A. Royden D'souza

Agastya begins not as a “character” but as a ṛṣi in the Veda, a poet-seer of Ṛgveda Maṇḍala. His origin myth is cosmic: Mitra and Varuṇa, gods of vow, law, oaths, behold the celestial Apsarā Urvaśī. A moment of desire flickers. Their semen spills.

Indra had come in the guise of Gautama. Ahalya had been clever enough to seek certainty, but not clever enough to turn away when the certainty she sought was not pure certainty, but desire and flattery wearing the form of trust.

As a prince, Viśvāmitra was trained in all the royal sciences — archery, the Vedas, governance, statecraft, and the arts of war. He became a protector of his people, a conqueror of lands, and a patron of the learned.

From birth, Saudāsa was strong, noble, and fair-minded. Yet destiny had already written upon him a mark — a dark spot on his leg, resembling a burn or stain. Because of this, the people began calling him Kalmāṣapāda, “the one with the spotted foot.”