885 Where is Vishvamitra's hermitage? North Nepal or in Bihar?

Vishvamitra is an Ancient Indian Sage who belongs both to Ramayana and Mahabharata. According to mythology, he lived both in trEtA yuga [Age of 3 legs, during which the Goddess of Righteousness, called 'dharma devata', often depicted as a cow, walks on its three legs, with its fourth leg broken, and in dvApara yuga (Age of 2 legs, during which the Goddess of Righteousness, limps with its two legs). This itself, appears incredible but mytho-fanatics believe, and want to force others to believe. As a compromise, we can for the time-being, accept a possibility. The word 'visvAmitra' (has two meanings: friend of the Universe, enemy of the Universe), itself may be a title given to eminent and respected persons, while they may have different biological names, given by parents. That means, the Valmiki Ramayan's Visvamitra, and the Vyasa Mahabharata's Visvamitra, were different Sages holding the title 'viSvAmitra'. This aspect, we can deal with in a different blog-post.

Our present task in this particular blog-post, is 'examining, how many abodes, vAlmiki Ramayana's Visvamitra lived in?'.

Before, the marriage of Shri Rama with Sita

Sage Visvamitra took the Princes Shri Rama and Lakshmana along with him for getting his 'sacrifice' protected from demons. In the first stage, at a place what is called tATaka forest, Shri Rama killed the demon tATaka. Then, the Sage and the two brothers come out of the tATaka forest. This tATaka forest, according to legends and tourist circuits is in North-Western Bihar.

In Chapter No. 28, Verse 19 (1-28-19), Shri Rama recognised that came out of the Tataka Forest, and entered a place called "Siddha Ashrama" (Hermitage of Great Attainers). According to Vishvamitra, it was first the Hermitage where Lord Vishnu appeared in his fifth/of tenth incarnations, "vAmana", a dwarf boy.

At verse No. 1-29-24, Vishvamitra requested Shri Rama to enter the Hermitage of Accomplishers (Siddhas), informing Shri Rama that hermitage belongs to Rama himself in his incarnation as vAmana, and inasmuch as it also belongs to him (Visvamitra).

adya gacChAmahe rAma
siddhAshramam anuttamam |
tat aashrama padam tAta tava
api etad yathaa mama ||

This verse indicates, siddhAshrama, was located just North of tATaka forest, and was in North-West Bihar.

ybrao-a-donkey's analyses which are not intended to be imposed on others

At this Siddhashrama, Shri Rama, with his arrows, killed the younger demon brother Subahu, and dispensed the elder brother mArIca to Southern Ocean. Thus Princes Shri Rama and Lakshmana, successfully protected the Sacrifice of Sage Vishvamitra, at this SiddhAShrama, which is in Bihar State.

After this Episode, Sage ViSvAmitra received an invitation from King Janaka of Mithila Kingdom, to witness his daughter Sita's Self-Selection (svayamvaram) and Wedding ceremony. Sage Vishvamitra took the Princes Shri Rama and Lakshmana to Mithila Kingdom, which is further Northwards and is in Nepal.

vAlmIki rAmAyanA's Vishvamitra's abode, in Vol.1 Balakanda, Chapter 74 , Verse 1 (1-74-1)

After Shri Rama's marriage with Sita, Lakshmana's marriage with Urmila, Bharata's marriage with Mandavi, and Satrughna's marriage with Sritakirti,-- next morning

atha rAtryaam vyatItAyaam
vishvAmitrO mahaamuniH |
ApriSTvaa tau ca raajAnau
jagAma uttara parvatam ||

Approx. English Gist: The night expired. The Great Sage Visvamitra woke up all the kings, Rama and Lakshmana, sought their leave, and left towards Northern Mountains (Himalayan Mountains).

ybdonkey's observation: After the wedding, to go back to his hermitage, Sage Vishvamitra ought to have proceeded Southwards i.e. from Nepal to Bihar. Instead, the above verse shows that he proceeded Northwards into Northern Mountains, i.e. Himalayas. This may give rise to another possibility: Vishvamitra might have had TWO Hermitages, one in Northern Nepal, and the other in North-West Bihar.

Are there three routes of Aryan migration into India, instead of just one?

