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Vaataapi and Ilval

Vaataapi and Ilval were two Raakshas brothers. They were the sons of Viprachitti (son of Kashyap and Danu) and Sinhikaa (daughter of Kashyap and Diti and sister of Hiranyakashyap). In fact they were 13 brothers. Vaataapi is mentioned in MBH, G-4-Van/17, and in Vaalmeeki Raamaayan too.

Ilval was elder and Vaataapi was younger. They hated sages so much so that they used to kill all mendicants in a very specific way. Vaataapi used to go to Rishi and others to invite them for food and when they came for food, Ilval would turn Vaataapi into a ram and would offer his meat to the guests. As soon as the person ate the food, Ilval would call his brother, "Vaataapi, Come out now.", and Vaataapi would come out ripping apart of that person's stomach and that person died immediately. This trick worked until Muni Agastya Jee came there in that forest to live.

When Agastya Muni came there to live, they though to kill him also in the same way. In fact he came there with the purpose to kill these Raakshas only. So when Vaataapi came to invite him for food he immediately accepted it. And when Ilval offered him Vaataapi's flesh to him he ate it and digested it. As usual when Agastya Muni had eaten his food, Ilval called Vaataapi, "Vaataapi, Come out"; but to his surprise he didn't come out from the stomach of Muni. Muni said - "I have already digested him, now he will never come out."

Hearing this Ilval got frightened and ran away from there. Since then Agastya Jee prohibited Braahman to eat meat.

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