THE STORY BEHIND " DANDAKARANYA."

                                              

Listening to the amazing story of Swetha, Sri Rama wondered at the deserted forest where Swetha performed tapas! He did not understand why the forest was so desolate and deserted. He requested the renowned sage Agasthya to narrate all the details regarding the large forest.  Sage Agasthya said that during the KRUTHA YUGA Manu ruled the earth.  He had a son by name Ikshvaku. He crowned his son as the ruler and directed him to be the originator of all the clans of kings! Ikshvaku blessed his son and directed him to rule the country strictly and righteously.  He told him not to punish innocent people and protect them which can lead the king to heaven!

       After the demise of his father Manu, Ikshvaku followed the dictates of his father meticulously. He had one hundred sons. The last of the hundred sons was an idiot and an illiterate! He disrespected all the elders and was a problematic child! Unable to reform his last son, Ikshvaku named him ‘DANDA’, selected a dense forest in the center of the Vindhya mountain range and crowned him as the king of the forest! King DANDA built a beautiful city there called “MADHUMANTA” and  accepted the great sage Sukracharya as his preceptor! Thousands of years rolled on peacefully under the rule of Danda. On a fine morning of the month of Chaitra, He happened to visit the ashram of his mentor Sukracharya that changed the tide of his life completely!

          There he saw the beautiful and charming daughter of his Guru Sukracharya and instantly fell in love with hjer! He praised her heavenly and bewitching beauty and told her how she had stolen his heart. Sukra’s daughter knew his intentions! She replied that she was the eldest daughter of sage Sukra   living with her father and called “ ARAJA.” Fearing his amorous advances, she warned him of the terrible consequence of any misdeed. She told him to be wary of making love to the daughter of his Guru! If her father is displeased and gets angry that will be his doom! She suggested that DANDA should respectfully approach her father and request for her hand lest Sukra’s curse would fall on him! She added that her father may not reject his wish!

            Hearing these words of ARAJA King Danda became more emotional. He said that he cannot tolerate any more delay! He said that his love for her required immediate gratification!He said that he did not care if his Guru Sukra cursed  or killed him! He has become a slave of his passion for her! He wanted her to accept his advances, understand his feelings and satisfy his physical urge without delay! ARAJA trembled with fear! She entreated him not to near and violate her chastity. She tried her best to avoid and prevent him from seducing her but in vain! King Danda forced her into submission, satisfied himself and left her shocked and petrified! Araja was the helpless victim of the lust of Danda! She wept bitterly for what has happened and went back to her father’s ashram.

             A few hours later, Sukracharya, after the recitation of the Vedas,  returned to his ashram with his disciples. He saw his daughter pale and bitterly weeping. The helpless situation of his darling daughter  Araja  was more intense than the terrible hunger he experienced! Growing infuriated at the immoral and undeserving act of King Danda, Sage Sukra cursed that he  with all his band of people would be destroyed in seven nights! The entire region of his rule shall be destroyed by the dust storm rained by Indra, King of Gods! Sage Sukra  then directed  those  living in his ashram to leave the boundaries of Danda’s Kingdom! He directed his foolish and stupid daughter to remain in the ashram by the side of the vast lake and await the dust storm! Sukracharya left his ashram and his sad daughter and settled ina different place. According to the curse, the entire kingdom of Danda was totally obliterated. Sage Agasthya  described to Sri Rama that the country amidst the Vindhya range was thus annihilated through the curse of Sukracharya! From then onwards this region came to be called “DANDAKARANYA” But a few sages  started living there. Thus it was also called ‘JANASTHANA”

                From time immemorial love and lust for women had played havoc in the lives of Devas , sages and mortals! Indra was undone by his lust for AHALYA! Sage Viswamitra lost all the power and glory of his penance because of Menaka, the heavenly damsel! The great Ravana attained his doom because of his lust for Sita! Very many incidents in the past remind us that we have to follow the path of morality and rectitude to be happy in life!