ततो राजर्षयः सर्वे विषण्णा गतचेतसः। वातापिं संस्कृतं दृष्ट्वा मेषभूतं महासुरम्
Seeing the mighty Asura Vātāpi, prepared in the form of a ram, all the royal sages became despondent and lost heart.
अथाब्रवीदगस्त्यस्तान्राजर्षीनृषिसत्तमः। विषादो वो न कर्तव्यो ह्यहं भोक्ष्ये महासुरम्
Then Agastya, the best of sages, said to those royal sages: 'You must not despair; I shall eat this great Asura.'
धुर्यासनमथासाद्य निषसाद महानृषिः। तं पर्यवेषद्दैत्येन्द्र इल्वलः प्रहसन्निव
The great sage then took the seat of honor, and Ilvala, the lord of Daityas, served him with a smile.
अगस्त्य एव कृत्स्नं तु वातापिं बुभुजे ततः। `बह्वन्नाशापि ते मेऽस्तीत्यवदद्भक्षयन्स्वयम्
Agastya alone consumed all of Vātāpi, and as he ate, he said, 'I still have a great appetite for food.'
भुक्तवत्यसुरोऽह्वानमकरोत्तस्य चेल्वलः। `वातापे प्रतिबुध्यस्व दर्शयन्बलतेजसी। तपसा दुर्जयो यावदेष त्वां नातिवर्तते
After the Asura had been eaten, Ilvala called out to him, 'Vātāpi, awaken! Show your strength and power, for as long as this sage, invincible through penance, does not overcome you.'
ततस्तस्योदरं भेत्तुं वातापिर्वेगमाहरत्। तमबुध्यत तेजस्वी कुम्भयोनिर्महातपाः
Then Vātāpi gathered his force to burst out of Agastya's belly, but the radiant, great ascetic, Kumbhayoni, did not allow him to emerge.
स वीर्यात्तपसोग्रस्तु ननर्द भगवानृषिः। एष जीर्णोसि वातापे मया लोकस्य शान्तये
By the power of his asceticism, the blessed sage roared aloud: 'Vātāpi, you are digested by me for the peace of the world.'
इत्युक्त्वा स्वकराग्रेण उदरं समताडयत्। त्रिरेवं प्रतिसंरब्धस्तेजसा प्रज्वलन्निव
Having spoken thus, he struck his own belly with the tip of his hand three times, blazing with energy.
ततो वायुः प्रादुरभूदधस्तस्य महात्मनः। शब्देन महता तात गर्जन्निव यथा घनः
Then a great wind arose from the sage's lower body, O dear one, with a mighty sound like the roar of a cloud.
वातापे निष्क्रमस्वेति पुनः पुनरुवाच ह। तं प्रहस्याब्रवीद्राजन्नगस्त्यो मुनिसत्तमः। कुतो निष्क्रमितुं शक्तो मया जीर्णस्तु सोसुरः
Ilvala repeatedly called out, 'Vātāpi, come forth!' But the eminent sage Agastya laughed and said, 'How can he come out? That Asura has been digested by me.'
इल्वलस्तु विषण्णोऽभूद्दृष्ट्वा जीर्णं महासुरम्। प्राञ्जलिश्च सहामात्यैरिदं वचनमब्रवीत्। किमर्थमुपयाताः स्थ ब्रूत किं करवाणि वः
Ilvala became dejected when he saw that the great Asura had been digested. With joined palms, together with his ministers, he said: 'For what purpose have you come? Tell me, what shall I do for you?'
प्रत्युवाच ततोऽगस्त्यः प्रहसन्निल्वलं तदा। ईशोस्यसुर विद्मस्त्वां वयं सर्वे धनेश्वरम्
Then Agastya, laughing, replied to Ilvala: 'O Asura, we all know you as the lord of wealth.'
एते च नातिधनिनो धनाशा महती मम। यथाशक्त्यविहिंस्यान्यान्संविभागं प्रयच्छ नः
'These here do not have much wealth, and I have a great desire for riches. Give us a share, as much as you can, without harming others.'
ततोऽवमत्य तमृषिमिल्वलो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। दित्सितं यदि वेत्सि त्वंततो दास्यामि ते वसु
Ilvala, looking down on the sage, said: 'If you know what is to be given, then I will give you the wealth.'
गवां दशसहस्राणि राज्ञामेकैकशोऽसुर। तावदेव सुवर्णस्य दित्सितं ते महासुर
'Ten thousand cows for each king, O Asura, and the same amount of gold is to be given by you, great Asura.'
