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Lopaamudraa

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Lopaamudraa

Lopaamudraa is the name of the wife of Maharshi Agastya. She is known as Kaushitakee and Vara-pradaa also. Her name Lopaamudraa is explained as signifying that the animals suffered loss (Lop, means "losing" or disappearing) by her engrossing their distinctive beauties (Mudraa), as the eyes of the deer etc. Her name is mentioned in Lalitaa Sahastra Naamaavalee (Thousand Names of Lalitaa). She was the princess of Vidarbh Desh.

Birth and Marriage of Lopaamudraa
As the legend goes, sage Agastya created her from the most graceful parts of different animals and secretly introduced her into the palace of the King of Vidarbh Desh, where the child was believed to be the daughter of the King. He had created her with the aim to have her as his wife. The royal couple gave her the best possible education and brought her up amidst luxury. When she attained a marriageable age, Agastya Jee was under vows of celibacy and poverty, still he wanted to marry her. The King was loath to consent, but was obliged to yield. Lopaa also agreed to marry him, and left her palace for Agastya's hermitage.

Family Life of Lopaamudraa
After serving her husband faithfully for a long period, Lopaa grew tired of his austere practices. She wrote a hymn of two stanzas making an impassioned plea for his attention and love. Soon afterwards, the sage realized his duties towards his wife and performed both his domestic and ascetic life with equal zeal, reaching a wholeness of spiritual and physical powers. A son was born to them. He was named Dridhasyu, who later became a great poet.

Lopaamudraa Wished for Ornaments
A story comes in a Puraan, that once Lopaa remembered her royal childhood, fine silk clothes, jewelry etc. Although Lopaamudraa was a very good and obedient wife and live with Agastya Muni in the same style as of Muni, but once she remembered her silk Saaree and jewelry very much she used to wear in her father's palace. Her wish was very strong so she hesitatingly said to Muni - "I wish to wear jewelry and good clothes." Agastya Muni said - "I am a Rishi, where can I get them from?" Lopaamudraa said - "You are not an ordinary ascetic, if you wish you can even create whatever you want."

Agastya Jee was amused at the innocence of his wife, so he said in a soft voice, "What you say is true but performing Tap is not good to use for personal pleasures. This decreases the influence of the Tap. I will let you have the ornaments in a different way." He considered her request natural, as she was the daughter of a king, so he went to many kings to ask for ornaments. Many kings gave him many jewels considering themselves very fortunate that Agastya like Rishi came to them to ask for jewels. He went to three kings - Bradhnaashwa, Shrutarvaa and Trasdasyu. They gave many jewels to him and said - "Raakshas of Badaamee, Vaataapi and Ilval have many jewels, they are very rich, you may ask them too." So the sage came to Badaamee (in Karnaatak, Southern India). When he brought them home, and gave them to Lopaa, Lopaa's desire to wear them vanished. She fell on Muni's feet and asked for his forgiveness saying that she had lost her way. She was happy with him as she was living with him.

But Krishn, while telling about Agastya Muni to Yudhishthir, says to him that he took the help of Kuber to provide all kinds of prosperity to Lopaamdraa. see Bhavishya Puraan, 4/38.

Spirituality in Lopaamudraa
A hymn in the Rig Ved also is attributed to her. The Rig Ved (Royal Knowledge) has long conversations between the sage Agastya and Lopaamudraa that testifies to the great intelligence and goodness of the latter.
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It is believed that present Kaaveree is the incarnation of Lopaamudraa.

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 5/27/03
Contact: sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 03/24/13