Rama walked in front, Sita with a beautiful waist, in the middle and Lakshmana holding the bow, behind them৷৷

Both Rama and Lakshmana walked on, accompanied by Sita, watching several beautiful mountain ranges, forests and rivers.

(Watching) the swans and ruddy geese on river banks and lakes full of lotuses, and birds on water and in the sky.

(Watching) herds of deer, intoxicated horned buffaloes, wild boars and elephants who are enemies of trees (elephants uproof trees).

As the Sun was setting, they had covered a long distance, watching a yojanalong tank adorned with lotuses, and crowded with herds of elephants and flocks of cranes, swans and aquatic animals.

As the Sun was setting, they had covered a long distance, watching a yojanalong tank adorned with lotuses, and crowded with herds of elephants and flocks of cranes, swans and aquatic animals.

In that lake of clear waters they heard the sounds of songs and musical instruments, while there were none around.

Out of curiosity, mighty Rama, and Lakshmana started enquiring about the matter from sage Dharmabrata by name:

O great sage, this very wonderful sound, has whetted our great curiosity. If there is no top secret about this, do disclose it.

Thus addressed by Rama, the righteous sage narrated the entire origin of the lake.

O Rama this lake called Panchapsara filled with water at all times has been created through penance by a sage called Mandakarni.

Great sage Mandakarni standing in water and living on air performed rigorous penance for ten thousand years.

Thereafter very much perturbed, all the gods led by Agni gathered together at one place and started deliberating among themselves.

'The gods of heaven became agitated in their minds thinking the sage might usurp one of their places.

All the gods then engaged five of the important nymphs, glittering like lightning, to disturb the penance of the sage.

The sage, a knower of the inner self and the world of plurality, was gripped by passion for the apsaras, who had come to achieve the target of the gods.

The five apsaras, got the status of wives to the sage who built them an invisible home inside the lake.

The apsaras lived happily with the sage who remained youthful by virtue of his penance.

While the apsaras played their musical instruments, their melodious songs mingled with the sounds of ornaments are heard.

Glorious Rama and his brother heard the wonderful words of the selfrealised sage and exclaimed, 'How strange '

When the sage Dharmabrata was telling the story, Rama saw a hermitage strewn all over with kusa grass and bark garments, and endowed with pure brahminic grace.

Illustrious Rama accompanied by Vaidehi and Lakshmana entered the hermitage and, honoured by all the sages, stayed there.

Rama, the scion of the Kakutstha race, wielder of great weapons, stayed in that beautiful hermitage, accepting the hospitality of the sages extended with due honour, He visited in turn their penancegroves where he repeated his stay.

Rama, the scion of the Kakutstha race, wielder of great weapons, stayed in that beautiful hermitage, accepting the hospitality of the sages extended with due honour, He visited in turn their penancegroves where he repeated his stay.

Rama lived happily here for about ten months, there one year, here four or five or six months and there over one or half a month or three or eight months in another.

Rama lived happily here for about ten months, there one year, here four or five or six months and there over one or half a month or three or eight months in another.

Thus enjoying their stay in the hermitages, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana spent ten favourable years.

Rama went round who was full of grace and full of knowledge on dharma went round with Sita and came back to Suthikshna's hermitage.

On his arrival, Rama, the subduer of enemies, was honoured by the sages at the hermitage where he stayed for a short time.

Once while sitting beside sage Sutikshna at the hermitage Rama humbly addressed him:

I have heard others saying that lord Agastya, the great sage, lives in this forest.

I am unable to locate the sacred hermitage of that sagacious sage due to the vastness of this forest.

By your grace, I wish to go there with Sita and my brother Lakshmana to offer our respectful salutations.

There is a great desire in my heart to serve in person the best of sages, Agastya.

Hearing the words of Rama, the righteous son of Dasaratha, sage Sutikshna was pleased to reply:

I also wished you, O Raghava, to visit Agastya along with Sita and Lakshmana.

Luckily you have asked me on your own. I will tell you where the great sage Agastya lives.

Dear Rama, walk from here a distance of four yojanas. There in the southerly direction stands the great, beautiful hermitage of Agastya's brother.

This plain land in the beautiful forest tract is adorned with fig trees,filled with flowers, fruits, and delightful sounds of different birds.

O Rama, there are lotusponds filled with clear, sacred waters, with different kinds of swans, ducks and ruddy geese. Spend one night there and proceed early in the morning.

O Rama, there are lotusponds filled with clear, sacred waters, with different kinds of swans, ducks and ruddy geese. Spend one night there and proceed early in the morning.

If you go in the southern direction for a yojana you will find Agasthya's hermitage by the side of a cluster of trees.

Vaidehi will feel happy in your company in that delightful forest region full of many trees.So too will Lakshmana.

O glorious one, if you have made up your mind to visit that great sage Agastya, think of starting today itself.

Rama heard the words of the sage, offered him reverential salutations and set out along with his brother and Sita.

Enjoying the sight of delightful forests, cloudlike mountains, lakes and rivers on the way, and following the directions given by Sutikshna, Rama was happy. He said to Lakshmana:

Enjoying the sight of delightful forests, cloudlike mountains, lakes and rivers on the way, and following the directions given by Sutikshna, Rama was happy. He said to Lakshmana:

Surely this is the hermitage of great Agastya's brother, a man of holy deeds.

