Dandakaranya Kshetra - Where Sri Rama stayed during forest exile
• Meditation:
► I meditate on the Dandakaranya Kshetra where Sri Rama stayed during the forest exile.
• Greatness:
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Dandakaranya Kshetra - Where Sri Rama stayed during forest exile:
◍ Greatness:
• Dandakaranya(Satna district, Madhya Pradesh) (Panna district, Madhya Pradesh) (Bastar division, Chhattisgarh):Dandakaranya is a puranic kshetra which was a forested region where the sages had their hermitages. Among the great forests of ancient Bharatavarsha where the sages performed sadhana, Dandakaranya had a pre-eminent place. The sages were the upholders of Dharma, and whenever great disturbances were caused on their spiritual path, God had to come to their rescue. Sri Rama also incarnated for the same purpose and he protected the sages of Dandakaranya by slaying the demons of Ravana. Sri Rama stayed in various hermitages of Dandakaranya for ten years before he visited the hermitage of sage Agastya and then moved to Panchavati (on the outskirts of Dandakaranya). Dandakaranya is mentioned in Valmiki Ramayana and other texts. Puranic Dandakaranya Kshetra is identified with regions speading across Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and adjoining areas
◍ Sacred Geography:
Dandakaranya Forest
☸ Dandakaranya Forest
◍ Temples:
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)
• Presence of Sri Rama in Dandakaranya:
(1) Sri Rama stayed in various hermitages of the Dandakaranya forest for ten years.
(2) Sri Rama visited various hermitages of the sages in Dandakaranya like Sharabhanga Ashram, Suteekshna Ashram, Pancha Apsara Lake, Agastya brother Ashram, Agastya Ashram etc.
(3) Sri Rama vanquished demon Viradha in the Dandakaranya forest.
(4) Sri Rama assured protection to the sages from demons in the Dandakaranya forest.
(5) Sri Rama met Jatayu while going to Panchavati.
◍ Sages:
• Sage Sharabhanga: Sage Sharabhanga had a hermitage in Dandakaranya where Sri Rama met him during forest exile. (VR-ArK-5)
• Sage Suteekshna: Sage Suteekshna had a hermitage in Dandakaranya where Sri Rama met him during forest exile (twice). (VR-ArK-6,9-10)
• Sage Mandakarni: Sage Mandakarni lived within the Pancha Apsara Lake in Dandakaranya and Sri Rama heard about his story during forest exile. (VR-ArK-11)
• Sage Agastya's brother: Sage Agastya's brother had a hermitage in Dandakaranya where Sri Rama met him during forest exile. (VR-ArK-11)
• Sage Agastya: Sage Agastya had a hermitage in Dandakaranya where Sri Rama met him during forest exile. (VR-ArK-11-13)
◍ Puranic References:
• Valmiki Ramayana - Aranya Kanda - 1 to 14 (About Sri Rama's stay in the Dandakaranya forest)
• Location:
• Dandakaranya region is spread across Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Puranic Dandakaranya Kshetra is identified with regions speading across Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and adjoining areas: