Famous sages and saints like Vasishta, Vamadeva, Kasyapa,
Gautama and Narada took leave of Sri Rama and went to visit sage
Agasthya! They requested Sri Rama to accompany them. Accepting their request,
he went on the famous Puspaka Vimana to the famous tapovana of sage Agasthya.
He received the sages and Sri Rama with proper honor and
hospitality. Sage Agasthya prevailed upon Sri Rama to stay for the night at his
ashram and leave for Ayodhya early the next morning. He praised Sri Rama as the
avatar of Sriman Narayana, the most ancient and the ruler of all creatures in
the world! So saying, the sage presented a wonderful ornament of dazzling
brilliance made by Viswakarma!The sage requested Sri Rama to accept the gift.
He wanted to give away the gift according to the rules laid down by the
sasthras.
Sri Rama
hesitated to receive the gift because a Brahmin alone is expected to accept a
gift from another Brahmin! He being a Kshatriya should not accept gifts from
Brahmins. But the sage convinced Sri Rama and gave away the ornament.
Astonished at the wonderful ornament, Sri Rama wanted to know who gave him and
how the sage got the incomparable ornament.
Sage Agasthya recounted his incredible
experience and how he came to have this scintillating ornament. On an occasion
he went to a forest so dense that no bird could enter. It was full of green
trees and of many varieties. Nearby there was a very ancient lake and by its
side an astonishing ashram. But, surprisingly, there was none in the ashram!
The next morning sage Agasthya went to the lake and to his utter horror saw a
corpse on the waters! It was robust and healthy. As he wondered whose body it was, a beautiful Vimana arrived
and a divine person got down from it! He directly entered the lake and ate the
flesh of the dead body floating on the waters to his entire satisfaction!
Shocked at this strange sight, Sage Agasthya questioned the stranger why he was
eating the flesh of the corpse. Though he appeared to be an immortal, his
action belied it!
The
handsome Divine being said that he was the son of Sudeva, the famous king of
Vidharbha. His name was SWETHA the son of the king’s first wife. Suratha was
the son of the king’s second wife! After his father’s demise, Swetha was
crowned as king and he ruled the country righteously for a thousand years.
Knowing the extent of his life span, Swetha
crowned his brother Suratha,
went into the forest and performed tapas for three thousand years! Thus
he attained Brahmaloka but could not get rid of his thirst and hunger! He
complained to Lord Brahma why hunger and thirst did not leave him though he is
in Brahma loka. He wanted Lord Brahma to show him something to eat! Lord Brahma
asked him to eat the tasty flesh of his own body! He said that SWETHA had not
sowed a single seed in the forest but maintained his robust body! He did not
feed any sage or someone who came to him with hunger! Because of this SWETHA
had to suffer from hunger and thirst though in heaven! Lord Brahma
directed SWETHA to feed upon his own fat and robust body to satisfy
himself! At length, Lord Brahma said that when the Sage Agasthya comes to the
forest where Swetha performed penance, he will be free from all his
difficulties!
SWETHA told sage Agasthya that he was eating his own flesh for many years!
The body has not diminished nor was he satisfied! He prayed that the sage
should save him from this ordeal! Swetha offered this radiant and dazzling
ornament to the sage with a request to release him from the bondage! Sage Agasthya
told Sri Rama that he sympathized with the strange lot of Swetha and accepted
the ornament! The moment he received the ornament, SWETHA’s original mortal
body vanished and he left for heaven!
Sage Agasthya, thus described to Sri Rama the manner in which he obtained the
ornament and by whom!!
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