This is the glade we were told about with thousands of trees drooping down with abundant fruits and flowers.

Feel this sudden astringent smell of ripe figs wafted by the breeze from the forest.

Heaps of firewood are seen here and there on the path. There are blades of grass (used for sacrificial ceremonies) shining like vaidurya (gems).

In the middle of the forest can be seen like the tip of the dark clouds columns of smoke coming out of the top of hermitages.

Priests are coming out of the solitary sacred spots after their bath and making offerings of flowers they had themselves plucked.

O handsome one, surely this is the hermitage of Agastya's brother about which I heard from Sutikshna.

Translation not available.

Assuming the form of a brahmin and using Sanskrit language, Ilvala would invite brahmins for offering shraddha to the dead

Ilvala would keep his brother sanctified, so that he is fit for offering, Then he would feed the brahmins with mutton according to the rituals.

Then when the brahmins finished eating, Ilvala would call aloud, 'O Vatapi come out'.

Then hearing his brother's voice, Vatapi would bleat like a sheep and jump out, tearing open the bodies of those brahmins.

In this manner, thousands of brahmins used to be killed daily by those carnivorous demons who assumed any form at their free will.

Urged by the gods, Agastya came for the shradda . The mighty demon played the same routine trick and Vatapi, for sure, was eaten by the great sage.

Saying, the ritual is complete Ilvala offered water in the palm of Agastya and called his brother to come out.

Wise Agastya, the best among the ascetics, laughing aloud, said to Ilvala, the destroyer of brahmins:

I have digested the demon Vatapi your brother, who assumed the form of a sheep. He has reached the abode of Yama, Lord of death. Where does he have the power to come out?

On hearing the news of the death of his brother, the demon Ilvala, out of anger, started attacking the sage.

Ilvala who pounced upon Agastya, the best among the sages whose lustre lay consumed by the fire of his eyes which were in flames.

This hermitage surrounded by beautiful lakes and forests belongs to his brother (Sudarsana). Out of sympathy for Agastya, he has accomplished this difficult task.

While Rama was thus narrating to Lakshmana (the story of Agastya), the Sun set and evening closed in.

Rama with his brother Lakshmana duly offered oblations at twilight, entered the hermitage and greeted the sage (Sudarsana) with folded palms.

Warmly received by the sage, Rama shared the roots and fruits and slept the night there.

When the night passed and the Sun became bright, Rama took leave of the brother of Agastya.

O Lord, the night has been wellspent. Now we humbly seek leave of you to see your respectable elder brother.

With his permission, Rama, the delight of the Raghu race, proceeded along the path indicated, watching (the beauty of) the forest.

They passed by wild rice fields, jackfruit trees, palmyra and various other trees like Ashoka, trees with white flowers, old trees that existed for a long time, mahva trees, bilva trees and tindukas.

Rama saw hundreds of trees crushed by the trunks of elephants and by monkeys. He saw some trees echoing with notes of hundreds of intoxicated birds. He saw tree tops coiled with creepers in full bloom.

Rama saw hundreds of trees crushed by the trunks of elephants and by monkeys. He saw some trees echoing with notes of hundreds of intoxicated birds. He saw tree tops coiled with creepers in full bloom.

Then the lotuseyed Rama said to the chivalrous, graceful Lakshmana who stood behind him:

The leaves of the trees here are glossy, the animals and birds are peaceful. It appears the hermitage of the selfrealized great sage Agastya is not very far from here.

Here is the hermitage of Agastya, wellknown in the world for his deeds a place of rest for those tired with hard work.

This forest is enveloped with the smoke rising from the sacrificial altar. There are rows of bark robes hanging. Herds of quiet animals lying and different kind of birds chirping around.

This is his hermitage. On account of his (Agastya's) impact the demons look south but cannot eat the hermits out of fear (for the sage).

Since the time Agastya of sacred deeds occupied this direction the demons are quiet, leaving all enmity.

The southern side favourable to the people was famous by the name Agastya in the three worlds and stood unassailable to the demons.

This is the hermitage of the longlived Agastya who is renowned for his deeds and is served by humble people. The great mountain Vindhya that was growing incessantly and obstructing the path of the Sun stopped growing any more in obedience to Agastya's words.

This is the hermitage of the longlived Agastya who is renowned for his deeds and is served by humble people. The great mountain Vindhya that was growing incessantly and obstructing the path of the Sun stopped growing any more in obedience to Agastya's words.

We are going to join this sage honoured by the people of the world and ever engaged in the welfare of the virtuous. This augurs well for us.

O noble, handsome Lakshmana, I will spend the rest of the exile in this forest in the worship of the great sage Agastya.

The gods along with gandharvas, siddhas and great sages always serve Agastya, observing discipine in their food habits.

This sage is such type that he (his spiritual power) will not allow a liar or a cruel man or a deceitful or lustful or wicked person to thrive here.

Here gods, yakshas, nagas and birds live, following the righteous path and observing discipline in food habits.

Here great souls like sages and siddhas gave up the ghost and with renewed bodies left for heaven on aerochariot resembling the Sun (in brightness).

Worshipped by benevolent beings, the gods here bestow on them the status of demigods or of the immortals or several kinds of kingdoms.