Rishi Agastya

Agastya has one of the most unique birth narratives in all of Hindu scripture. According to the Rigveda (7.33.10-13) and elaborated in the Mahabharata (Vana Parva), Vishnu Purana, and Matsya Purana, he was born from a water pot (kumbha). The gods Mitra and Varuna were performing a yajna when the celestial apsara Urvashi appeared. Both deities were overcome with desire; their combined seed fell into a kumbha (earthen water vessel). From this pot, Agastya was born, hence his names Kumbhaja ("pot-born") and Kumbhasambhava. His twin brother Vashishtha was also born from the same event but from a different receptacle. Some Puranic accounts say Agastya emerged from both Mitra's and Varuna's spiritual energy simultaneously, making him a sage of dual divine parentage.

1. Drinking the Ocean (Samudra Pana) The most spectacular Agastya story. The Asuras called Kalakeyas hid in the ocean during the day and emerged at night to terrorize the world. The Devas could not reach them underwater. They approached Agastya, who walked to the ocean shore and drank the entire ocean dry in a single gulp, exposing the Kalakeyas to the Devas who then slew them. The ocean remained dry until King Bhagiratha brought the Ganga down. (Sources: Mahabharata Vana Parva 99-104; Bhagavata Purana; Brahmanda Purana)

2. Humbling the Vindhya Mountains The Vindhya mountain range grew jealous of Mount Meru and began to grow endlessly upward, blocking the sun's path. The Devas asked Agastya for help. Agastya approached the Vindhyas and asked the mountain to bow down so he could cross to the south. Out of respect for the great sage, Vindhya bowed. Agastya told Vindhya to remain bowed until he returned -- but he never returned, settling permanently in the south. The Vindhyas remain lower than the Himalayas to this day. (Sources: Mahabharata Vana Parva; Skanda Purana; Ramayana Aranya Kanda)

3. Destroying Vatapi and Ilvala Two Rakshasa brothers, Ilvala and Vatapi, had a deadly trick: Ilvala would cook Vatapi (disguised as a goat) and serve the meat to visiting Brahmanas. After they ate, Ilvala would call out to Vatapi, who would burst out of the guest's stomach alive, killing the host. When they tried this on Agastya, the sage simply patted his belly after eating and said, "Vatapi, jirno bhava" ("Vatapi, be digested"). Vatapi was instantly digested and destroyed. Agastya then cursed Ilvala. (Sources: Mahabharata Vana Parva 96-97; Ramayana Aranya Kanda 11-12)

• Podiyil Hills (Pothigai Malai) in the Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu -- his primary southern abode
• Dense tropical forests of the Deccan and Tamil regions
• River Kaveri banks -- tradition says he carried the Kaveri river south in his kamandalu
• Mountain hermitages surrounded by tropical vegetation, waterfalls, medicinal herb gardens
• Early life at Nasik (Panchavati) region and along the Godavari river
• His ashram is depicted with Southern Indian flora: coconut palms, banana plants, sandalwood trees