one, I have been much gratified with thy conduct.  Listen thou unto me as regards the proposal I make in respect of thy offspring.  Wouldst thou have a thousand sons, or a century of sons each equal to ten, or ten sons equal each to an hundred, or only one son who may vanquish a thousand?” Lopamudra answered, “Let me have one son equal unto a thousand, O thou endued with wealth of asceticism!  One good and learned son is preferable to many evil ones."’

“Lomasa continued, ’Saying, “So be it,” that pious Muni thereupon knew his devout wife of equal behaviour.  And after she had conceived, he retired into the forest.  And after the Muni had gone away, the foetus began to grow for seven years.  And after the seventh year had expired, there came out of the womb, the highly learned Dridhasyu, blazing, O Bharata, in his own splendour.  And the great Brahmana and illustrious ascetic, endued with mighty energy, took his birth as the Rishi’s son, coming out of the womb, as if repeating the Vedas with the Upanishads and the Angas.  Endued with great energy while yet a child, he used to carry loads of sacrificial fuel into the asylum of his father, and was thence called Idhmavaha (carrier of sacrificial wood).  And the Muni, beholding his son possessed of such virtues, became highly glad.

“’And it was thus, O Bharata, that Agastya begat an excellent son in consequence of which his ancestors, O king, obtained the regions they desired.  And it is from that time that this spot hath become known on the earth as the asylum of Agastya.  Indeed, O king, this is the asylum graced with numerous beauties, of that Agastya who had slain Vatapi of Prahlada’s race.  The sacred Bhagirathi, adored by gods and Gandharvas gently runneth by, like a breeze-shaken pennon in the welkin.  Yonder also she floweth over craggy crests descending lower and lower, and looketh like an affrighted she-snake lying along the hilly slopes.  Issuing out of the matted locks of Mahadeva, she passes along, flooding the southern country and benefiting it like a mother, and ultimately mingleth with the ocean as if she were his favourite bride.  Bathe ye as ye like in this sacred river, ye son of Pandu!  And behold there, O Yudhishthira, the tirtha of Bhrigu that is celebrated over the three worlds and adored, O king, by great Rishis.  Bathing here, Rama (of Bhrigu’s race) regained his might, which had been taken away from him (by Dasaratha’s son).  Bathing here, O son of Pandu, with thy brothers and Krishna, thou wilt certainly regain that energy of thine that hath been taken away by Duryodhana, even as Rama regained his that had been taken away by Dasaratha’s son in hostile encounter.’”

Vaisampayana continued, “At these words of Lomasa, Yudhishthira bathed there with his brothers and Krishna, and offered oblations of water, O Bharata, to the gods and the Pitris.  And, O bull among men, after Yudhishthira had bathed in that tirtha, his body blazed forth in brighter effulgence, and he became invisible in respect of all foes.  The son of Pandu then, O king, asked Lomasa, saying, ’O illustrious one, why had Rama’s energy and might been taken away?  And how also did he regain it?  O exalted one, I ask thee, tell me everything.’