DEVOTION OF AGASTHYA :SPOKEN FROM THE HEART 

 Author Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh  – The Warrior Monk

 Indian Martial Arts Guru | Spiritual Visionary | Founder, Agasthyam Foundation | Author & Filmmaker

This was my 30 th journey to Agasthyakoodam.Agasthya peak in kerala Each time, it begins not with a plan, but with a call.A silent invitation from the mountain, like a mother calling her child home.I don’t know when the journey starts maybe the moment the mountain appears in my heart.

Another Agasthyayanam has been completed.A fifteen-member team from Agasthyam Kalari joined me this time.From Bonacaud Forest Station, the 26 km trail meanders through rivers KaramanVazhapindi, Attayar and wide-open grasslands, where the sky feels close enough to touch.The first night, we halt at Athirumala basecamp.The second day is tougher steeper climbs, rock faces, bamboo forests until we rise above the clouds.

And then it appears… Agasthya Darshanam.The great peak. The ancient silence. The history of aeons embedded in stone 1868 meters above sea level, nestled in the Western Ghats .This sacred mountain, named after Sage Agasthya, was declared a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 2016.But to me, it has always been a living shrine.One visit is enough to feel its pulse its healing breath, its sacred presence.

Agasthyakoodam gives birth to rivers—Karamanayar, Neyyar, and Thamarabharani.

It houses rare orchids like Paphiopedilum druryi and over 2000 medicinal herbs. More than 300 bird species sing in its skies. It is home to tigers, leopards, elephants, and the ancient Kanikkar tribe guardians of the forest. Even the British once built an observatory here, drawn by the untouched clarity of its night sky.

But who is Agasthya?

He is not just a sage. He is the fire within stillness, the balance of the cosmos. In Vedas, Puranas, and Upanishads, Agasthya stands like a pillar of light. Born of divine origin son of Mitra and Varuni, or of Pulastya depending on the legend. He’s known as Kumbhaja, born from a pot. The one who balanced the Earth during Shiva’s wedding by walking south. The sage who drank the ocean. Who tamed the Vindhyas. His name runs through the veins of Kalaripayattu, Siddha medicine, Varma Kalai, Naadi astrology.

How does one name survive through millennia?

Each pilgrimage reveals another layer. Agasthya is not confined to India he is revered across Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, Cambodia, Japan, Laos, Thailand temples, idols, scriptures speak of him In New Zealand, the Maori call the Canopus star “Ariki” or “Athuthahi” the enlightened one . In Iran, Gasthi means sin. So Agasthi -remover of sin.

Agasthya is Canopus.

The second brightest star in our night sky, 310 light years away, 10,000 times brighter than the Sun. The light that brings clarity to darkness. Our ancestors knew this. They aligned temples, rituals, and scriptures to its rise.

Agasthya, the Guru star, was once visible from the north Kurukshetra, 25,000 years ago Now, it blesses only the southern sky In the Ramayana, Sugriva tells Hanuman: “When you reach Mahendragiri, you will see Agasthya.”Even the Mahabharata says that wherever Agasthya is sighted, blessings descend.

And what of Agasthyakoodam and Buddhism?

The mountain has many names Pothiyal, Pothalaka. Buddhist texts speak of it as the abode of Avalokiteshwara, the compassionate Bodhisattva Manimekhalai mentions it. Chinese monk Xuanzang’s travel records hint at it. In the forest around Athirumala, I have seen rock formations silent, sacred shapes. Abandoned idols half-hidden under moss and vines, whispering of a time when pilgrims carved prayers into stone .This is no ordinary mountain.This is a living beacon a mountain of wisdom. Each step, each breath on its trail kindles the fire within.That Aga-Thee the inner fire that burns quietly in all of us.

Agasthya is not just remembered.

He is felt. In the stillness of the forest, in the medicine of the leaves, in the movement of the martial body, and in the silence of a seeker’s heart And so, I walk again. As long as I can. As long as the agasthya calls.

ABOUT AUTHOR

Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh, is a fifth-generation Kalaripayattu master, celebrated as a “Warrior Monk”,a self-realized spiritual leader and founder of Agasthyam kalaripayattu. Deeply rooted in a 129-year-old lineage, his journey is marked by profound self-awakening and dedication to Kalaripayattu. His teachings unify physical mastery, mental clarity, and spiritual insight, making Kalaripayattu a global path for holistic well-being. As co-principal investigator of the IKS Center for Kalaripayattu and Siddhar Tradition, he promotes Kalaripayattu’s healing wisdom as vital for modern life. An author and filmmaker, Dr. Mahesh’s legacy inspires resilience, self-discovery, and unity in seekers worldwide