Agastya is a guru of very ancient times, referred to in the the Rig Veda, Atharva Veda, Brahmanas and Aranyakas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, and other texts.
Agastya was rather short, and has been described as ‘dwarfish’. He was said to have been born from a pitcher, into which the gods Mitra and Varuna dropped their semen, when they saw the beautiful apsara, Urvashi. Thus he was known as Kumbhayoni (born in a pitcher) or Maitravaruni. He was the brother of Vasishtha, who was born at the same time in a similar way. Agastya was very learned, well versed in the VEDAS, and in the use of various magical weapons. Though he was an ascetic, he finally married, as he was told only those with sons who could perform their ancestral rites, could enter heaven. Out of the essence of all living beings, he created a beautiful girl named Lopamudra, and gave her as a daughter to the king of Vidarbha. It was this Lopamudra, whom he later married. They had a son named Dridhasyu, also called Idmavaha, who chanted the Vedas at birth. There are many stories about how Agastya went to south India and remains there still.
Agastya is the traditional author of various texts, including the Agastya Gita which forms part of the Varaha Purana, the Agastya Samhita in the Skanda Purana, and the Dvaidha-Nirnaya Tantra. In south India, he is known as Agattiyar, and mentioned in Sangam literature. There are several other Agattiyars, the most well-known being one of the Tamil siddhas.
The Matsya Purana states that he who worships Agastya, rules over the entire world (M.61.44-55). The Theosophical society of India included him in their mystical hierarchy and believe he exists and takes care of India even today. [summarized from Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide].
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