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.