This was earlier discussed by me at my Ramayanayb blog: Click here, if you wish to have a look at Ramayanayb blog written by me

Ans: There seem to be more than three routes:

1. Latvia-Lithuania (Baltics) to Romania (Balkans), Central Asia, Afghanisthan, Kashmir, Punjab, Western UP route.

2. Another branch of above: Latvia-Lithuania (Baltics) to Romania (Balkans), Central Asia, Afghanisthan, Kashmir, Ladakh, Tibet, Nepal, Bihar. (Valmiki Ramayana's Ayodhya may be in UP's present Faizabad Ayodhya, or a Bihar Village called 'Ayodhya gunj' in Vaishali, north of Hajipur. If Bihar-Vaishali's Ayodhya is accepted as Ramayana's Ayodhya, instead of UP's Ayodhya, we can consider that this Branch of Aryan Migration is independent of Ganga, Yamuna Rivers. Of course, Sarayu River flows into Ganga River in East-UP/ West-Bihar Border. Vishvamitra-Rama-Lakshmana crossed this confluence to move Northwards, during their onward journey towards Tataka Forest, Sidhdhashrama, Mithila. (Note: There is a District in Bihar, named after Sage vAlmiki, on the Bihar-Nepal Borders, near Darbhanga and Sitamarhi (Sita's birth place which is in North Bihar).

3. Well-known Iranian route, through Pakisthan, Punjab, and Delhi. This may probably be the ancestors Mahabharata-Pandava Aryans. My readers may be fully aware, that most part of Mahabharata took place in Punjab, Rajasthan, Hariyana, and North UP. Some of these Iranian Aryans might have come from Greece and Rome, with their practices of phallus worship. The Bihari-Tibeti Aryans might have fought with the ancestors of Punjab-Hariyana-Rajasthan-North UP Aryans (ancestors of Pandavas) for survival.

A comparison of Valmiki Ramayan and Vyasa Mahabharata, in giving importance to Lord Shiva

Both Valmiki Ramayana, and vyAsa Mahabharata are 'VishNu' oriented scriptures. Though Shiva was also an Aryan Vedic God, with name 'Rudra', basically both the Epics are VishNu scriptures, because they deal with VishNu's incarnations. Anjaneya as an incarnation of Lord Shiva, I am unable to trace in Valmiki Ramayana. Ravana's great devotion to Lord Shiva, I am unable to trace in Valmiki Ramayana. Valmiki Ramayana's reference to Lord Shiva seems to be only for the purpose of Shri Rama's breaking Shiva's bow. In other words, Ramayana is less of a Shiva oriented Epic, when compared to Vyasa Mahabharata, which though tries to establish Lord Krishna as the supreme God, also acknowledges Shiva as mahAdEva (mahA=Great, dEva=God). According to mahAbhArata, though Krishna is the friend-philosopher-and guide of Arjuna, and Ramayana's Anjaneya mounted on the flag of Arjuna, the later Parvas (volumes of Mahabharata) show that it was Shiva who leading in front, drove Arjuna, Krishna, Anjaneya, towards success.

At the moment, all the above analysis is only a guess-work of ybdonkey.

3RD HERMITAGE OF SAGE VISHWAMITRA IN MAHARASHTRA'S GOKARNA

Here is a link, to the website of GokarNa KshEtram in Maharashtra. Click here to go the 3rd Hermitage of Sage of Viswamitra, in GokarNam, Maharashtra. .

4th HERMITAGE OF SAGE VISHWAMITRA AT GAUHATI, ASSAM,

21st Century Spots of these places

For those readers who are devotees of Shri Rama, I provide a link to a travel-experience blog of a devotee Ms. Devika Varadarajan, Hyderabad: Click here to see the photos of the places discussed above, which are in Bihar. I am neither supporting nor denying the legends/episodes, described in this Travel blog, which is very very readable and joy-generating. But viewing things from angles of 'history', is different from a religious-devotee's view or a tourist's view.

To continue. और लिखने का है. ఇంకా వ్రాయాల్సింది ఉంది.

790 Do women really have choices? This question need not be restricted only to Indian Women. It is a global question.

Trigger for this blogpost: A writeup titled "Matter of Choice" in the Tabloid Edition of Deccan Chronicle dated 13th July 2016. Link, for those who wish to have a look at it: Click to go to http://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/books-and-art/130716/matter-of-choice.html. . The author of the write-up is: Ms. Namita Gupta. It is a review of the book titled: THE GIRL WHO CHOSE: A NEW WAY OF NARRATING THE RAMAYANA. Author of the book is: Devdutt Pattanaik. pp.112. Price Rs. 199/-.

In my mother-tongue Telugu language, there is a proverb: "ravi gAncanicO, kavi gAncu neyyeDan". Approx. English equivalent: If SUN God cannot see, wherever it is, everywhere, 'kavi' will see. The 20th and 21st Century meaning of the Hindi and Telugu (some other Indic languages) word 'kavi' seems to gaining a restricted meaning of a 'poet or a writer'. The word kavi has a very wide meaning, apart from the meaning of 'poet / writer'. For example, kavi=a medical doctor. In North Indian States, an ayurvedic medical degree used to be given titled 'kavi rAj' or 'kavi rAja'. The 'kavi' of India is not only a poet, writer, scholar, medical doctor, but also, he is a versatile genius. He is like the Great American Scholar, depicted by Ralph Waldo Emerson, in his famous speech of August 1837. For those who wish to compare the contrast 'kavi' and the 'The American Scholar' can download a pdf version of the speech at the following link: Click to go to

