Dandakaranya Kshetra - Where Sri Rama stayed during forest exile

• Meditation:

दण्डकवनजनपावन राम् ॥ दुष्टविराधविनाशन राम् ॥
राम् राम् जय राजा राम् । राम् राम् जय सीता राम् ।
- Nama Ramayana - verses 35 and 36 (Sri Rama entered the Dandakaranya forest and destroyed demon Viradha)

शरभङ्गसुतीक्ष्णार्चित राम् ॥ अगस्त्यानुग्रहवर्धित राम् ॥
राम् राम् जय राजा राम् । राम् राम् जय सीता राम् ।
- Nama Ramayana - verses 37 and 38 (Sri Rama visited the hermitages of sages Sharabhanga, Suteekshna and Agastya in the Dandakaranya forest)

• Dandakaranya (Satna district, Madhya Pradesh) (Panna district, Madhya Pradesh) (Bastar division, Chhattisgarh)

• Greatness:

• Dandakaranya is primarily a Rama Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Rama):
- Sri Rama stayed in Dandakaranya during his forest exile for ten years and visited the hermitages of many sages.
- Sri Rama slayed many demons in Dandakaranya who were tormenting the sages.

• Dandakaranya is a Rishi Sthalam (Place of Rishis):
- Sage Sharabhanga had his hermitage in the Dandakaranya forest where Sri Rama visited during his forest exile.
- Sage Suteekshna had his hermitage in the Dandakaranya forest where Sri Rama visited during his forest exile.
- Sage Mandakarni lived inside the Pancha Apsara Lake in the Dandakaranya forest where Sri Rama visited during his forest exile.
- Sage Agastya's brother had his hermitage in the Dandakaranya forest outskirts (near Panchavati) where Sri Rama visited during his forest exile.
- Sage Agastya had his hermitage in the Dandakaranya forest outskirts (near Panchavati) where Sri Rama visited during his forest exile.

• Sacred Geography:

☸ Dandakaranya Forest

• Temples and Places:

• Temples and Places of Sri Rama and Sages in Dandakaranya:

• Sri Rama visiting the Sharabhanga Ashrama in the Dandakaranya forest
(Valmiki Ramayana - Aranya Kanda - 5)

► Dandakaranya - Sharbhang Ashram
(Satna district, Madhya Pradesh)

Sharbhang Ashram, where Sri Rama visited during forest exile, is located in the Satna district of Madhya Pradesh. It is more than 50 km from Ram Kund of Chitrakoot and around 16 km from Jaitwar.

• Sri Rama visiting the Suteekshna Ashrama in the Dandakaranya forest
(Valmiki Ramayana - Aranya Kanda - 7 to 8)
• Sri Rama revisiting the Suteekshna Ashrama in the Dandakaranya forest
(Valmiki Ramayana - Aranya Kanda - 11)

► Dandakaranya - Suteekshna Ashram
(Satna district, Madhya Pradesh)

Suteekshna Ashram, where Sri Rama visited during forest exile, is located in the Satna district of Madhya Pradesh. It is more than 50 km from Ram Kund of Chitrakoot and around 4 km from Sharbhang Ashram.

• Sri Rama visiting the Agastya Ashrama near Panchavati
(Valmiki Ramayana - Aranya Kanda - 11 to 13)

► Nashik - Ankai Agastya Ashram
(Nashik district, Maharashtra)
(100 km from Nashik)

Ankai Agastya Ashram is identified with the place where Sri Rama visited the hermitage of sage Agastya.

• Temples (Summary):

Puranic Dandakaranya Kshetra is identified with regions speading across Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and adjoining areas:
(Panchavati forest which is on the outskirts of Dandakaranya is treated separately)

Madhya Pradesh:

• Rama:
- Viradh Kund (near Amravati Ashram) -- (Satna district)

• Sages:
- Sharbhang Ashram (16 km from Jaitwar) -- (Satna district)
- Suteekshna Ashram (4 km from Sharbhang Ashram) -- (Satna district)
- Agastya Ashram (Siddhanath Temple / Ashram) -- (Panna district)
- Agastya Ashram (Ankai Agastya Ashram) -- (Nashik district)

Chhattisgarh:

• Rama:
- Sitamarhi Harchauka -- (Korea district)
- Sitamarhi Ghaghra -- (Korea district)
- Sitamarhi Chataora -- (Korea district)

• Puranic Events:

• Puranic References:

• Valmiki Ramayana - Aranya Kanda - 1 to 14 (About Sri Rama's stay in the Dandakaranya forest)

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