APASTAMBA. An ancient sage. He once consoled King Dyumatsena. (81oka 18, Chapter 298, Vana Parva, M.B.).
1) How he got his name. Once a brahmin did not get a suitable man toofficiate as priest for a sraddha, ceremony. He then prayed to his ancestors, Visvedevas and Mahavisnu for help and then Apastamba appeared before him. The brahmin gave him food to his heart’s content and asked him how he felt. To the surprise of the brahmin Apastamba replied, he wanted some more and thus made the graddha ineffective. The brahmin got angry and cursed him by sprinkling on his face water taken in his palm. But before the water-particles reached his face Apastamba ordered the water-drops to remain still. Water stopped stiff’ and still midway by the power of the sage. Because water (Ape) became stiff’ (Stamba) the rsi was named Apastamba. (Brahma Purana).
2) How jpastamba tfrtha came into existence. Once he met Agastya Muni and asked him who was superior among the gods Brahma, Visnu and Siva. Agastya declared that Siva stood supreme of the lot and gave him advice as to how to please Siva. Following his instructions Apastamba did penance on the banks of’the river Gautami and 8iva appeared before him, blessed him, and made that place a holy one. Siva declared that those who, bathed at that place would obtain `Divyajfana’ (Divine knowledge enabling one to know the past, present and future) . From then onwards that place was known as Apastamba tirtha.
3) Other details. Apastamba had a very chaste and humble wife named Aksasutra. Their son was Garki. `Grhyasutrasaritgraha’ containing a prayer and two mantras is a contribution to the holy science by Apastamba. Many Hindus follow it even now. He had stated that the decrease in the number of great sages was because of the fact that people were not practising the control of the senses as before.
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