Epics in Imprints-1.pdf - Vivekananda Kendra Prakashan

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA
Page No133-134
Ilavala and Vatapi were brothers. They
relished human flesh. They used to kill
innocent saints methodically. The
assumed the guise of Brahmins who were
to perform religious ceremonies. They
would invite a saint to preside over the
ceremony. Vatapi would assume the shope
of a goat. Ilvala would cut him into pieces
and cook his flesh and dress it up into a
delicacy. The ignorant saint would eat that
as it was served to him in mock humility
and reverence. After the meal, Ilvala would
call ‘Vatapi” and ask him to come out.
Vatapi would tear the stomach of the
innocent saint and come out. Then the
two brothers ate the flesh of that man. In
this deceitful manner, they were
victimizing the human beings and eating
them.
One day great sage Agastya purposely
appeared in their way. They took him for
an easy victim. Ilvala in the disquise of a
Brahmin said to Agastya. “Holy Sir, today
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I have to perform my father’s ceremony. I
wish to entertain you as a guest on the
occasion. My ancestors will be blessed if
you accept our hospitality”. Agastya with
a smile agreed to go to his house. As was
usual with them goat meat was served to
the meal. After eating, he said touching
his stomach with his palm “Vatapi be
digested’. At once Vatapi lost power to
come back to life. He was digested. When
Ilvala called Vatapi, there was no response.
Ilvala tried to kill Agastya. But Agastya
did this non-violent murder. The sages
can burn with a look or subdue with a
sound any cruel evil-doer. They do so only
in case of extreme need to save the
innocent fellow beings. Normally they
encourage the Kshatriya princes to kill the
evil doers that molest them. The Kshatriya
princes pay due honour to these saints and
protect them from the onslaught of the
Rakshasas. Rama’s purpose in his sojourn
in the forest is to protect the sages by
killing the Rakshasas.