Green Message: The Evergreen Messages of Spirituality, Sanskrit and Nature
Hermitages - from Valmiki Ramayana
- Anga Ashrama (At Ganga-Sarayu sangama)
- Siddhashrama
- Gautama Ashrama (At Mithila upavana)
- Bharadwaja Ashrama (At Prayaga)
- Valmiki Ashrama (At Chitrakoota)
- Atri Ashrama (At Chitrakoota)
- Sharabhanga Ashrama (At Dandakaranya)
- Suteekshna Ashrama (At Dandakaranya)
- Agastya Ashrama (Near Panchavati)
- Matanga Ashrama (Between Janasthana and Rishyamukha Parvata)
Anga Ashrama - from Valmiki Ramayana:
Valmiki Ramayana (Bala Kanda 23): Sri Rama visited the hermitages at the Anga province while travelling with sage Vishwamitra.Ganga-Sarayu sangama: The hermitages were situated at the holy confluence of rivers Ganga and Sarayu.
Shiva burning Kamadeva: The sages there were doing penance for thousands of years. When Sri Rama asked about them, Vishwamitra told that, that is the place where Shiva burnt Kamadeva and made him Ananga (bodiless). Hence the place came to be known as Anga, and the hermits there were disciples of Shiva and sinless.
Sri Rama staying: Sri Rama spent a night in a hermitage there.
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Siddhashrama - from Valmiki Ramayana:
Valmiki Ramayana (Bala Kanda 29 - 30): Sri Rama visited Siddhashrama while travelling with sage Vishwamitra. Siddhashrama was the erstwhile hermitage of Vamana Avatara of Sri Vishnu.Sri Vishnu's penance: Sri Rama heard from Vishwamitra about the penance of Sri Vishnu there for many hundreds of yugas before taking the Vamana Avatara.
Sage Kashyapa's penance: And also about the penance of sage Kashyapa there for thousand divine years and getting Vamana as son. Since the penance of sage Kashyapa was accomplished there, the hermitage came to be known as Siddhashrama.
Vamana Avatara: Then Sri Vishnu descended there as Vamana Avatara.
Protecting Vishwamitra's yagya That was also the place where sage Vishwamitra was intending to perform a yagya which was repeatedly being destroyed by the demons. Sri Rama protected the yagya of sage Vishwamitra standing in vigil for six days and nights. When demons Mareecha and Subahu tried to destroy the yagya on the final day, Sri Rama repelled demon Mareecha and killed demon Subahu.
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Gautama Ashrama - from Valmiki Ramayana:
Valmiki Ramayana (Bala Kanda 49): Sri Rama visited the erstwhile ashrama of sage Gautama while travelling with sage Vishwamitra from Siddhashrama to Mithila. The hermitage was in a dilapidated state.Curse on Ahalya: Sri Rama heard the story of Indra's trick in molesting Ahalya and subsequent curse pronounced on Ahalya by sage Gautama.
Redeeming Ahalya: Sri Rama redeemed Ahalya from her curse by His touch.
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Bharadwaja Ashrama - from Valmiki Ramayana:
Valmiki Ramayana (Ayodhya Kanda 54): Towards Prayaga from Sringaverapura: During forest exile, Sri Rama crossed river Ganga at Sringaverapura and reached the land of Vatsa. Spending the night under a big tree, Sri Rama walked towards Prayaga at the confluence of rivers Ganga and Yamuna.Valmiki Ramayana (Ayodhya Kanda 54): Hermitage of sage Bharadwaja: Sri Rama visited the hermitage of sage Bharadwaja at Prayaga and asked for a suitable place to stay in the forest. Sage Bharadwaja suggested the Chitrakoota forest mountain, ten krosas from there and told the route to reach there.
Sri Rama staying: Sri Rama spent a night in that hermitage.
Valmiki Ramayana (Ayodhya Kanda 55): Bharadwaja about Chitrakoota route: Sage Bharadwaja told Sri Rama the route to Chitrakoota from Prayaga - following river Yamuna towards west, then crossing river Yamuna and reaching a Nyagrodha tree called Shyama. After going a krosha from there, Chitraoota forest starts.
Bharadwaja Ashrama - Allahabad:
Bharadwaja Ashrama is located in Allahabad in the Allahabad district of Uttar Pradesh. It is in the Colonelganj area near Anand Bhavan on Jawahar Lal Nehru Road, around 3.5 km from the Allahabad railway station. The ashrama has many images including Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Bharadwajeshwar Mahadev Shiva Linga.
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Valmiki Ashrama - from Valmiki Ramayana:
Valmiki Ramayana (Ayodhya Kanda 56): Sri Rama visited the hermitage of sage Valmiki at the Chitrakoot mountain.Staying in Chitrakoota: Thereafter proceeding a little further He built a parna shala to stay at Chitrakoot forest-mountain.
Valmiki Ashrama - Chitrakoot:
Valmiki Ashrama is located in Chitrakoot spread across Uttar Pradesh (Chitrakoot district) and Madhya Pradesh (Satna district) border. It is on Allahabad Road on a hill in Lalapur village. The place is around 24 km from Ram Ghat and situated on the bank of river Valmiki. It is said that Devi Sita gave birth to Luv and Kush here.
