Agastya Vrat
(Chap 118) Yudhishthir said - "Now you tell me about Agastya Muni and the time of Agastya rising." Krishn said - "Once both Mitra and Varun were doing Tapasyaa on Mandaraachal Parvat. Indra sent Urvashee Apsaraa to interfere in their Tap. They got shaken seeing her. They knew the impurity of their hearts, so they kept their Tej (grace) in a pitcher. Because of Nimi's Shaap first Vashishth appeared then Agastya appeared from the same pitcher. Agastya was married to Lopaamudraa. He went on Malaya Parvat and started doing Tapasyaa there. He did it for long time. In the meantime two Daitya, Ilval and Vaataapi, came there who were destroying Yagya etc. They were a great Maayaavee. Vaataapi used to turn himself into food, and Ilval invited Braahman for eating. After Braahman had eaten food, Ilval called his brother by his name, and Vaataapi used to come out of their stomach bursting it out. Thus both killed many Braahman.

One day Ilval invited Agastya Muni and played the same trick with him. When Muni had eaten all food, Ilval then called his brother but he didn't come out. Agastya Muni said - "I have eaten him and he is finished in my stomach, so from where he will come now?" Hearing this Ilaval ran to eat Agastya Muni, but he burned him only by his look. Seeing this other Daitya hid in the sea. Now they used to come out in the night and troubled Muni at that time only. So Brahmaa, Vishnu, Shiv, Indra came to Agastya Muni and requested him to dry the sea so that they could see Daitya. Agastya Muni dried up the sea and Devtaa killed all the Daitya. After that the sea was filled again with Gangaa water.

After this Devtaa and Daitya churned the sea taking Mandaraachal Parvat as churning rod, and Vaasuki Naag as churning rope. Many good things came out of that sea - Chandramaa, Lakshmee, Amrit, Kaustubh Mani, Airaavat elephant etc. Kaalkoot poison also came out of that sea. Bhagavaan Shiv drank some of that poison, that is why he is called as Neelkanth. Brahaa Jee said - "There is nobody else who can drink this poison, so Hey Devtaa, You go to south, near Lankaa, where Agastya Muni is living." All Devtaa went to him and Muni assured them that he will keep that poison inside Himaalaya Parvat, so he did that, and the remaining poison was distributed in the form of Dhatoora and Ark etc trees. That is why, because of that poison, people get sick there. The effect of this poisonous air remains from Vrish (Taurus) Sankraanti to Sinh (Leo) Sankraanti. After that its intensity becomes calm.

In the beginning people were increasing like anything. At that time Brahmaa Jee produced Mrityu (Death) and he destroyed people in large number. One day that Death came to Agastya Muni also, Agastya Muni burned Death immediately, Then Brahmaa Jee had to produce another Mrityu in disease form.

There lived a Shwet named king in Dandak Aranya. Even after death he was hungry and was satisfying himself by eating his own body. One day he said to Agastya muni - "I donated everything, but I could not donate grains and water, that is why I have to eat my own flesh daily, please, do something for me." Then Agastya Muni did his Shraaddh through Mani (gems). As a result of that he assumed Divine body and went to Swarg Lok.

Once Vindhyaachal Parvat thought, "Soorya Dev revolves around Mandar Parvat but not me, so why not I should stand in his way." Decided like this, he started increasing everyday. Devtaa got worried seeing this. They went to Agastya Muni and requested him to stop his speed and make him stable. Agastya Jee went to Vinhyaachal and said - "Hey Parvat Raaj, I am going for pilgrimage, if you bend a little then I can go across." By the order of Muni Vinhyaachal lowered himself. Muni crossed the Parvat and said to him - "You be like this till I come back." And he went to south and never returned till today. Even today he is shining in south.

Once, on his wife Lopaamudraa's request, he called Kuber and made all kinds of prosperity, beds, beautiful palace, clothes and jewelry etc available to her and Agastya Jee enjoyed it for long time with his wife. Mahaaraaj, You also offer Arghya to him, you will get lots of Punya.

When Soorya's 7 Ansh remain (5 | 22) in Kanyaa Raashi (Virgo Sign), on the same day Agastya rises in the East. One should offer Arghya at the same time. Vratee should take bath with white sesame seed water, put on white clothes, white flower garland, and establish a golden Kalash (pitcher) with five Ratn (gems) in it. Put various kinds of food items, seven grains and a Ghee pot. Then establish a golden idol of Agastya Muni carrying a Kamandal along with his disciples. Then worship them with white sandal paste, white jasmine flowers etc an offer Arghya. One should keep dates, coconut, cucumber, lime, eggplant, Doorvaa sprouts, blue lotus in a bamboo pot, offer Arghya with a golden, silver or copper pot by putting one's knees on the ground and raising one's hand up to the level of his head with these Mantra ( the Mantra is given on p 511). Then he should donate that idol to a good Braahman.

One should abandon one fruit or grain for one year. If a Braahman offer Arghya for one year, he becomes the knower of Ved  and all Shaastra. A Kshatriya becomes a king winning the whole Prithvi, a Vaishya gets prosperous and a Shoodra attains wealth, honor an health. Women get Saubhaagya, prosperity and son. A maiden gets a good husband an a patient gets free from his disease.

* Note - This Vrat is found in Matsya Puraan, Chap 61 also. Lots of material may be found in Rig Ved 1 | 171 | 6, Agni Puraan, Garud puran, Brihad-Dharm Puraan etc Puraan also.

Arghya Method to Chandra, Shukra, and Brihaspati
(Chap 119-120) Krishn Jee said - "Now I tell you the method of offering Arghya to rising Moon. Every month, on the 2nd of Shukla Paksh, at the time of Pradosh Kaal, make a Mandal from cow dung, establish an idol of Chandramaa and Rohinee and worship them with white sandal paste, white flowers, rice, Dhoop, lamp, various fruits, Naivedya, yogurt, white cloth etc and offer Arghya to Chandramaa with this Mantra (given on p 511). Who offers Arghya to Chandramaa with this method, he gets son, health, prosperity, wealth, animals, enjoys pleasures for 100 years, then goes to Chandra Lok, then attains Moksh.

To eliminate Shukra Dosh, in the beginning of traveling, in the middle of traveling, and at the time of rising Shukra (Venus) star, one must worship Shukra Dev. One should make an idol of silver with pearl and keep it in a golden, silver or copper pot on rice, adorn it with white flower, white cloth, worship it with this Mantra (the Mantra is given on p 512) and offer Arghya to the star and do its Visarjan after bowing to it. Give that idol to Braahman along with a cow with calf. This fulfills all desires and the yield is good.

In the same way, establish a golden idol of Brihaspati in a golden or silver or copper pot. Bathe it, adorn it with yellow clothes and worship it, and offer Arghya to it. Then do Havan with Ghee and donate that idol to Braahman with cow with calf and Dakshinaa. Whoever worships him at the time of traveling, on Brihaspati's Sankraanti (when Jupiter enters in another sign), and when he rises, his all desires are fulfilled.