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