shiva and Murugan, and also his being the father of the Tamil language.
The fact of his presence in Potiyil was rather well-established, so that instead of pointing out all the Puranas, I'm just going to quote from one for brevity, then move on to the next point and will return to the subject when quoting from Silappadikaaram in the next post.
From Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 10, Chapter 79: Pilgrimage of Balarama
The subsection "The All-BhArata Pilgrimage of BalarAma", shlokas as marked.
After travelling to other parts of India, visiting various important Hindu kShetras there, Bhagavaan Balaraamar eventually came south and has reached Karnataka, AP, TN and Kerala regions at this point:
Quote:15. [...] He (Balarama) worshipped at the shrine of Skanda and proceeded to Srisaila the abode of Siva, and from there to the holiest of holy places in Dravida country, VenkatAdri (Tiruppati); to Kamakoshni, KAnchipuram, the most holy river KAveri and to Srirangam where there is a special manifestation of the Lord. He then went to Rishabha mountain, a place holy to Sri Hari, the southern Madhura and reached the great sin-destroying Setu at the shore of the ocean.(There may be typos.)
16. At Setu he gave ten thousand cows as gift to holy men, and then (Balarama) went to the rivers Kritamala and Tamraparni and from there to the Malaya mountain.
17. He worshipped Agastya who was performing austerities there. Receiving his blessings he reached the shore of the southern sea and worshipped at the shrine of Durga, known as Kanyakumari.
18. [PadmanAbha, Kerala etc.]
So 16 and 17 are relevant to Agastya dwelling in the Malaya:
R^iShabhAdriM hareH kShetraM dakShiNAM mathurAM tathA | sAmudraM setumagamanmahApAtakanAshanam || 15 ||
tatrAyutamadAddhenurbhrAhmaNebhyo halAyudhaH | kR^itamAlAM tAmraparNIM malayaM cha kulAchalam || 16 ||
tatrAgastyaM samAsInaM namaskR^ityAbhivAdya cha | yojitastena chAsIrbhiranuj~nAto gato.arNavam |
dakShiNam tatra kanyAkhyAM durgAM devIM dadarsha saH || 17
3. A totally unrelated account about Agastya, but it's important for the next post.
The account may exist in other pan-Hindu shaastras too, but it certainly exists in the Vayu Purana:
archive.org/stream/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft_djvu.txt
Quote:Jayanta was the son born to Indra by his wife SacI-devi. (M.B. Adi Parva, Chapter 112, Stanzas 3 and 4).
[...]
4) Jayanta became Bamboo. Once Agastya came to
Indra's durbar. Indra arranged for the dance of
UrvasI in honour of Agastya's visit. In the midst of
the dance UrvasI saw Jayanta before her and she fell
in love with him. Consequently her steps went out of
beat. Narada who was playing his lute called MahatI
went wrong. Agastya got angry and cursed Jayanta
and changed him to a bamboo. UrvasI was cursed to
become a woman with the name Madhavi. Agastya
cursed Narada that his lute MahatI would become the
lute of the people of the world. (Vayu Purana).
[...]
21 ) Agastya cursing Urvasi, Jayanta and Narada. Once
Agastya went to the realm of the Gods, as a guest
of Indra. On that day a performance of dance by
Urvasi was held in honour of Agastya. In the midst
of the dance Urvasi's eyes fell on Jayanta and she fell
in love with him; her steps went out of beat. Narada
also went wrong slightly in playing on his famous
lute called Mahatl. Agastya got angry and cursed
Urvasi, Jayanta and Narada. According to the curse
Jayanta became a bud. Urvasi was born in the earth
as a woman called Madhavl and 'Mahatl' the lute of
Narada became the lute of the people of the earth.
Variations of the above:
- maharishis.blogspot.in/2008/10/agastya.html
(which has more famous narratives on Agastya at link) mentions Urvashi's incarnation as Madhuri by name, while still keeping Jayanta as a flower bud.
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayanta
which mentions the happy ending when everybody returns to Swargam after their divine play, as usual.