Vaisampayana said, “After this the royal son of Kunti who was ever
distinguished for his profuse gifts unto Brahmanas, proceeded to the
asylum of Agastya and took up his abode in Durjaya. It was here that that
foremost of speakers, king Yudhishthira asked Lomasa as to why Agastya
had slain Vatapi there. And the king also enquired after the extent of
that man-destroying Daitya’s prowess, and the reason also of the
illustrious Agastya’s wrath being excited against that Asura.
“Thus questioned, Lomasa said, ‘O son of Kuru race, there was in the city
called Manimati, in days of yore, a Daitya named Ilwala, whose younger
brother was Vatapi. One day that son of Diti addressed the Brahmana
endued with ascetic merit, saying, ‘O holy one, grant me a son equal unto
Indra.’ The Brahmana, however, did not grant the Asura a son like Indra.
And at this, the Asura was inflamed with wrath against the Brahmana. And
from that day, O king, the Asura Ilwala became a destroyer of Brahmanas.
And endued with power of illusion the angry Asura transformed his brother
into a ram. And Vatapi also capable of assuming any form at will, would
immediately assume the shape of a ram. And the flesh of that ram, after
being properly dressed, was offered to Brahmanas as food. And after they
had eaten of it, they were slain. For whomsoever Ilwala summoned with his
voice, he would come back to Ilwala even if he had gone to the abode of
Yama, in re-embodied form endued with life, and show himself to Ilwala.
And so having transformed the Asura Vatapi into a ram and properly cooked
his flesh and feeding Brahmanas therewith, he would summon Vatapi. And
the mighty Asura Vatapi, that foe of Brahmanas, endued with great
strength and power of illusion, hearing, O king, those sounds uttered
with a loud voice by Ilwala, and ripping open the flanks of the Brahmana
would come laughingly out, O lord of earth! And it was thus, O monarch,
that the wicked-hearted Daitya Ilwala, having fed Brahmanas, frequently
took away their lives.
“Meanwhile, the illustrious Agastya beheld his deceased ancestors hanging
in a pit with heads downwards. And he asked those personages thus
suspended in that hole, saying, ‘What is the matter with you? Thus
questioned those utterers of Brahma replied, ‘It is even for offspring.’
And they also told him, ‘We are your ancestors. It is even for offspring
that we stay suspended in this pit. If O Agastya, thou canst beget us a
good son, we may then be saved from this hell and thou also wilt obtain
thy blessed state of those having offspring.’ Endued with great energy
and observant of truth and morality Agastya replied, saying, ‘Ye Pitris,
I will accomplish your desire. Let this anxiety of yours be dispelled.’
And the illustrious Rishi then began to think of perpetuating his race.
But he saw not a wife worthy of him on whom he himself could take his
birth in the form of a son. The Rishi accordingly, taking those parts
that were regarded as highly beautiful, from creatures possessing them,
created therewith an excellent woman. And the Muni, endued with great
ascetic merit, thereupon gave that girl created for himself to the king
of the Vidharbhas who was then undergoing ascetic penances for obtaining
offspring. And that blessed girl of sweet face (thus disposed of) then
took her birth (in Vidarbha’s royal line) and, beautiful as the effulgent
lightning, her limbs began to grow day by day. And as soon as that lord
of earth--the ruler of the Vidarbhas--saw her ushered into life, he
joyfully communicated the intelligence, O Bharata, unto the Brahmanas.
And the Brahmanas thereupon, O lord of earth, blessed the girl and they
bestowed upon her the name Lopamudra. And possessed of great beauty, she
began, O monarch, to grow quickly like unto a lotus in the midst of water
or the effulgent flame of a fire. And when the girl grew and attained to
puberty, a hundred virgins decked in ornaments and a hundred maids waited
in obedience upon her blessed self. And surrounded by those hundred maids
and virgins, she shone in their midst, endued as she was with bright
effulgence, like Rohini in the firmament amid an inferior multitude of
stars. And possessed as she was of good behaviour and excellent manners,
none dared ask for her hand even when she attained to puberty, through
fear of her father, the king of the Vidharbhas. And Lopamudra, devoted to
truth, surpassing the Apsaras even in beauty, gratified her father and
relatives by means of her conduct. And her father, beholding his
daughter-the princess of Vidharbha-attain to puberty, began to reflect in
his mind, saying, ‘To whom should I give this daughter of mine?’”