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Sri Agasthiyar (also transliterated as Agathiar, Agasthiar,
Agastyar, Agasti, Agastiar) is a legendary Vedic Rishi (sage).
It is believed that sage Agasthiyar was instrumental in
spreading the Vedic religion in southern India. Agastya is also
recognized as one of Seven Great Sages (Saptarishis). Sage
Agasthiyar has also contributed immensely to the four Vedas.
These mantras were revealed to Sage Agasthiyar by the Brahman
(Supreme Being) itself.
Agasthiyar is also the leader of all Siddhas. He is also called
Kurumuni, meaning short (kuru) saint (muni). His contributions
are manily in the fields of Medicine (Siddha) and Astrology -
especially Nadi Jodhidam (Jos(i)yam or Jothisyam). He is said to
have lived for over 5000 years, and that one of his medicinal
preparations, Boopathi Kuligai, is so powerful that it can even
bring the dead back to life. Two of his students and disciples
were Therayar and Tholkappiar. He is also considered to be the
guru of many other Siddhars.
The Lalitha sahasranama, which describes the 1000 names of the
mother Goddess (Known commonly as Gowri, Parvati or Durga), was
first revealed to the world when Hayagriva, an Avatar of Vishnu,
taught the same to Agasthiyar. Agasthiyar is said to have
composed the Aditya Hridayam, a hymn on Sun God (Surya), and
taught the same to Rama just before the war between Rama and
Ravana.
‘Agathiyar Muni is considered to be the embodiment of one of the
nine celestial intellectuals who came to this earth for
enlightening human beings.’
‘Siddhars are those who have attained perfection in yogic
practices to ultimately reach the stage of immortality. Through
higher-level yogic practices they attain a state of ultra
luminosity that results in invisibility; thus they remain
impervious to ordinary vision. Such siddhars work incessantly
for the propagation of knowledge and the evolution of souls.’
Dr Mandayam Kumar says, it was possible to find out details
about sage Agathiyar during the course of literary research on
the Siddha medical sciences in a Tamil manuscript written on
palm leaves about 3,000 years ago. The text is titled ‘Prapancha
Kaandam’ and runs into several volumes mentions by the Dr.
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It is attributed to Lord Muruga. It was narrated by sage
Agathiyar while recorded by sage Pulasthiya. The original Tamil
manuscript is in the care of Pandit S. Jayanari of Vellore says
the Dr. The Dr provides information extracted from this work.
‘The Prapancha Kaandam commences with explanations about the
origin of the earth and the entire solar system. The earth is
believed to be a fragment of the sun blown into space as a big
ball of fire billions of years ago. This big fire globe, after
spinning round and round at a very high speed for innumerable
length of time, began to cool on its surface’.
During the course of its voyage from the sun through different
gaseous spheres of highly energetic particles the earth being
attracted and repelled by different planets of the solar system,
acquired the energetic potencies of all the planets.
Later it gained a constant movement rotating on its own axis
having its path around the sun. It is stated that the earth took
its origin 200 billion years ago.’ The Dr states that the world
was not habitable having only land and water for half this
period of time.
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‘Gradually vegetation began to appear as the earliest form of
life on earth. Subsequently aquatic living creatures followed by
insects, reptiles, birds and animals came upon; with the last
being humans.
Each species had its own genetic origin and human beings are
considered the sixth in the order of original creation. It is
stated that planet earth is the only place for the survival and
existence of life in the entire solar system. As life began to
exist time began to be counted.
The entire period was divided into yugas. The present Kali Yuga
is stated to have started from 3100 BC and may correspond to
14th March 3100 BC.’
The Dr. Mandayam Kumar reveals for the first time the parental heritage of the sage. Sage Agathiyar was said to have been born about 4573 years prior to the commencement of Kali Yuga at a place in Gujarat, in the early hours of Tuesday, 14th of February 7673 BC.
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Belonging to the early Aryan race, his father Bhargava was well
learned while his mother Indumathi was from Punjab. They were
both devotees of the Pasupatha order of the sage Rishabha
Muni.
Agathiyar then had his early education in Gujarat. As his thirst
for knowledge in particular on philosophy, yoga, medicine, and
astronomy was immense he traveled all over Kashmir, Tibet,
China, Nepal and Kailas in Manchuria. Mount Kailas was deemed to
be in Manchuria those days.
He became a disciple of sage Nandi and Dhanvantri. He then
traveled towards the south to Cambodia and Malaya. In Cambodia
he established the very first of his many educational
institutions for the propagation of philosophy and science.
