इल्वल
Ilvala, a Daitya and the ruler of the city of Manimati, was a formidable figure in Hindu mythology. He was known for his cunning and ruthlessness, and his younger brother Vatapi was his trusted accomplice in his nefarious deeds. Ilvala’s hatred for Brahmanas was fueled by his own impure mind, which was rejected by the sage Agastya when he requested a boon to have a son equal to Indra, the chief of the celestials.
As a result of Agastya’s refusal, Ilvala became a sworn enemy of all Brahmanas, and his brother Vatapi would transform into a ram to be cooked and fed to unsuspecting guests. Once the guest had eaten his fill, Ilvala would cry out, “Vatapi come out!”, and his brother would emerge alive from the belly of the guest, killing the Brahmana in the process. This gruesome method of killing Brahmanas was a hallmark of Ilvala’s cruelty and a testament to his brother’s supernatural powers.
Meanwhile, the sage Agastya had married Lopamudra, the princess of Vidarbha, and was seeking to acquire wealth to adorn her with royal ornaments. However, all the kings he encountered were impoverished, as they had taxed their subjects so heavily that their income and expenditure were in balance. Hearing that Ilvala possessed great wealth, Agastya decided to visit the city of Manimati.
As was his custom, Ilvala fed the cooked meat of his brother Vatapi to Agastya, but the sage’s ascetic powers allowed him to digest the Asura. When Ilvala cried out, “Vatapi come out!”, Agastya smiled and said, “Vatapi has been digested.” This clever response left Ilvala stunned and chastened, and he offered to give wealth to the Rishi if he could correctly guess the form of the gift.
Agastya, with his sharp intellect and wisdom, correctly guessed that the gift was to be twenty thousand kine, as many gold coins, a chariot of gold, and a pair of horses as swift as thought. Ilvala, impressed by Agastya’s intelligence and cunning, gave the gifts and made peace with the sage.
Some closely related entities in Hindu mythology include:
- Vatapi: Ilvala’s younger brother, who could transform into a ram and was a key player in his brother’s cruel deeds.
- Agastya: The sage who rejected Ilvala’s request for a boon and later outwitted him by digesting his brother Vatapi.
- Lopamudra: The princess of Vidarbha, who was married to Agastya and was the object of his desire to acquire wealth.
- Vidarbha: The kingdom ruled by Lopamudra’s father, where Agastya sought to acquire wealth.
- Indra: The chief of the celestials, who was the object of Ilvala’s desire for a son equal to him.
- Manimati: The city ruled by Ilvala, where Agastya visited and outwitted the Daitya.
- Daityas: A group of powerful Asuras who were the enemies of the gods and the Brahmanas.
- Asuras: A group of powerful beings who were often at odds with the gods and the Brahmanas.