Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c27.s1.3

c27.s1.3

Fable, which has been noticed in connexion with Vasiṣṭha Maitrāvaruṇa (chapter XVIII), gives ‘Agastya’ an origin with ‘Vasiṣṭha’ in making them both born in a water-jar, sons of the two gods Mitra and Varuṇa, ‘Agastya’ being thus ‘Vasiṣṭha’s’ younger brother.² Hence ‘Agastya’ had the patronymic Maitrāvaruṇi,³ and the names Kumbhayoni,⁴ Kumbhajanman⁵ and other synonyms.⁶ Maitrāvaruṇi really meant ‘son (or descendant) of Mitrāvaruṇa’, but was taken to mean ‘son of Mitra and Varuṇa’⁷ (as explained in chapter XVIII), and so the common patronymic of ‘Vasiṣṭha’ and ‘Agastya’ led to the fable that they were begotten together; and it is noteworthy that no reason is given why ‘Agastya’ was so born, such as is given for ‘Vasiṣṭha’.