SECTION –XCVII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva Continued)
"Lomasa continued, 'When Agastya thought
that girl to be competent for the duties of domesticity, he approached that
lord of earth-the ruler of Vidharbhas-and addressing him, said, 'I solicit
thee, O king, to bestow thy daughter Lopamudra on me.' Thus addressed by the
Muni, the king of the Vidharbhas swooned away. And though unwilling to give the
Muni his daughter, he dared not refuse. And that lord of earth then,
approaching his queen, said, 'This Rishi is endued with great energy. If angry,
he may consume me with the fire of his curse. O thou of sweet face, tell me what
is thy wish." Hearing these words of the king, she uttered not a word. And
beholding the king along with the queen afflicted with sorrow, Lopamudra
approached them in due time and said, O monarch, it behoveth thee not to grieve
on my account. Bestow me on Agastya, and, O father, save thyself, by giving me
away.' And at these words of his daughter, O monarch, the king gave away
Lopamudra unto the illustrious Agastya with due rites. And obtaining her as
wife, Agastya addressed Lopamudra, saying, 'Cast thou away these costly robes
and ornaments.' And at these words of her lord, that large-eyed damsel of
thighs tapering as the stem of the plantain tree cast away her handsome and
costly robes of fine texture. And casting them away she dressed herself in rags
and barks and deerskins, and became her husband's equal in vows and acts. And
proceeding then to Gangadwara that illustrious and best of Rishis began to
practise the severest penances along with his helpful wife. And Lopamudra
herself, well pleased, began to serve her lord from the deep respect that she
bore him. And the exalted Agastya also began to manifest great love for his
wife.
"After a considerable time, O king, the
illustrious Rishi one day beheld Lopamudra, blazing in ascetic splendour come
up after the bath in her season. And pleased with the girl, for her services,
her purity, and self control, as also with her grace and beauty, he summoned
her for marital intercourse. The girl, however, joining her hands, bashfully
but lovingly addressed the Rishi, saying, 'The husband, without doubt, weddeth
the wife for offspring. But it behoveth thee, O Rishi, to show that love to me
which I have for thee. And it behoveth thee, O regenerate one, to approach me
on a bed like to that which I had in the palace of my father. I also desire
that thou shouldst be decked in garlands of flowers and other ornaments, and
that I should approach thee adorned in those celestial ornaments that I like.
Otherwise, I cannot approach thee, dressed in these rags dyed in red. Nor, O
regenerate Rishi, it is sinful to wear ornaments (on such an occasion).'
Hearing these words of his wife, Agastya replied, 'O blessed girl, O thou of
slender waist, I have not wealth like what thy father hath, O Lopamudra!' She
answered saying, 'Thou who art endued with wealth of asceticism, art certainly
able to bring hither within a moment, by ascetic power, everything that exists
in the world of men.' Agastya said, 'It is even so as thou hast said. That,
however, would waste my ascetic merit. O bid me do that which may not loosen my
ascetic merit.' Lopamudra then said, 'O thou endued with wealth of asceticism,
my season will not last long, I do not desire, however, to approach thee
otherwise. Nor do I desire to diminish thy (ascetic) merit in any way. It
behoveth thee, however, to do as I desire, without injuring thy virtue.'
"'Agastya then said, 'O blessed girl, if
this be the resolve that thou hast settled in thy heart, I will go out in quest
of wealth. Meanwhile, stay thou here as it pleaseth thee.'"
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