After establishing a similar institution and hospital in Malaya
he crossed the sea to the continent of Kumari Kandam. During
Agathiyar’s time Kumari Kandam occupied a vast area extending
from the present day Sri Lanka to the Antarctic. This continent
was ruled by Ravana, a great devotee of Lord Siva. King Ravana
gave away a portion of his kingdom to Agathiyar to establish
more institutions.
The foremost of these institutions in this region was known as
Arunodaya Giri or Meozone. Here Agathiyar practiced yoga and
taught it to his large following of disciples. He then went back
north to Malaya where he was betrothed to the king’s daughter.
He then ruled the kingdom of Vijayapuri.
Agathiyar returned to Kumari Kandam where he met Lord Murugan in
the form of sage Kandan or Supramaniar at Trikona Malai, present
day Trincomali. At the hill station called Kadari Kama or
Kadhirgama, Lord Murugan imparted spiritual knowledge to
Agathiyar.
In his meditation he could see into the future; see impending
calamities. As a result he moved to the North Pole considering
it to be a save place. This period of his move to the Arctic was
said to coincide with the end of the Dwapara Yuga placed at
about 6580 BC.
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Just as he had seen of an impending calamity and had decided to
move north, a tremendous explosion in the planet Mars sents a
piece of debris towards earth. This impact caused a great deluge
on the earth. Significant portions of Kumari Kandam submerged
into the Indian Ocean. Continental drift resulted in the present
day arrangement of this region.
On returning to Mancuria after the great flood Kailas was no
more but instead the Himalayan mountain range had emerged in
North India. Amidst all this geographical changes says the Dr,
sage Agathiyar went seeking for a place that would not be
affected by future calamities.
He located a mountain range in South India. This is the present
day Courtalam. This spot is said to be the safest place and free
from any future catastrophes. Here Agathiyar met Lord Siva and
Uma in the form of Dhashina Murthi and Shenbaga Devi. This spot
where the meeting took place between Dhashina Murthi, Shenbaga
Devi, Lord Murugan and Agathiyar was Mahadeva Giri. This meeting
also signified the commencement of Kali Yuga.
Other sages then stated coming to Mahadeva Giri. Lord Dhashina
Murthi revived the knowledge of the Vedas and instructed these
sages to propagate this knowledge at the appropriate manner and
time for the benefit of humanity. This imparting of this
knowledge was said to have taken place on the 21st day of the
Tamil month of Kartigai, during the eleventh year , Eswara
Samvatsara, of Kali Yuga. Agathiyar gave much importance to this
day. All his dating was reckoned from this day.
The sages recorded their knowledge on palm leaves after
extensive discussions held in Alagan Kulam and presented them to
Dhashina Murthi for his perusal. This included the 64 kinds of
learning, 18 Puranas, 96 Tatvas, and 48 branches of scientific
knowledge. The entire literature in Tamil came to be called
Sidha Veda. It was then translated into the four existing
languages of that period vis Sanskrit, Greek, Hebrew and
Chinese.
Sage Agathiyar on the instruction of Lord Murugan originated the
Tamil language. Sage Bhogar from China, Thaeraiyar from Malaya,
Yugimuni from Kerala, Pulipani from Kantha Malai, Pulathiyan and
Kapiyan too served Agathiyar. A conference of sidhas called
Sidhar Sabai was held during the 53rd year, Sidharti Samvatsara,
of Kali Yuga at Courtalam.
An institution known as Sidhar Gnana Koodam was inaugurated by
Lord Murugan and was headed by Agathiyar. Pulathiyan and Kapiyan
headed the literary section while Pulipani in research.
Thaeraiyar who was into surgery headed a medical research centre
established at Thorana Malai. Yugimuni who was into herbal
medicines headed an Ayurvedic hospital at Paradesi Kundai. Sage
Bhogar who was in charge of all scientific researches
established an alchemy research centre at Thiruparankundram.
Pambatti Sidhar was heading a team researching venom at
Marudamalai.
After having established these institutions Agathiyar again
started on an extensive mission of propagating the wealth of
knowledge gained by these sidhars in Tibet, Manchuria, Egypt,
Palestine, Rome, America, Africa, Malaya and Arab world.
After satisfactorily completing their mission of propagating the
said teachings the sages went into 'Samadhi' merging themselves
into the cosmos. Kandan went into Samadhi in Thorana Malai,
Bhogar in Palani, Thaeraiyar, Pulipanai and Yugimuni in Kantha
Malai, and Agathiyar himself choosed to come back to Courtalam.
He chosed a spot called Dhashina Meru in the Pothigai Hills.
This spot is also the abode of Lord Siva as Dhashina Murthi.