मह्यं ततो वै द्विगुणं रथश्चैव हिरण्मयः। मनोजवौ वाजिनौ च दित्सितं ते महासुर
'To me, then, twice as much, and a golden chariot, and two horses as swift as the mind are to be given by you, great Asura.'
उल्वलस्तु मुनिं प्राह सर्वमस्ति यथाऽऽत्थ माम्। सर्वमेतत्प्रदास्यामि हिरण्यं गाश्च यद्धनम्। रथं तु यदवोचो मां नैतं विद्म हिरण्मयम्
Ulvala spoke to the sage: 'Everything is as you have said of me. All this I shall give—gold, cows, whatever wealth. As for the chariot you mentioned, I do not know of any golden one.'
न मे वागनृता काचिदुक्तपूर्वा महाऽसुर। विज्ञायतां रथः साधु व्यक्तमस्ति हिरण्मयः
No false word has ever been spoken by me, O great asura. Let the chariot be examined; it is clearly made of gold.
विज्ञायमानः स रथः कौन्तेयासीद्धिरण्मयः'। ततः प्रव्यथितो दैत्यो ददावभ्यधिकं वसु
When the chariot was examined, O son of Kunti, it was indeed golden. Then the demon, greatly disturbed, gave even more wealth.
विवाजी च सुवाजी च तस्मिन्युक्तौ रथे हयौ। ऊहतुः स वसूनाशु तावगस्त्याश्रमं प्रति। सर्वान्राज्ञः सहागस्त्यान्निमेषादिव भारत
Two horses, swift and splendid, were yoked to that chariot. They quickly carried the wealth toward Agastya's hermitage, along with all the kings and Agastya, as if in a moment, O Bharata.
इल्वलस्त्वनुगम्यैनमगस्त्यं हन्तुमैच्छत। भस्म चक्रे महातेजा हुङ्कारेण महाऽसुरम्
Ilvala, following Agastya, sought to kill him. But the great sage, with a single utterance, reduced the mighty asura to ashes.
अगस्त्येनाभ्यनुज्ञाता जग्मू राजर्षयस्तदा। कृतवांश् मुनिः सर्वं लोपामुद्राचिकीर्षितम्
Permitted by Agastya, the royal sages departed. The sage had accomplished everything Lopamudra desired.
कृतवानसि तत्सर्वं भगवन्मम काङ्क्षितम्। उत्पादय सकृन्मह्यमपत्यं वीर्यवत्तरम्
You have fulfilled all that I wished, O revered one. Now grant me, just once, a child of great strength.
तुष्टोऽहमस्मि कल्याणि तव वृत्तेन शोभने। विचारणामपत्ये तु तव वक्ष्यामि तां शृणु
I am pleased, O noble lady, by your conduct, O beautiful one. Regarding the child, I will explain; listen to my words.
सहस्रं तेऽस्तु पुत्राणआं शतं वा तत्समं तव। दश वा शततुल्याः स्युरेको वाऽपि सहस्रजित्
You may have a thousand sons, or a hundred equal to them, or ten equal to a hundred, or even one who surpasses a thousand.
सहस्रसंमितः पुत्र एकोप्यस्तु तपोधन। एको हि बहुभिः श्रेयान्विद्वान्साधुरसाधुभिः
Let there be one son, O possessor of austerity, equal to a thousand. For a single wise and virtuous son is better than many who are unworthy.
स तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय तया समगमन्मुनिः। समये समशीलिन्या श्रद्धावान्श्रद्दधानया
Having agreed, she joined the sage, observing the vow with purity and faith.
तत आधाय गर्भं तमगमद्वनमेव सः। तस्मिन्वनगते गर्भो ववृधे सप्त शारदान्
Then, having conceived, he went into the forest. There, as he dwelled, the embryo grew for seven autumns.
सप्तमेऽब्दे गते चापि प्राच्यवत्स महाकविः। ज्वलन्निव प्रभावेन दृढस्युर्नाम भारत
When the seventh year had passed, a great poet was born, shining with brilliance, named Dridhasyu, O Bharata.
साङ्गोपनिषदान्वेदाञ्जपन्नेव महातपाः। तस्य पुत्रोऽभवदृषेः स तेजस्वी महानृषिः
Reciting the Vedas with their Upanishads, the great ascetic's son was born—a radiant, great sage.