The Glory of Agastya's Hermitage and Gangeshvara: The Slaying of Vatapi

Verse 1 (skanda.7.285.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि पुनर्न्यंकुमतीं नदीम्। तत्र कृत्वा गयाश्राद्धं गोष्पदे तीर्थ उत्तमे

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi punarnyaṁkumatīṁ nadīm| tatra kṛtvā gayāśrāddhaṁ goṣpade tīrtha uttame

Ishvara said: Then, O great Goddess, one should go again to the river Nyankumati; having performed there the Gaya-shraddha at the excellent tirtha of Goshpada,

Verse 2 (skanda.7.285.2)

ततः पश्येद्वराहं तु तस्माद्धरिगृहं व्रजेत्। तत्र मातृस्तु संपूज्य स्नात्वा सागरसंगमे

tataḥ paśyedvarāhaṁ tu tasmāddharigṛhaṁ vrajet| tatra mātṛstu saṁpūjya snātvā sāgarasaṁgame

one should then behold Varaha, and from there proceed to the temple of Hari. Having duly worshipped the Mother-goddesses there, and having bathed at the confluence with the ocean,

Verse 3 (skanda.7.285.3)

न्यंकुमत्यर्णवोपेते ततः पूर्वमनु व्रजेत्। अगस्तेराश्रमं दिव्यं क्षुधाहरमितिस्मृतम्

nyaṁkumatyarṇavopete tataḥ pūrvamanu vrajet| agasterāśramaṁ divyaṁ kṣudhāharamitismṛtam

where the Nyankumati joins the sea, one should then proceed further east, to the divine hermitage of Agastya, remembered by the name Kshudhahara (Hunger-remover).

Verse 4 (skanda.7.285.4)

यत्रेल्वलं च वातापिं संहृत्य भगवान्मुनिः। मुक्त्वाऽऽपद्भ्यो ब्राह्मणांश्च तेभ्यः स्थानं ततो ददौ

yatrelvalaṁ ca vātāpiṁ saṁhṛtya bhagavānmuniḥ| muktvā''padbhyo brāhmaṇāṁśca tebhyaḥ sthānaṁ tato dadau

Where the illustrious sage, having destroyed Ilvala and Vatapi, and having freed the brahmins from calamity, then gave that place to them.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.285.5)

अगस्त्याश्रममेतद्धि अगस्तिप्रियमुत्तमम्। न्यंकुमत्यास्तटे रम्ये सर्वपातकनाशने

agastyāśramametaddhi agastipriyamuttamam| nyaṁkumatyāstaṭe ramye sarvapātakanāśane

This indeed is the hermitage most dear to Agastya, on the lovely bank of the Nyankumati, which destroys all sin.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.285.6)

देव्युवाच। अगस्तिनेह वातापिः किमर्थमुपशामितः। अत्र वै किंप्रभावश्च स दैत्यो ब्राह्मणांतकः। किमर्थं चोद्गतो मन्युरगस्तेस्तु महात्मनः

devyuvāca| agastineha vātāpiḥ kimarthamupaśāmitaḥ| atra vai kiṁprabhāvaśca sa daityo brāhmaṇāṁtakaḥ| kimarthaṁ codgato manyuragastestu mahātmanaḥ

The Goddess said: For what reason was Vatapi destroyed here by Agastya? What was the power of that demon, the slayer of brahmins? And for what reason did the anger of the great-souled Agastya arise?

Verse 7 (skanda.7.285.7)

ईश्वर उवाच। इल्वलो नाम दैत्येन्द्र आसीद्वै वरवर्णिनि। मणिमत्यां पुरा पुर्यां वातापिस्तस्य चानुजः

īśvara uvāca| ilvalo nāma daityendra āsīdvai varavarṇini| maṇimatyāṁ purā puryāṁ vātāpistasya cānujaḥ

Ishvara said: There was a lord of demons named Ilvala, O fair one, formerly in the city of Manimati; and Vatapi was his younger brother.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.285.8)

स ब्राह्मणं तपोयुक्तमुवाच दितिनंदनः। पुत्र मे भगवन्नेकमिंद्रतुल्यं प्रयच्छतु

sa brāhmaṇaṁ tapoyuktamuvāca ditinaṁdanaḥ| putra me bhagavannekamiṁdratulyaṁ prayacchatu

That son of Diti said to a brahmin endowed with austerity: 'O illustrious one, grant me a single son equal to Indra.'