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Atri Ashrama - from Valmiki Ramayana:
Valmiki Ramayana (Ayodhya Kanda 117 - 119): Sri Rama visited the hermitage of sage Atri and Sati Anusuiya during forest exile.Chitrakoota: He visited the ashrama while leaving Chitrakoota (after Bharata left).
About Pativrata dharma: Sati Anusuiya was glad to see Devi Sita following her husband even in forest, and told her about the greatness of Pativrata dharma.
Swayamvara story: Then she asked Devi Sita to narrate the story of her swayamvara in details. Devi Sita told the story of that great event.
Divine clothes: Sati Anusuiya gave various divine clothes and ornaments to Devi Sita which she had obtained through penance. Sri Rama was delighted to see Devi Sita adorned with those divine clothes.
Sri Rama staying: Sri Rama spent a night there in that hermitage.
Atri-Anusuiya Ashrama - Chitrakoot:
Atri and Anusuiya Ashrama is located in Chitrakoot spread across Uttar Pradesh (Chitrakoot district) and Madhya Pradesh (Satna district) border. It is around 12 km from Ram Ghat and situated in a forested area. It is believed that in this place Sati Anusuiya turned Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva into children. It is also said that river Mandakini originated from Chitrakoot due to the penance of Sati Anusuiya.
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Sharabhanga Ashrama - from Valmiki Ramayana:
Valmiki Ramayana (Aranya Kanda 5): Sri Rama visited the hermitage of sage Sharabhanga during forest exile.Dandakaranya forest: He visited the ashrama after killing demon Viradha in the Dandakaranya forest.
Indra Deva: Sri Rama saw Indra deva come there to take the sage to the abode of Brahma as a fruit of his penance.
Sharabhanga about Suteekshna ashrama: When Sri Rama asked for a suitable place to stay in the forest, the sage directed Him to the hermitage of sage Suteekshna following the trail of river Mandakini.
Giving up body: Thereafter sage Sharabhanga gave up his body in sacred fire and ascended to higher loka.
Sharabhanga Ashrama - Chitrakoot:
Sharabhanga Ashrama is situated around 20 km away from Sati Anusuiya Ashrama on the Madhya Pradesh side of Chitrakoot (Satna district). There is a Ganga Kund and Shiva temple in the ashrama.
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Suteekshna Ashrama - from Valmiki Ramayana:
Valmiki Ramayana (Aranya Kanda 7 - 8 and 11): Sri Rama visited the hermitage of sage Suteekshna during forest exile following the path told by sage Sharabhanga.Dandakaranya forest: He visited after killing demon Viradha in the Dandakaranya forest and then visiting the Sharabhanga ashrama.
Sri Rama staying: Sri Rama spent a night in that hermitage.
Sri Rama re-visiting: Sri Rama revisited the hermitage of sage Suteekshna after spending ten years in various other hermitages within the forest.
Suteekshna about Agastya ashrama: During this second visit, Sri Rama asked sage Suteekshna the direction of the Agastya ashrama. Sage Suteekshna told about how to reach the hermitage of Agastya.
Suteekshna Ashrama - Chitrakoot:
Suteekshna Ashrama is situated around 4 km away from Sharabhanga ashrama, which is around 20 km from Birsinghpur in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh. This is on the Madhya Pradesh side of Chitrakoot (Satna district).
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Agastya Ashrama - from Valmiki Ramayana:
Valmiki Ramayana (Aranya Kanda 12 - 13): Sri Rama visited the hermitage of sage Agastya during forest exile following the path told by sage Suteekshna.Panchavati: Agastya ashrama was two yojanans from Panchavati.
Divine Weapons: Sage Agastya gave various divine weapons to Sri Rama.
Agastya about Panchavati When Sri Rama asked Agastya about a suitable place to stay, the sage told about Panchavati on the bank of river Godavari which was two yojanas from there.
Agastya Ashrama - Bhandardara:
Agastya Ashrama is situated in Bhandardara, a beautiful hill-station on the Sahyadri Hills in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. It is around 185 km from Mumbai and 80 km from Nashik.
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Matanga Ashrama - from Valmiki Ramayana:
Valmiki Ramayana (Aranya Kanda 73 - 74): Sri Rama visited the Matanga ashrama during forest exile following the path told by Kabandha (while searching for Devi Sita).Service of Sabari: Sri Rama accepted the humble service of His sincere devotee Sabari who was an old lady who had spent most of her life waiting for Him.
Sabari about Rishyamukha Parvata and Pampa Sarovar: Sabari told Sri Rama about Rishyamukha Parvata and Pampa Sarovar, the place where Sugreeva was staying.
Salvation of Sabari Sri Rama gave salvation to Sabari, who casted off her aged human body and ascended to the divine abode.
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Bharatavarsha - The Land of Gods and Sages:
1. Stotras2. Scriptures
3. Pilgrimages
4. Festivals
5. Saints: Ramakrishna - Vivekananda - Ramana
6. Sadhana
7. Sanskrit
8. Nature