The Problem
The asuras Kalakeyas had been terrorizing the three worlds. The gods fought them but could not prevail. So the demons retreated to the ocean — plunging into its depths at sunrise and emerging at night to attack.
The gods went to Vishnu, who sent them to Agastya — the great sage, whose powers were beyond ordinary reckoning.
The Request
The gods, led by Indra, went to Agastya's ashram and explained the problem. The asuras were hiding in the ocean. No one could reach them there.
Agastya smiled. He walked to the sea.
He cupped his hands and drank the entire ocean.
The sea floor was exposed. The asuras had nowhere to hide. The gods descended and destroyed them.
The Problem That Remained
The ocean was gone. Rivers had nowhere to go. The world would dry out.
The gods went back to Agastya: "Release the ocean."
Agastya said: "I have already digested it. I cannot release what no longer exists."
They waited. For ages, the ocean bed remained dry.
Eventually, through the tapasya of King Bhagiratha — who was performing penance to bring the Ganga down from heaven — the earth filled with water again, the ocean was restored, and the problem was solved.