Verse 9 (skanda.7.285.9)

तस्मिन्स ब्राह्मणो नैच्छत्पुत्रं दातुं तथाविधम्। चुक्रोध दितिजस्तस्य ब्राह्मणस्य ततो भृशम्

tasminsa brāhmaṇo naicchatputraṁ dātuṁ tathāvidham| cukrodha ditijastasya brāhmaṇasya tato bhṛśam

That brahmin did not wish to grant such a son to him. The son of Diti then became greatly enraged at that brahmin.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.285.10)

प्रभासक्षेत्रमासाद्य स दैत्यः पापबुद्धिमान्। मेषरूपी च वातापिः कामरूपोऽभवत्क्षणात्

prabhāsakṣetramāsādya sa daityaḥ pāpabuddhimān| meṣarūpī ca vātāpiḥ kāmarūpo'bhavatkṣaṇāt

That evil-minded demon came to the field of Prabhasa; and Vatapi, who could take any form at will, instantly became a ram.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.285.11)

संस्कृत्य भोजयेत्तत्र विप्रान्स च जिघांसति। समा ह्वयति तं वाचा गतं चैव ततः क्षयम्

saṁskṛtya bhojayettatra viprānsa ca jighāṁsati| samā hvayati taṁ vācā gataṁ caiva tataḥ kṣayam

Having prepared it, he would feed brahmins there, intending to kill them; once Vatapi had been consumed, he would call out to him by voice.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.285.12)

स पुनर्देहमास्थाय जीवन्स्म प्रत्यदृश्यत। ततो वातापिरपि तं छागं कृत्वा सुसंस्कृतम्। ब्राह्मणं भोजयित्वा तु पुनरेव समाह्वयत्

sa punardehamāsthāya jīvansma pratyadṛśyata| tato vātāpirapi taṁ chāgaṁ kṛtvā susaṁskṛtam| brāhmaṇaṁ bhojayitvā tu punareva samāhvayat

He would take up his body again and appear alive once more. Thus, having made Vatapi into a well-prepared goat and fed it to a brahmin, he would call out to him again.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.285.13)

स तस्य पार्श्वं निर्भिद्य ब्राह्मणस्य महात्मनः। वातापिः प्रहसंस्तत्र निश्चक्राम द्विजोदरात्

sa tasya pārśvaṁ nirbhidya brāhmaṇasya mahātmanaḥ| vātāpiḥ prahasaṁstatra niścakrāma dvijodarāt

Then Vatapi, laughing, would burst forth from the side of that great-souled brahmin, emerging from his belly.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.285.14)

एवं स ब्राह्मणान्देवि भोजयित्वा पुनःपुनः। विनिर्भिद्योदरं तेषामेवं हंति द्विजान्बहून्

evaṁ sa brāhmaṇāndevi bhojayitvā punaḥpunaḥ| vinirbhidyodaraṁ teṣāmevaṁ haṁti dvijānbahūn

Thus, O Goddess, having repeatedly fed brahmins in this way and bursting open their bellies, he killed many brahmins in this manner.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.285.15)

ततो वै ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे भयभीताः प्रदुद्रुवुः। अगस्तेराश्रमं जग्मुः कथयामासुरग्रतः

tato vai brāhmaṇāḥ sarve bhayabhītāḥ pradudruvuḥ| agasterāśramaṁ jagmuḥ kathayāmāsuragrataḥ

Then all the brahmins, terrified, fled; they went to the hermitage of Agastya and told him the matter in his presence.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.285.16)

भगवञ्छृणु नो वाक्यमस्माकं तु भयावहम्। निमंत्रिताः स्म सर्वे वा इल्वलेन वयं प्रभो

bhagavañchṛṇu no vākyamasmākaṁ tu bhayāvaham| nimaṁtritāḥ sma sarve vā ilvalena vayaṁ prabho

'O illustrious one, hear our words, which bring us terror. We have all been invited by Ilvala, O lord.'

Verse 17 (skanda.7.285.17)

अस्माकं मृत्युरूपं तद्भोजनं नास्ति संशयः। तदस्मान्रक्ष भगवन्विषण्णागतचेतसः

asmākaṁ mṛtyurūpaṁ tadbhojanaṁ nāsti saṁśayaḥ| tadasmānrakṣa bhagavanviṣaṇṇāgatacetasaḥ

'That meal of his is, without doubt, in the form of death for us. Therefore protect us, O illustrious one, for our minds have become despondent.'

