The Dandaka Forest. (Glossary for the Vahinis)
No one is unfamiliar with the Ramayana. It describes the Dandaka forest, heavy with thick darkness and terrible with the resounding roar of wild beasts. It was infested with frightful gang of rakshasa (demons). Surpanakha was a demoness who roamed therein. Khara was a demon of the same nature. On some open patches of this jungle, rishis (sages) who were leading pure unselfish God-centred lives had their hermitages. And, into this forest came, as exiles, Prince Rama, Lakshmana, his brother and Sita, Rama’s consort. They spent some days with the great sages like Agastya and Sharabhanga. They found the ascetic Shabari also in her retreat. As a result, Rama destroyed the demons and resorted peace in the region for the sages to perform their spiritual practices and rituals undisturbed.
This is what epic says. But, where exactly is the Dandaka forest? You need not look for it on any map or turn over the pages of history. It is the heart of every man. The evil feelings are the rakshasa; the good thoughts are the rishis. Rama is the personification of Viveka, the discriminating faculty of the intellect. Sita and Lakshmana are the higher levels of consciousness --- Sujnana and prajnana. Rama put an end to evil feelings and promotes good thoughts. Rama is the Emperor of Ayodhya. That name means ‘Impregnable,’ ‘with no enemy,’ no injurious or demeaning feeling or thought, can invade the heart when Rama is installed therein. Tyagaraja sang, ‘Telisi Rama chintanato Namamu seyave manasa’ (Oh Mind! Meditate on Rama with the full knowledge of what He represents). (SSS Vol. 15, p. 130)
(The Sages of Dandakaranya meet Lord Ram)
During their exile in the forest, while Rama, Lakshmana and Sita were moving about, they came across an ashram (hermitage). On enquiry, they came to know that it belonged to Sage Agastya. Agastya and his disciples extended a warm welcome to them. They conveyed their grateful thanks to them for visiting their ashram. During the course of their conversation, sage Agastya advised, ‘Rama! You cannot be comfortable in this Ashram. There is a forest called Dandakaranya, nearby. There, you will be comfortable. Mother Sita will also be happy there, without any inconvenience. You will get a variety of fruits in plenty there for eating. The sacred river Godavari is flowing in that forest. Hence, you build an ashram and live there.’ As per the advice of Sage Agastya, Sita, Rama and Lakshmana built a small parnasala (cottage) on the banks of the river at Panchavati in the Dandakaranya forest and started living there happily. (SSS Vol.39, pp. 235-236)
The rishis in the Dandakaranya knew very well that Rama was an incarnation of God, and so they came to Rama and placed their difficulties and troubles before Him. Not only this, many rishis were killed by the demons. These incidents were brought to the notice of Rama, and he was moved and his heart melted. He could not bear this any longer; and so He took a vow at that very instant of time and gave His word to the rishis that from that time, He would undertake the task of exterminating the Rakshasas.
In this vow of Rama’s Sita noticed what is usually referred to as the vow of Bhishma. Sita came and cautioned Rama that He was taking a vow, which was very difficult to fulfil. Then Rama answered by saying that the Himalayas can give up the ice on them, that the moon can give up its brightness and the oceans may flow beyond their boundaries, but Rama will never give up His vow unfulfilled. From that day onwards, Rama saw to it that the Rakshasas in the Dandakaranya were removed from their positions of strength, and He has been protecting the rishis from the hands of those Rakshasas. He spent ten years in the forest fulfilling His vow and the task He took upon Himself. (SSB 1977, pp. 13-14)
(See – Agastya)