Trigger for this blogpost:

For the time being we shall take the meaning of 'writer' only. What a poet or writer can see, what Sun God cannot see, when his rays penetrate throughout the Earth and the Universe? A kavi's intellect goes far beyond the penetrative capabilities of even the SUN. If any of our readers is interested to read an anecdotal story which some people associate with Legendary Sanskrit Poet Kalidasa, and some others associate it with Buddhist Jataka Tales. The story is somewhat an exaggeration of intellectual capabilities of a 'kavi'. But the story has some content for intellectual reinvigoration. The story also highlights a moral, linked to gratitude and ungratefulness. In some other blog post we shall discuss this story, as this particular blog post is becoming too lengthy to read.

Back to our write-up by Ms. Namita Gupta in Deccan Chronicle, about the book of Shri Devadutt Pattanaik, priced Rs. 199, with pages 112.

We shall start with a quote from the review:

The book highlights how women have always had choices. Even if they did not exercise any, it was a choice they made. The story told keeping in view Sita as a focal character gives a refreshing perspective, one which we have never been told earlier. When asked about what was the idea behind retelling the Ramayana, the author states, “I realised during a workshop that Sita makes five choices in the Valmiki Ramayana and that she never blames anyone for the consequences of her action. I found this very modern. I wondered why no one had highlighted it before. We are too conditioned to see Sita as a whimpering victim and that needed questioning.” It also brings forth a fundamental truth — every choice made has its consequence too.

"...Choice is not easy in any society — modern or pre-modern. It has consequences. Not all good. Dealing with it is always tough. Sita’s life serves as a good guide to be at peace with whatever life throws at us. Mythology has always intrigued me and what I like about it is that it reveals how humans think. We think no differently from people who lived hundreds of years ago. ..."

I have not purchased the book THE GIRL WHO CHOSE: A NEW WAY OF NARRATING THE RAMAYANA. Nor read it.

As a person, who has studied Valmiki Ramayana (Sanskrit version), in depth, I am writing this. For those wish to study my reviews (ybrao-a-donkey's reviews), here is the link: Click to go to ybrao-a-donkey's study-reviews on Valmiki Ramayana, with proof verses from Valmiki Ramayan itself.

ONE STRAIGHT QUESTION: What choices did Sita have?

To know the reply for this crucial question, I request my readers to study my blog post No.044 at my blog ramayanayb.blogspot.com. Click to go to ramayanayb post No. 044.

There, you will see what choice was given to our Sita, by the God Sri Ramachandra? Here is a quote from the Valmiki Ramayan, which I have discussed in the above blogpost 044.

6-115- 22 and 23
BOOK 6 - BOOK OF WAR - YUDDHA KANDA
CHAPTER 115 - SARGA 115
VERSES 22 AND 23 - SLOKAS 22 AND 23

tadadya vyaahritam bhadree
mayaitat kritabuddhinaa
Lakshman`ee vaa tha Bharate
kuru buddhim yathaa sukham (22)
Shatrughne vaa tha Sugriivee
raakshase vaa Vibhiishan`ee
niveshaya manaha Siitee
yathaa vaa sukha maatmanaha (23)

CONTEXT
Rama killed the Ravana. Vibhishana brought Sita into Rama's presence. Rama says these words, seeing Sita.

gist
Oh secure lady! I am declaring this today, with a determined mind. Set your mind on Lakshmana or Bharata as is comfortable to you.

Alternatively, set your mind, as per your convenience, on S`atrughna, Sugriva or Vibhishana.

I greatly respect the freedom of expression of Shri Devdutt Pattanaik and Ms. Namita Gupta. But, I only request them to read Valmiki Ramayana Sanskrit version in depth. They can also read my ramayanayb blog, if they wish to.

21ST CENTURY INDIA SCENE, DATE: 14TH JULY 2016, PLACE CHILLAKALLU, ON NATIONAL HIGHWAY NO. 9 (HYDERABAD-VIJAYAVADA).

Click to go to http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/crime/150716/andhra-pradesh-husband-tries-to-make-wife-hold-hot-rod.html

Now, here is a husband who suspects his wife's chastity, and wants her to prove her purity by touching a burning iron ron used for digging pits, called gaDDa pAra in Telugu. The heads of their Caste also do some "DU DU basavanna" (Like an ornamental bullock, well trained to say yes for everything the master utters). She is also ready to touch the burning rod.

Fortunately, the Trainee Sub Inspector of Police, Jaggaiahpet, like a villain entered into our modern Ramayana, and stopped the ordeal. My cudos to him.