Verse 18 (skanda.7.285.18)

ततः प्रभासमासाद्य यत्र तौ दैत्यपुंगवौ। ब्रह्मघ्रौ पापनिरतौ ददर्श स महामुनिः

tataḥ prabhāsamāsādya yatra tau daityapuṁgavau| brahmaghrau pāpaniratau dadarśa sa mahāmuniḥ

Then, coming to Prabhasa, that great sage saw the place where those two foremost demons, slayers of brahmins, devoted to sin, were.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.285.19)

वातापिं संस्कृतं दृष्ट्वा मेषरूपं महासुरम्। उवाच देहि मे भोज्यं बुभुक्षा मम वर्तते

vātāpiṁ saṁskṛtaṁ dṛṣṭvā meṣarūpaṁ mahāsuram| uvāca dehi me bhojyaṁ bubhukṣā mama vartate

Seeing Vatapi, the great demon in the form of a ram, prepared as food, he said: 'Give me food; hunger has come upon me.'

Verse 20 (skanda.7.285.20)

इत्युक्तौ स्वागतं तत्र चक्राते मुनये तदा। भगवन्भोजनं तुभ्यं दास्येऽहं बहुविस्तरम्। कियन्मानस्तवाहारस्तावन्मानं पचाम्यहम्

ityuktau svāgataṁ tatra cakrāte munaye tadā| bhagavanbhojanaṁ tubhyaṁ dāsye'haṁ bahuvistaram| kiyanmānastavāhārastāvanmānaṁ pacāmyaham

Hearing this, the two of them welcomed the sage there: 'O illustrious one, I shall give you food in great abundance; however much your appetite is, so much shall I cook.'

Verse 21 (skanda.7.285.21)

अगस्त्य उवाच। अन्नं पचस्व दैत्येन्द्र किंचित्तृप्तिर्भविष्यति। एवमस्त्विति दैत्येन्द्रः पक्वमाह महामुने

agastya uvāca| annaṁ pacasva daityendra kiṁcittṛptirbhaviṣyati| evamastviti daityendraḥ pakvamāha mahāmune

Agastya said: 'Cook the food, O lord of demons; some satisfaction shall come to me.' 'So be it,' said the lord of demons, and reported, O great sage, that it was cooked.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.285.22)

आस्यतामासनमिदं भुज्यतां स्वेच्छया मुने। इत्युक्तोऽघोरमंत्रं स जपन्कल्पांतकारकम्। धुर्यासनमथासाद्य निषसाद महामुनिः

āsyatāmāsanamidaṁ bhujyatāṁ svecchayā mune| ityukto'ghoramaṁtraṁ sa japankalpāṁtakārakam| dhuryāsanamathāsādya niṣasāda mahāmuniḥ

'Please be seated on this seat, O sage; eat as you wish.' Thus addressed, reciting the Aghora mantra that brings about the end of a kalpa, that great sage took the seat of honor and sat down.

Verse 23 (skanda.7.285.23)

तं पर्यवेषद्दैत्येंद्र इल्वलः प्रहसन्निव। शतहस्तप्रमाणेन राशिमन्नस्य सोऽकरोत्

taṁ paryaveṣaddaityeṁdra ilvalaḥ prahasanniva| śatahastapramāṇena rāśimannasya so'karot

The lord of demons, Ilvala, as if laughing, served him, and made a heap of food measuring a hundred hastas.

Verse 24 (skanda.7.285.24)

ततो हष्टमनाऽगस्त्यः प्राग्रसत्कवलद्वयम्। रूपं कृत्वा महत्तद्वद्यद्वत्सागरशोषणे

tato haṣṭamanā'gastyaḥ prāgrasatkavaladvayam| rūpaṁ kṛtvā mahattadvadyadvatsāgaraśoṣaṇe

Then Agastya, delighted in mind, having assumed a form as vast as when he dried up the ocean, first swallowed it in two mouthfuls.

Verse 25 (skanda.7.285.25)

समस्तमेव तद्भोज्यं वातापिं बुभुजे ततः। भुक्तवत्यसुरो ह्वानमकरोत्तस्य इल्वलः

samastameva tadbhojyaṁ vātāpiṁ bubhuje tataḥ| bhuktavatyasuro hvānamakarottasya ilvalaḥ

He consumed that entire meal, namely Vatapi. When it had been eaten, the demon Ilvala performed the summoning-call for him.

