Sage and author of several Vedic hymns; also the star Canopus. (Glossary for the Vahinis)

Agastya is called ‘pot’ born. He and Vashistha were both children of Mitra Varuna and were both born from the same pot! He put an end to the evil deeds of the ferocious giants, Ilvala and Vatapi, by just three words, ‘Vatapi jeerno Bhava’. He made the high peaked Vindhya bow his head and become low, that is why he is known by name, Agastya! That is to say, he taught humility to the proudest in the land. Agashtya is also reported to have drunk off the ocean all in one sip. That is to say, he dried up the ocean of samsara, with its waves of grief and joy, prosperity and adversity, success and failure. It is not any siddhi, this feat; it is a parable explaining that though he was a grihastha, a married man with a son who recited the Vedas as soon as he saw light, he had conquered all attachments of the world. Be attached only to the ideal – that is the sign of the sage. (SSS Vol.4, p. 29)

Extracted from (Ramayana: A Divine Drama, Actors in the Divine Play as scripted by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Vol.4)

Agastya curses Thataki:

Suketa who was a yaksha, who was praying to the Lord because he had no children. As a result of this, he was blessed with a very strong daughter by name Thataki, the rakshasi. This Thataki married a person by name Sangalu, and after the marriage she had two sons by name Subahu and Maricha. After some years, the husband died. Unable to bear the death of her husband, Sangalu, she became very much excited; and in great passion she developed anger; and with the help of her two sons, she has been all the time giving pain and trouble to the rishis. Realising this anger and bad conduct on the part of this woman, Agastya cursed her and said that she will thereafter conduct herself as a rakshasi. (SSB 1977, p. 147)

Lovely hermitage of Agastya:

Sage Sutikshna was the pupil of the renowned Agastya.

Rama moved forward towards the ashram of Agastya, with Sita and Lakshmana following him. They heard the murmur of a river flowing by. When they walked towards the sound and neared the river, they could see a mountain peak beside the flowing water. In the middle there were beautiful flower gardens; and like a lotus shining in the centre of a tank, there could be seen the lovely hermitage of Agastya on a carpet of fragrant flowers.

Word cannot adequately describe the exquisite nature of that scene. Sita, Rama and Lakshmana stood petrified for a few moments at the captivating splendour. The atmosphere was so astoundingly spiritual. There, animals that are enemies of each other by their very nature, aquatic animals and land animals, beasts and birds of every type, sported and lived together, free from fear or enmity. They could see many monks and ascetics lost in meditation sitting on the river bank.

When they neared the ashram, Sutikshna ran forward to convey the tidings to his Master. He fell at his feet and declared, ‘Oh Teacher Great! Oh Embodiment of Mercy! The prince of Ayodhya, the very Sustainer of this Universe, has just come into our Ashram with Sita and Lakshmana. The very person whom you were seeking to know and visualise through your spiritual practices for years, without regard to whether it is day or night, he has come to you, near you. Ah! What a great good day is this! What great good fortune!’ Sutikshna forgot himself and was filled with immeasurable ecstasy. (RKRV Part II, p. 12)

Agastya serves Rama and his companions with devotion and ecstasy:

At this, Agastya rose suddenly from his seat and walked fast into the open. He saw the three, coming towards him. Tears flowed freely from his eyes. He ran forward, shouting, ‘Lord! Lord!’ He clasped Rama to his bosom. He had no mind to release Rama from the embrace. He stood with his arms around Rama, clinging to him, as a creeper clings to the trunk of a tree. Agastya could not contain the joy that welled up within him when he led Rama, Sita and Lakshmana into his hermitage. He invited them to rest on elevated seats. He had fruits and sweet tubers brought and he offered them for their repast. Then, he enquired about the journey they had gone through. When Rama was answering his queries, Agastya listened with eyes closed in deep delight, tears of joy streaming down the cheeks. There was a happy smile hovering on his face. At last, he spoke, ‘Lord! I am convinced that there is no one more blessed than I am. The Lord, Narayana, has Himself come to me. He is staying in my hermitage! Is this true? Is it a dream? No. It is clearly a fact of experience. He gave expression to his joy in grateful and devotional words.

