Agastya

Agastya or Agasti ( Sanskrit: अगस्त्य Agastya m; Tamil. Akattiyan ) was a mythical Vedic seer who is worshiped in South India as a culture hero. He is credited with many miracles, and he was a helper of the gods and also arbitrated the dispute between Indra and the Marutas who fought for offerings. The star Canopus is named after him.

Vedas

Agastya is mentioned in several hymns of the Rigveda, one of the anthems is a conversation between Agastya and his wife Lopamudra, the sister of the seer Pulastya. He and his brother Vasishtha came out of a jar of water, into which the sperm of the gods Mitra and Varuna poured, as these Urvashi, the most beautiful of Apsaras saw. Agastya is intended to be come forth as a shining fish.

Ramayana

In the Indian epic Ramayana Agastya is described as a hermit in Vindhyagebirge. He was the leader of the southern Indian ways and watched over the Rakshasas. When Rama visited him, he supported not only by this advice, he also gave him Vishnu's bow. After Rama became king, Agastya followed him to Ayodhya.

Bearer of culture

In the Dravida Agastya is regarded as bearer of culture. He is said to have learned the Tamil Shiva and have then passed on to his students Tolkappiyar, the author of the oldest known grammar of Tamil. He should be dragged into the Vindhyagebirge of Dvaraka or any other place where Agastya still enjoys special veneration. From there he moved on to South India and settled on the mountain Agastya Malai in Kerala.

Worship and iconography

Agastya is represented as a bearded and stocky man with a big belly, holding a pitcher of water in his left hand. According to South Indian tradition, the river Kaveri to flow from his water jug ​​. Agastya is revered not only in Vindhygebirge and in South India but also outside India. So his cult in medieval Sri Lanka is attested, probably at the Adam 's Peak.