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?"'"