Rama cites the reasons for his coming to the forest:

Rama said, ‘Oh Monarch among Monks! I have nothing to hide from you. You know too well the reason why I have come into the forest. Direct me, how I can destroy the brood of demoniac persons, the Rakshasas, who obstruct the austerities of sages and monks, and how I can protect and preserve from danger the dedicated servants of God. I shall act accordingly. I am awaiting your advice. In the cold Hemantha season lotuses shrivel up and die. The season has approached for the shrivelling of the Rakshasas.’

Agastya expounds on Maya :

Hearing these words of Rama, Agastya smiled. He replied, ‘Lord! You are omniscient. I do not know why you require me to tell you how. I am unable to decide whether you are blessing me or testing me. Nevertheless, through the effect of your Grace, the Darshan (sight), Sparshan (contact) and Sambhaashan (speech) that you have just now blessed me with, I am able to grasp the significance of your question. That too is your grace. Maya which is your creation and your puppet, your slave, lying at your feet, is watching ever, for the slightest raising of your brow, to carry out your commands. Through the skill endowed by you, Maya is creating all beings on earth and in heaven.

‘Your Maya is unconquerable. It is harassing beings endlessly, that is to say, those who fall a prey to its machinations. That is a fact that is known to all. Your Maya is like the ficus, spreading far and wide. The orbs in the Cosmos are as the fruits of that tree. The beings and things that exist in this Cosmos are like the worms and larvae that creep inside the fruit. The fruit might appear lovely outside; but when it is opened, hundreds of worms can be seen wriggling inside.

‘Those attached to this exterior world and its transitory treasures are afraid of you, since in your aspect as Time, you cause inexorable ruin of their plans. The Cosmos itself is an appearance on your Reality. Rama! You are adored by all the worlds. You ask me for directions, just as a common man would. You praise me as men do. This raises a laugh in me. I am not concerned with anything now. I desire that you stay in this hermitage, with Sita and Lakshmana. That is the only boon I ask for. I prefer always to worship your Attributeful Form, not your Attributeless Principle. That is what I believe in and teach. That is my Ideal, my favourite Goal, my Aspiration.

‘Therefore, grant me this boon. It is your sport, to elevate your servants, and yourself to slide into the background as if you are innocent of anything and ignorant of everything! But do not elevate me. Do not ask me for directions. My duty is to assent and accept your wishes and to follow your footsteps. Father! Do not inveigle me into your Maya, and delude me into egoism, making me the target of your sport.’ (RKRV Part II, pp. 14-15)

Rama asks Agastya a suitable place to stay:

At this Rama said, ‘Oh Venerable Sage! This region is well known to you. So, what harm is there if you tell me which place I can select for my stay? This is what everybody would expect of you, isn’t it?’

Agastya directs them to Panchavati - The story of Dandakaranya:

Agastya replied, ‘Master! Since you have commanded me I shall obey implicitly and give answer . Very near this place, the sacred river Godavari is flowing. Since ages, that great river has been flowing full and free. Adjacent to it, we have the Dandakaranya. (RKRV Part II, p. 15) There is a place called ‘Panchavati ‘ in Dandaka Forest which a suitable place to stay during your exile. (SSB 2002, p. 95)

Agastya added that fruits and roots were available in abundance in Panchavati and the temperate climate was most conducive for living there. The Sage deliberately directed them to Panchavati so that the abduction of Sita, which was so important for the killing of demons, could occur there. He did not keep Rama and Lakshmana in his own hermitage since abduction of Sita would then be an impossibility. (SSB 1996, p. 44)

When you sanctify it by residing in it you would have conferred upon the monks and sages that live therein all content and happiness. For, that forest region and its guardian ruler are under a curse and afflicted thereby.’

At this, Rama intercepted the sage with the words. ‘Master! Sita is anxious to learn the story of that curse. Tell us about it in detail.’ Agastya saw through that request and so he addressed Rama as ‘Oh, Director of the Eternal Play. Once upon a time famine raised its head in Panchavati area. All the monks and ascetics who lived there took refuge in the hermitage of Sage Gautama. He gave them all they needed through the powers he had acquired as a result of his austerities! When the famine was over, the monks decided to return to their old dwellings’.

