Our Rishis are very powerful.
So powerful that even Gods go to them seeking help when they are in trouble.
One such Rishi was Agastya.
Do you know?
When he wanted to get married, he couldn't find a woman suitable for him in the entire world.
So he created a baby girl and made her take birth as the daughter of the king of Vidarbha.
When the girl grew up, Agastya went to the king and sought her as his bride.
You must be thinking Agastya must be an old man like how you see them in the serials and movies.
No rishis are not like that; they never age.
They are always young and brilliant.
And they never die.
Even after millions of years, they look young, brilliant, and handsome.
The princess was charmed by him.
She readily agreed to marry the rishi.
Her name was Lopamudra.
Soon after the marriage, she left the comforts of the palace and came to the ashrama of the rishi at Gangotri.
She started wearing simple clothes befitting the ashrama.
Over a period of time, she learned spiritual practices from the sage and became very powerful herself.
A son was born to them.
One day Agastya asked Lopamudra.
Are you satisfied here?
Do you wish for anything?
Lopamudra said: I wish we had more wealth so that we can do more charity, help people, feed hungry people.
We are householders, it is our duty to help others.
Agastya said: ok let me ask a king.
He went to a king's court.
The king respectfully welcomed him.
Agastya said: I need some wealth but there is one condition, give me only what you can spare, what you have in excess.
The king said: But I have only as much I need for the subjects of my kingdom.
My income and expenditure are always equal.
Oh, then I will not take from you.
Agastya then went to a second king: Give me wealth if you have any to spare.
That king also said the same thing; my income and expenditure are balanced.
Then he went to a third king there; also the same thing happened.
That king said: there is an evil asura called Ilvala.
He has a lot of wealth that he has amassed.
He doesn't help anyone.
He spends everything on himself, in enjoyments.
The sage went to ilvala.
Ilvala had a brother also called Vatapi.
They both were very wicked.
They had a plan to kill as many noble people as possible.
For this, they would invite them for food.
Vatapi would hide in the food.
And once the food is inside the stomach Ilvala would call out: Vatapi, come out.
Vatapi would burst open the stomach and come out.
In this manner, they had killed many many good people.
When Agastya approached Ilvala he said, of course, I have wealth to spare, but first have food.
Vatapi got into the food.
Ilvala called out: Vatapi come out, Vatapi come out.
Nothing happened.
The rishi had already digested him.
Ilvala accepted defeat and gave Agastya all the wealth that he had which Agastya put to good use.
There have been occasions when Agastya helped devas also.
They came to him for help.
You must be knowing about the Vindhya mountains.
Running through Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, the center of India from west to east.
Once Vindhya mountains told the Sun: I see you doing parikrama of the Meru-parvata every day.
You should pay respect to me as well.
Start doing parikrama around me also every day.
Suryadeva said: I don't do it intentionally.
That is the path set for my daily travel.
Vindhya got offended.
He started growing and decided to block the Sun's path.
Devas became worried.
If the path of the Sun is blocked, then the world will be doomed.
Half the earth will face scorching heat and the other half intense cold.
Everything will be destroyed.
They all went to Sage Agastya.
Agastya promised to help them.
Agastya along with Lopamudra and his son went towards Vindhya from the Himalayas and said: I want to cross over to the other side to South India, then I will return also, but you are constantly growing.
Vindhya had respect for Agastya and also was scared of him.
Vindhya said: I will stop growing till the time you go and come back.
Agastya and his family crossed over, came to south India, and settled there forever.
Vindhya keeping his promise was forced to remain as he was.
There was a very powerful asura called Vritrasura.
He was the leader of Kalakeyas.
Indradeva killed Vritrasura.
Kalakeyas went and hid under the ocean.
But from there they would come out in the night and harass people: loot, murder.
Devas always care about the welfare of the people.
They are our protectors.
They found out that the Kalakeyas were hiding under the ocean.
But it was very difficult to attack them there; the ocean bed is very vast.
They would swim about and hide.
Devas were not used to fighting underwater.
They went to Agastya.
The Sage said: I will drink up the ocean, make the ocean bed visible.
Then you will be able to spot them and destroy them.
The sage did exactly like that.
Devas could see the Kalakeyas and all of them were killed in no time.
This is the power of rishis who together with the Gods protect us from all dangers and troubles.