from "different birds, animal and flower, the eyes of the doe, the grace of the panther, the slenderness of the palm trees, the fragrance of the champak flower, the softness of the feather on a swan's neck"), who would eventually beget a son for him. At that time the king of Vidarbha, who was childless, was doing penance to gods seeking boon of a progeny. Agastya bestowed his creation of the women of his imagination to the king. As the girl child emerged into the world, in glowing beauty, the king called the Brahmins to bless the child. The Brahmins named her Lopamudra. As the creation was done due to the loss of parts of creatures (animals and plants) the girl was named Lopamudra, 'lopa' meaning "loss" and 'mudra' meaning "parts.". She grew up to be a very pretty, learned and devoted daughter and the King wanted to get her married when she attained puberty. Lopamudra marries Agastya The King approached Agastya seeking his advice for the marriage of his daughter. However, Agastya who was responsible for her beautiful creation for begetting a son for him, asked the king for her hand in marriage. This caused anguish to the king and queen as to how their daughter who was brought up in princely comforts could be married to an ascetic, a forest dweller. They were also scared of the power of Agastya who they felt could curse them if they refused to give Lopamudra in marriage to him. Looking at the worried status of her parents, Lopamudra volunteered to marry Agastya and requested her father to perform the wedding. Once married and taken to the forest to live with him, Agastya told Lopamudra to discard all her royal attire and ornaments and wear clothes fit for an ascetic's wife. She obeyed her husband and wore rags, deer skins and bark for her clothes. She dutifully, respectfully, lovingly and willingly served Agastya in his religious practices and penance. Her asceticism through tapas matched Agstya's. Agastya was then not attracted to her beauty and did not cohabit with her and remained detached though she was beautiful and was his own creation. However, after a long lapse of time, Agastya then wanted to beget a son who would full fill his promise to his ancestors and relieve them of their curse. However, Lopamudra was not willing as she put a condition that she