Yudhiṣṭhira, after crossing the Gayaśira Mountains, came to a place known as Agastya-āśrama (Agastya-ashrama). Nīlakaṇṭha in his commentaries identifies this place as Vātāpipurī (Vatapipuri) or Maṇimatīpura (Manimatipur).

                                                                                                                                                        [Ex. Nīlakaṇṭha’s annotations; Nīlakaṇṭha ṭīkā] 

Scholars believe that this Agastyāśrama can be located in Dinapur subdivision Patna district of present day Bihar. In this context it may be noted that Dinapur was formerly known by the name Maniyari, which might be a degenerate form of the name Maṇimatīpurī, a place mentioned by Nīlakanṭha.

There is a different opinion among scholars regarding the location of Maṇimatīpurī. It considers Ellora or Elapur near Aurangabad in Maharashtra to be ancient Maṇimatīpurī. N.L. Dey maintains that Maṇimatīpurī was the capital of the demon Ilvala and that after him the place was named Ilvalapura, which later transformed into Elāpura and Ellora. Not far from here a place called Vātāpipurī is situated, which also goes by the name of Badami. In that case it appears that Yudhiṣṭhira’s destination Agastyāśrama lay close to Ellora or Elapur region of Maharashtra.

[See Maṇimatīpurī]