AGATHIYAR & SANKARA

Agathiyar together with Upamanyu, Dadhichi and Gautama arrived at the young Sankara's humble dwelling one fine day. Sankara and his mother were honored to receive the four great sages. Sankara's mother was overjoyed that they could see the sages in this age of Kali. She asked to know what was in store for her child and why he was extraordinarily gifted with proficiency in the vedic studies and carried all the great qualities at such a very young age.

Agathiyar, as desired by the other rishis, replied. Sankara's father had performed austerities to propitiate Lord Siva for a son in the past. At the end of the austerities, as a boon, when given a choice of a long-lived but worthless son or a short-lived son but with much greatness, he chose the later. Hence Lord Siva himself took birth as Sankara. Sankara's mother now wanted to know how long her son will live. Agathiyar replies that though her son was destined to live only sixteen years, but it was decided to extend by another sixteen years. As the most compassionate Agathiyar began to reveal Sankara's future, the other rishis fearing that Agathiyar will disclose too much, got up to depart. Hence Agathiyar stopped at that, and the rishis left Sankara's dwelling.

There were three factors that prompted Sankara to leave his home and become a wandering ascetic, writes Madhava-vidyaranya in his book Sankara-Dig-Vijaya. First was the revelation by Agathiyar reminding Sankara of his mission; second Sankara gaining permission from Sri Krishna and his mother; and above all his intense yearning for renunciation.

Siddha Heartbeat had carried earlier a post on how Agathiyar came to the aid of Sri Rama at http://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.my/2014/07/a-beautiful-masterpiece-depicting-sri.html

During the Treta Yuga, when Sri Rama was wondering as a hermit, many Rishis yearned for Sri Rama to grace their ashrams. As these Rishis were engaged in severe austerities or tapas, they could not leave their dwellings to meet Sri Rama. Sri Rama on his part could not visit every single ashram of these Rishis. Sri Rama could only meet Agathiyar, Bharatvajar, and Sabari. Sri Rama too had to move on to Kishkinta, Sundara and Yutta Kaandams. Hence he could not grace the ashrams of hundreds of Rishis. These wishes of the Rishis became Vasanas and got attached to Sri Rama. Hence Sri Rama had to exhaust these Vasanas by granting their wishes in his next incarnation as Sri Krishna.

Although during the Yutta Kaandam, Agathiyar managed to bring along some Rishis with him to have the Darshan of Sri Rama and to serve him, but there were many more yearning for his Darshan but could not make it as they were engaged in austerities at Thandakaranyam. They were disappointed. 

Agathiyar asked Sri Rama how he was going to satisfy their wishes. "Could you satisfy their wishes before this incarnation is over?", he asked. Sri Rama agreed that he could not do so before his time was up. Sri Rama was saddened that he was the cause of disappointment to these Rishis. Sri Rama realized that he could not meet them and sought advise from Agathiyar.

Agathiyar reveals to Sri Rama, "In your next incarnation as Sri Krishna in Dwabara Yuga, these Rishis who had cherished to have your Darshan and serve you, will take rebirth as Gopikas and through play and devotion and service to you, attain bliss and fulfillment."

"This is the secret (mystery) behind incarnations and rebirth", reveals Agathiyar. Whatever unfulfilled desires of the Rishis during the reign of Sri Rama's Avatharam, gains fulfillment during his next incarnation as Sri Krishna.