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Overview
Vātāpi and his brother Ilvala lure priests to a fraudulent funeral feast. Vātāpi takes a ram’s form, is prepared as meat and is eaten by the guests. At Ilvala’s command he returns, breaking out through their bodies and killing them. The tale describes repeated murders through this coordinated transformation and recall.
Agastya accepts the feast but prevents the usual return. When Ilvala calls his brother, the sage declares that Vātāpi is dead and cannot emerge. The selected poem places the encounter in a history of Agastya making the region safe. Vātāpi is the transforming and swallowed participant; Ilvala is the host and summoner.
Origins & earliest records
South Asian Rāmāyaṇa narrative tradition
Records & interpretation
Primary-text translation directly read by identified book/canto.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
The Rámáyan of Válmíki
Title page gives translation span 1870–1874. Book III XI, pp. 241–242. Selected historical verse witness.
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
Primary records and illustrations
The Rámáyan of Válmíki
Book III. III XI, pp. 241–242
Actual translated primary passages directly read. Checked HTML canto anchor. No new image bytes inspected.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Historical primary-text translationGriffith Rāmāyaṇa — Book III XI, pp. 241–242Research access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
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