Sri Rama visiting the Atri-Anusuya Ashrama while leaving Chitrakoota

Chitrakoota: Sri Rama visiting the Atri-Anusuya Ashrama while leaving Chitrakoota:

(Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda - 117 to 119)

• Meditation: I meditate on Sri Rama visiting the Atri-Anusuya Ashrama while leaving Chitrakoota.

• Sri Rama seeing sages leaving Chitrakoota: While staying at Chitrakoota Sri Rama found that many sages were anxious and leaving Chitrakoota. He humbly enquired the reason for their anxiety, whether there had been any lapse on his part, or on the part of Lakshmana and Sita. The sages assured that there had been no lapse on his part. However due to his (i.e. Sri Rama's) arrival at Chitrakoota the demons who were his enemies started oppressing the sages, tormented them and even killed them. The leader of the group of those demons was Khara, the brother of Ravana. Therefore they were leaving Chitrakoota.

• Sri Rama deciding to leave Chitrakoota: After this Sri Rama himself decided to leave Chitrakoota, firstly due to the memories of family members hauting him after the arrival of Bharata and secondly due to damage done by the encampment of the army of Bharata.

• Sri Rama visiting the Atri-Anusuya Ashrama while leaving Chitrakoota: While leaving Chitrakoota Sri Rama visited the hermitage of sage Atri and sati Anusuya. The sage cordially welcomed Sri Rama as his own son. Devi Sita spent her time with Anusuya. Anusuya praised Devi Sita for her devotion to her husband. She then told told about the merits of devotion to a husband. Pleased with Devi Sita she gave her divine garments, ornaments and cosmetics. Finally she asked Devi Sita to relate to her the incidents of her swayamvara. Devi Sita told about her life and her swayamvara in details. Sri Rama was pleased to see Sita adorned with divine garments. Sri Rama spent that night in the hermitage of the sage. Next morning he resumed his journey in the forest.

- Chitrakoot is spread across the border of (Chitrakoot district, Uttar Pradesh) and (Satna district, Madhya Pradesh)