‘But there were some pseudo-monks among them, who conspired against him, and planned to bring him to disrepute. They brought a cow that was in the throes of death and made it enter the hermitage garden, on a particular green and attractive patch. Gautama saw it was about to bite a beautiful flower away from its stem. He attempted to drive it away. But at his very first push, the cow breathed its last! The conspirator monks immediately laid on him the dreaded sin of ‘go-hathya’ (bovicide)! They condemned him as an outcast and a heathen. Gautama desired to discover whether the cow died as a result of his push or because its allotted span had ended. He Sat in deep meditation exploring an answer to this vital question. Soon it was revealed to him that it was but a trick played by inimical monks. He was disgusted at their despicable nature. He said, ‘May this forest polluted by such low-minded persons be out of bounds for the good and the saintly. May it become the haunt of demonic yakshas.’

‘Another incident too added to the effects of this curse. The ruler of this region, Danda by name, violated the chastity of the daughter of his own preceptor, Bhrigu. Bhrigu listened to the pathetic story as related by his daughter; and in the extremity of his anger, he overwhelmed the region with a downpour of dust. Therefore, this area was sodden deep with mud, and in course of time, it was a thick jungle from end to end. The region is named Dandakaranya, after that infamous ruler. Rama! Crest-jewel of the Raghu Dynasty! I am certain that when you take reside nce in that forest, the Rakshasas will be decimated and the curse will be lifted. Monks and Sadhakas can once again dwell there and progress in their austerities. Humanity everywhere will benefit by this cleansing and this consummation. I may tell you that the sage who said the curse will also be rendered happy by you, for he is sad at the consequence of his anger.’

When Agastya finished his account of the story of Dandakaranya, Rama said, ‘Well. So be it. I shall reside there.’ He took leave of the Sage Agastya, and proceeded to the Dandaka forest, with Sita and Lakshmana. (RKRV Part II, p. 18)

Agastya hands over weapons:

Before they left his hermitage, Agastya brought forth certain weapons that he had acquired by asceticism from Divine Sources, and placed them in the hands of Rama saying that he had no wish to use them. They had now a wielder who deserved them and who could utilise them for a holy purpose. ‘Rama,’ he said, ‘You are my shield, my strength, my prowess. These weapons cannot save me, but You can. Your Grace is the most powerful weapon I possess. You are my refuge, my fortress, the impenetrable armour for my breast.’ (RKRV Part II, pp. 17-18)

Agastya took care to see that the bow and arrows which were given to him by Varuna were also handed over to Ramachandra as weapons. There is an important truth here. These rishis knew well when the destruction of the Rakshasas was coming. They kept these weapons with great care in order to hand them over to Ramachandra when time was ripe for such destruction. (SSB 1977, p. 14)

As per the advice of Sage Agastya, Sita, Rama and Lakshmana built a small Parnasala (cottage) on the banks of the river at Panchavati in the Dandakaranya forest and started living there happily. (SSS Vol.39, p. 236)

Spend money you earn usefully and wisely

There is a story connected with the construction of the great temple at Kalahasthi. It was built according to tradition by sage Agastya, helped by Bhrigu and Bharadwaja. Every day when the Sun was about to set, Agastya called every worker before him as he Sat on the river bed and under his instruction, the two sages poured into the lap of each worker, sand taken from the bed; that was his wages! Now, that sand changed into gold in strict proportion to the work that the receiver had put in that day. If one did more work, he got more gold; if less, less. If one had wasted the entire day, it would remain sand, so far as that worker was concerned. There was no injustice, no grumbling, and no favouritism. All worked in the presence of the All-seeing and so, all accepted the gold that was vouchsafed by the Almighty, for it was just his due, no more, no less. It is work that is done in this spirit, the spirit of the constant presence of the Lord that is honest; the Lord will reward by His Grace the work that is done sincerely and gladly, not work that is done for fear of superior officers, or maistries (foremen). If your hearts are pure, your work too would be pure. (SSS Vol.3, pp. 122-123)

Ashvamedha Yajna and Rama welcomes the sages and seers:

They were all welcomed and accommodated with due regard to their spiritual eminence. Soon, Vishwamitra arrived. Rama honoured him, and offered reverential hospitality. Agastya, the great sage, also reached Ayodhya. He was given proper reception and arrangements were made for his comfortable stay in the Capital. They saw the sanctified Hall where the Yaga was to be held and were delighted. (RKRV Part II, pp. 315-316)

Agastya initiated Rama into the mysteries of Sun-worship, through the mantra Aditya Hrdayam. (SSVahini, p. 218)