Sri Raghavendra Swamy Virachita
SRI #RAMACHARITRYA #MANJARI
(ಶ್ರೀ #ರಾಘವೆಂದ್ರಸ್ವಾಮಿ
ವಿರಚಿತ “#ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಚಾರಿತ್ರ್ಯ ಮಂಜರಿ”)
History of Dandakaranya
Sage Agastya had said earlier that in the forest where
Shwetaraja did penance, there were no animals, birds or human beings in that
forest. However, the trees, plants and creepers in that forest were yielding
fruits, roots, flowers and many other things. Srirama questioned Sage Agastya
about the reason for such condition of that forest. Srirama is omniscient and
he knew everything. However, he sought to know the details from Sage Agastya
for the sake of letting people know certain strange things.
Sage Agastya continued the narration:
“Ikshwaku of your dynasty was the son of the
originator of your dynasty, Vaivaswata Manu. Vaivaswata installed his son on
the throne and told Ikshwau ‘Enhance the dynasty.’
Ikshwak got one hundred sons. Of them, everyone was
spirituous, righteous, knowledgeable and intelligent, except the last son. This
last son was very foolish and had no interest in pursuing any field of knowledge.
His father was very much worried about the last son. He thought that some day,
the last son would commit some serious crime and embarrass him. It was for this
state of mind of the last son that the king named the boy as Danda, which means
wasteful or useless. The king gave the forest area lying between Vindhya and
Shaivala mountains to Danda as his share of the kingdom. He created a city
called Madhumanta and appointed Shukracharya as his royal priest. In fact, the
subjects were leading a happy life in his kingdom.
Once, he went to the house of Shukracharya during
Chaitra Masa or the spring season. The house of Shukracharya was surrounded by
beautiful landscape where Araja, daughter of Shukracharya was roaming about,
happily. Danda saw Araja, who was quite charming, and fell in love with her. He
forcibly spoiled her chastity and returned to his town. Shukracharya, who was
away then, returned home, came to know about what happened from his daughter,
became furious and cursed the king:
“Because of the crime committed by him, this king will
die in seven days. His children and soldiers will also die. The hundred Yojana
long and broad kingdom of this king will be destroyed by the rain of stones to
be created by Indra. He ordered the servants and other people living in his
hermitage to get out of the kingdom of Danda, along with the livestock.
However, he asked his daughter to stay in the same place and live happily as it
would soon become a charming, uninhabited place, bereft of any animate beings.
He said that a good period would definitely come for her and she should wait
till such time. Shukracharya also moved away from the kingdom and the curse
became true with the passage of time. It was covered with dense forest and came
to be known as Dandakaranya. The place where people shifted to and lived
outside the kingdom came to be known as Janasthana.”
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