The name Agastya Muni is primarily linked to a story that has been narrated over the ages and which is known even to small children, and which is by way of an answer to the question, “why is the seawater salty?” Agastya Muni drank the waters of all the seas of the earth in one go and then expelled it out in order to maintain the balance of nature.
However, devotees in South Bhārat believe that Agastya Muni crossed the sea and travelled to various overseas countries such as Varhandweep (Borneo), Sumatra, Siam, Indonesia, Yavadweep (Java), etc. and here too, he attained a highly respectable position and brought about the development of the Bhāratiya culture. However, a study carried out with the help of Padma Purana and Mahabharata reveals that during the time of Agastya Muni, the seven demon kings, namely Kāladanshtra, Virochan, Tārak, Parāvasu, Sanhād, Kamalāksha and Pulomā, between them, held sway over the seven oceans (Saptasāgar). Each one of them lorded over an ocean. These demon kings and their gangs constantly sailed the oceans in big vessels and attacked the passenger boats. As a result, India’s maritime trade almost came to a halt.
Read More – The Grand History – 19
