Agastya Arghya

Agastya Arghya · agastya-arghya, “the offering of arghya to Agastya”

Agastya Arghya is the offering of arghya (water offered in honour, with flowers and other things) to Agastya Maharshi, kept when Sūrya draws near to Kanyā rāśi but has not yet entered it. The Agni Purāṇa (Chapter 206) gives the rite in full, told by Agni Deva to Vasishṭha Maharshi. “Agastya Maharshi is Bhagavān Vishṇu‘s own form,” Agni Deva says. “One who worships him reaches the presence of Śrī Mahāvishṇu.”

The keeper fasts for three and a third days. A mūrti of Agastya made of kāśa flowers is set on a kalaśa at dusk, Agastya is invoked with his wife Lopāmudrā, and the night is spent in vigil. At dawn the kalaśa is carried to the water, and arghya is given with prayers that praise Agastya as born of a pot, son of Mitra and Varuṇa, who ate the rākshasa Vātāpi and dried up the ocean. Arghya is offered to Lopāmudrā too. After the farewell the keeper gives up one grain, one fruit and one rasa for Agastya’s sake, feeds brāhmaṇas and gives the kumbha to a brāhmaṇa. Those who give arghya to Agastya for seven days gain all they desire: a woman gains saubhāgya (the good fortune of a wife) and sons, a maiden a husband, and a king a kingdom.

When it is kept

When Sūrya has not yet entered Kanyā rāśi but is close to it, the keeper fasts for three and a third days, worships Agastya and gives him arghya. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 206)

The first day: the mūrti and the vigil

  1. The vrata is begun when four hours of daylight remain.
  2. At pradosha (dusk), a mūrti of Agastya made of kāśa flowers is set up on a kalaśa, and the mūrti is worshipped.
  3. Agastya is invoked with these words: “O Agastya, best of munis! You are a heap of tejas (radiance), of great wisdom. Come together with your wife Lopāmudrā and accept the pūjā I offer.”
  4. Arghya is offered with gandha (fragrance), flowers, fruit, water and the like. Then, turning towards Agastya, the keeper worships him with candana (sandal paste) and the other upacāras (acts of service).
  5. The one who gives the arghya keeps jāgaraṇa (vigil) through the night.

(Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 206)

The second day: arghya at the water

At dawn the keeper takes the kalaśa with the mūrti of Agastya to a lake or other body of water, and gives arghya with these prayers:

  • “O you who shine like the kāśa flower! Born of Agni and Vāyu! Son of Mitra and Varuṇa! Born from a pot (Kumbhasambhava)! Agastya, I bow to you.”
  • “Agastya, who ate the rākshasas Ālāpi and Vātāpi, and who dried up the ocean, appear before me.”
  • “I pray to Agastya with mind, speech and body. I pray to Agastya in the hope of reaching the best worlds.”
  • With the candana: “Accept this candana, born outside Jambūdvīpa, dear to the devatās, the best of all trees.”
  • With the garland: “Agastya, accept this garland of flowers, which gives dharma, artha, kāma and moksha, increases saubhāgya, health and Lakshmī, and destroys pāpa.”
  • With the dhūpa (incense): “Accept this dhūpa and grant me steady bhakti. Give me the fruits I desire in this world and a good state in the next.”
  • With the arghya: “O lord of munis, worshipped by devas and asuras! You give the fruit of every desire. I give you arghya with cloth, grain, fruit and gold.”
  • With the fruit: “O great muni, I tell Agastya what is in my mind. I offer you fruit; accept it.”

Then arghya is given with the Vedic mantra āgastya evaṃ jagāma. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 206)

Arghya to Lopāmudrā

The keeper then offers arghya to Lopāmudrā: “O Lopāmudrā, keeper of the great vrata, daughter of a king, wife of a muni, queen among devīs, salutation to you. O glorious one, accept this arghya.” (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 206)

The offerings and the mantra for all

  • To Agastya is offered a vessel filled with the pañcaratna (the five gems), gold, silver and the seven grains, and arghya with curd and candana.
  • Women, śūdras and others offer the arghya with the paurāṇika mantra that begins kāśa-pushpa-pratīkāśa (“you who shine like the kāśa flower”).

(Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 206)

The farewell and the dāna

  1. Visarjana (the farewell): “O Agastya, best of munis, shining with a mass of tejas, you are the giver of varas. Accept the pūjā I have done and depart in peace.”
  2. After the farewell, for Agastya’s sake, the keeper gives up some one grain, one fruit and one rasa (taste).
  3. Then he feeds brāhmaṇas with pāyasa (milk-rice) mixed with ghee, laḍḍus and the like, and gives cows, cloth, gold and the like.
  4. Then he closes the mouth of the kumbha with a vessel of milk mixed with ghee, places gold in it, and gives it to a brāhmaṇa.

(Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 206)

The phala

All who give arghya to Agastya in this way for seven days gain all they desire. By it a woman gains saubhāgya and sons, a maiden gains a husband, and a king gains a kingdom. One who worships Agastya reaches the presence of Śrī Mahāvishṇu. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 206)

Sources

  • Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 206