Now, our Devdutt Pattanaik sAb is realistic at least in one respect: History repeats. We Indians think in the same manner even after Centuries. See the quote of Pattanaikji, from above review: Mythology has always intrigued me and what I like about it is that it reveals how humans think. We think no differently from people who lived hundreds of years ago. ..."

To continue. सशेष. ఇంకా ఉంది.

630 Part 1 of Family members need not just be shareholders, stakeholders. They can also be adviisers. भाग १- परिवार सिर्फ भाग्य या दौर्भाग्य में भागीदार रहने के जरूरत नही। वे सलाह भी दे सकते। పార్ట్ 1 కుటుంబ సభ్యులు కేవలం లాభ నష్టాలలో వాటాదారులుగా ఉండనవసరం లేదు. వారు కర్తకు సలహాలు ఇవ్వ వచ్చు.

Mr. Malladi Vishnu, Former Congress M.L.A., from Vijayawada Central Constituency, according to some news reports is the owner of the Krishna Lanka bar in which 8 people were killed and 29 people were injured in an (said-to-be) adulterated liquor tragedy.

Shri Vishnu is reported to have clarified:

"...The bar does not belong to me as reported by some Sections of Media. It belongs to my relatives. ... I came to know that those who mixed mineral water in their drinks are found safe, but those used water from a water cooler in the bar reportedly affected. So, I suspect something poisonous was mixed in the water cooler. I have nothing to do with the bar. I demand for a thorough investigation and severe action against those involved in the heinous crime. ...".

In Telugu language, there is a proverb "kance yE cEnu mEsina". Its approximate English gist works out like this: A fence is installed by farmers to save their crops from grazing animals. Now, suppose, the fence itself grazes the field out...(Here the proverb is exclaiming what can be done if fence itself grazes in the field!).

People's representatives are invited to schools, Colleges, and Universities to say some good things to students, so as to develop a sense of morality in them. As a sequel to such requests, people's representatives give sermons to students, teachers, lecturers, Professors and citizens. In other words Members of Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, Parliament are expected to guide the society and motivate people to traverse a path of ethical values. They are expected to dissuade citizens from falling prey to alcoholism and prostitution. They themselves are not expected to run bars and wineshops. Now, here is our People's Representative who is trying to pass on the buck to his relatives, as those who were owing the wineshop and the bar.

Listed as Accused No. 9, in the Adulterated Liquor Tragedy case, now the former M.L.A. is at large. He is said to be in Hyderabad. Of course, he might have met some eminent lawyers and might have sought their help for getting an anticipatory bail, or seek their counsel about when and where to surrender. He may coolly surrender before some Court, with supporting operations from some lawyers.

What should be the role of relatives when they find that their family member is deviating from an ethical path? Nobody knows whether they have at any time counselled or tried to counsel our Former MLA? The bar licence is said to be in Mother's name. Was she rejoicing when her son was making big bucks through liquor trade? Was she signing all the documents, applications, undertakings of the liquor licence blindfold?

In Telugu language, there is a proverb: "tOTakUra nADe cheppaka pOtivE O amma!". Its approximate English meaning works out as under:

A boy used to steal leaf-vegetables (amaranthus gangeticus) from a nearby field, and hand them over to his mother for cooking. Whenever he gave these leaf-vegetables, the boy's mother used to show her happiness. Gradually he grew up, and became a bigger thief/ robber. When police arrested him, his mother wept and said that he ought not to have commited the thefts. Then the grown-up boy asked his mother: "Why didn't you tell me this earlier, when I stole amaranthus and gave you for cooking ."

Even wives (21st Century term WAGs i.e. wives and girl friends) in Indian culture have a duty to counsel their husbands.

In Book 3, Chapter 9, Valmiki Ramayan, Sita counselled Shri Rama against his carrying bows and arrows, and killing demons in Dandaka Forest, UNPROVOKED. In verse 30 she highlighted the importance of probity and steadfastnss.

धर्मात् अर्थः प्रभवति धर्मात् प्रभवते सुखम् |
धर्मेण लभते सर्वम् धर्म सारम् इदम् जगत् ||
ENGLISH GIST: From virtuosity arises prosperity. Virtuosity leads to happiness. From virtuosity we can get everything. The essence of virtuosity, is this world.

In Valmiki Ramayan, Ravana's wife Mandodari tried to dissuade her husband from traversing an evil and perilous path. In Mahabharata, on a few occasions, Draupadi counselled Pandavas.

In those days of Epic Age, though it was the eldest brother who normally counsels his younger brothers, there are occasions when younger brothers too advised the elder brothers. Younger brothers need not share in spoils of elder brothers.

We have the flashback story of Sage Valmiki, who was asked by Sage Narada to go and inquire with his (Valmiki's) wife, whether she will share his sins also. Valmiki's wife refused to share sins. Rejected by wife, Valmiki fell at the feet of Narada and in turn received Rama mantra.

To continue. सशेष. సశేషం.