The story goes back to the time when Sage Agastya wasn't married. He was far away from the frills of this world.

He spent his days indulged in Tapas without an iota of care in the world. After all, that's how Sages are; intricacies of the world hardly troubles them.

Īshwara had other plans though. Something was about to happen that was gonna change the course of his destiny.

One day, when Agastya was going somewhere, he saw a narrow pit filled with hard shrubs. On the branches of those shrubs, bunch of people were hanging upside down.

Some of you may wonder, "What kind of sorcery is this?"

And I don't blame you. I mean who in their right minds would hang themselves in a pit; that too, upside down.

But they weren't just any people. They were the Manes(पितृ) of sage Agastya.

With eyes full of surprise he asked them, "Why are you hanging upside down?"

They told him, "We are your manes, Agastya! The sole reason we are in this state is because of you."

"Me? I don't even know you", replied Agastya.

"It doesn't matter, Agastya. You aren't married yet and as a result you're childless.

Unless you marry a chaste woman and bear a son, we'll remain in this state", replied the Manes.

The noble sage promised his Manes right then and there, that he'll relieve them of this state.

He wandered all over the earth but couldn't find a suitable wife. At last with no place to go, he used the power of his Tapas and created a suitable wife for himself.

The end result was a female infant; a new born.

At the same time, the king of Vidarbha Kingdom was indulged in hard austerities in the hopes of begetting a son.

The great sage went to the king and gave the female infant to him.

The king's happiness knew no bounds, for he felt content with the child.

Her brilliance was similar to that of a sun. Her beauty surpassed the celestial nymphs itself.

She was named Lopāmudra(लोपामुद्रा) by the brahmins.

And in the comforts of the kingdom of Vidarbha, she started growing like a lotus in a pond.

With time she attained youth and the talks of her unearthly beauty started spreading like a wildfire.

At least, a hundred maids were appointed to cater to the needs of princess Lopāmudra.

Eminent princes from the nearby kingdoms wanted to marry her but they were well aware about the legend related to her birth.

They didn't want to anger Sage Agastya, for he was quick with curses(उन दिनों ऋषियों के द्वारा रुष्ट होकर शाप दे देना एक आम बात थी).

When the noble sage came to know about Lopāmudra, and that she has attained marriageable age; he visited the Vidarbha Kingdom and asked her hand in marriage.

Hearing such request, the king's surprise knew no bounds.

He went into the state of numbness. महाराज मना भी नहीं कर सके और स्वीकार भी नहीं कर सके।

Seeing her father in a state of worry and indecisiveness, princess Lopāmudra asked her father to do as asked by the sage.

And so, she was married to Sage Agastya.