Verse 26 (skanda.7.285.26)

ततोऽसौ दत्तवानन्नमगस्त्यस्य महात्मनः। भस्मीचकार सर्वं स तदन्नं च सदानवम्

tato'sau dattavānannamagastyasya mahātmanaḥ| bhasmīcakāra sarvaṁ sa tadannaṁ ca sadānavam

Then that food which had been given to the great-souled Agastya — he reduced it all to ashes, that food along with the demon within it.

Verse 27 (skanda.7.285.27)

इल्वलं क्रोधमुष्ट्या तु भस्मीचक्रे महामुनिः। ततो हाहारवं कृत्वा सर्वे दैत्या ननंशिरे

ilvalaṁ krodhamuṣṭyā tu bhasmīcakre mahāmuniḥ| tato hāhāravaṁ kṛtvā sarve daityā nanaṁśire

And with a fist of fury, the great sage reduced Ilvala too to ashes. Then, raising a cry of lamentation, all the demons perished.

Verse 28 (skanda.7.285.28)

ततोऽगस्त्यो महातेजा आहूय द्विजपुंगवान्। तत्स्थानं च ददौ तेभ्यो दैत्य्रानां द्रव्यपूरितम्

tato'gastyo mahātejā āhūya dvijapuṁgavān| tatsthānaṁ ca dadau tebhyo daityrānāṁ dravyapūritam

Then Agastya, of great splendor, summoned the foremost brahmins and gave that place to them, filled with the wealth of the demons.

Verse 29 (skanda.7.285.29)

क्षुधा हृता ततो देवि तत्रागस्त्यस्य दानवैः। तेन क्षुधा हरंनाम स्थानमासीद्विजन्मनाम्

kṣudhā hṛtā tato devi tatrāgastyasya dānavaiḥ| tena kṣudhā haraṁnāma sthānamāsīdvijanmanām

Since Agastya's hunger was removed there by eating the demons, O Goddess, that place came to bear the name Kshudhahara for the twice-born.

Verse 30 (skanda.7.285.30)

तस्य पश्चिमभागे तु नातिदूरे व्यवस्थितम्। गंगेश्वरमिति ख्यातं गंगया यत्प्रतिष्ठितम्

tasya paścimabhāge tu nātidūre vyavasthitam| gaṁgeśvaramiti khyātaṁ gaṁgayā yatpratiṣṭhitam

To the west of that place, not far away, is situated a tirtha known as Gangeshvara, which was established by the river Ganga.

Verse 31 (skanda.7.285.31)

वातापिभक्षणेपूर्वमगस्त्येन महात्मना। दैत्यसंभक्षणोत्पन्नसर्वपातकशुद्धये। समाहूता महादेवि गंगापातकनाशिनी

vātāpibhakṣaṇepūrvamagastyena mahātmanā| daityasaṁbhakṣaṇotpannasarvapātakaśuddhaye| samāhūtā mahādevi gaṁgāpātakanāśinī

Formerly, after devouring Vatapi, in order to be cleansed of all the sin arising from devouring the demon, the great-souled Agastya summoned there, O great Goddess, the sin-destroying Ganga.

Verse 32 (skanda.7.285.32)

ततो देवि समा याता गंगा पातकनाशिनी। शुद्धिं चकार तस्यर्षेस्तत्र स्थाने स्थिताऽभवत्

tato devi samā yātā gaṁgā pātakanāśinī| śuddhiṁ cakāra tasyarṣestatra sthāne sthitā'bhavat

Then, O Goddess, the sin-destroying Ganga came there; she purified that sage, and remained established in that place.

Verse 33 (skanda.7.285.33)

अगस्त्यस्याऽऽश्रमे रम्ये नृणां पापभयापहे। तत्र गंगेश्वरं दृष्ट्वा अभक्ष्योद्भवपातकात्। मुच्यते नात्र संदेहः स्नानदानजपादिना

agastyasyā''śrame ramye nṛṇāṁ pāpabhayāpahe| tatra gaṁgeśvaraṁ dṛṣṭvā abhakṣyodbhavapātakāt| mucyate nātra saṁdehaḥ snānadānajapādinā

In that lovely hermitage of Agastya, which removes the sin and fear of men, whoever beholds Gangeshvara there is freed from the sin arising from eating forbidden food, through bathing, gift-giving, japa and the like — there is no doubt of this.