As we are talking about the anniversary of Ram mandir or a temple for Rama in Ayodhya, let us also look at another prominent Rama temple which has its own name for quite some time. This should serve the purpose of this blog when we cast focus light on these places of prominence. This temple is located in Bhadrachalam in joint Andhra Pradesh or in Telengana at present. The Sita Ramachandraswamy Temple, commonly known as the Bhadrachalam Temple, is a significant Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Rama. Located on the banks of the Godavari River in Bhadrachalam, Telangana, India, this temple holds immense historical and religious importance. The Sita Ramachandraswamy Temple was constructed in the 17th century by Kancherla Gopanna, also known as Bhadrachala Ramadasu or Bhakta Ramadasu. Gopanna was a revenue officer under the Qutb Shahi rulers of Golconda. He used funds from the government treasury to build the temple, which led to his imprisonment for 12 years. During his imprisonment, Gopanna composed devotional songs dedicated to Lord Rama. Legend has it that Lord Rama and Lakshmana appeared in the dreams of Sultan Tana Shah, who then released Gopanna and helped construct the temple. The temple hosts various festivals throughout the year, with the Sri Rama Navami festival, celebrating the birth anniversary of Lord Rama, being a highlight.
While Ayodhya is hailed as Rama’s birth place, this temple town holds significance as the location where Rama lived for some time during his exile. Lord Rama along with Sita and Lakshmana spent a significant portion of their fourteen-year exile in the forests of the Dandakaranya region, which includes Bhadrachalam. This is the place where the journey of Rama took place in the Aranya Kanda. This coherent hill place existed in "Dandakaranya" Of Ramayana period where Rama with his consort Sita and brother Laxmana had spent their vanavasa- and Parnashaala, the place connected to the famous Golden Deer and the place from where Sita was abducted by Ravana, is also in the vicinity of this temple site. It is at this Mandir site that, long after Ramavatara, Bhagawan Mahavishnu manifested Himself as Rama again to fulfil a promise He made to His Bhakta Bhadra, who continued his Tapas through Yugas, praying for the grace of the Bhagawan Sri Ramachandra murthy. The town is named after this very Sage Bhadra, who performed intense penance here to seek the blessings of Lord Rama. According to legend, Lord Rama appeared before Sage Bhadra in his four-armed form, known as Vaikuntha Rama, and granted him liberation. I visited this temple once during my childhood and re-visiting it now through this post. This is an attempt to remember the famed places of worship dedicated to Lord Rama after witnessing the aura created by the same in Ayodhya an year back. As mentioned, this temple is very old, dates back to 17th century and attracts sparse crowd during normal days and gets thronged by devotees during Rama Navami. To manifest Rama in the world around us, we would definitely need His places of worship to play a prominent role.
Continuing the episodes of Uttara Kanda, we had seen Rama taking the extremely painful decision to part ways with Sita. As we had studied, Sita was sent along with Lakshmana to be left in the abode of Valmiki on the bank of river Ganges. Lakshmana obliges the orders and Sita was taken to the custody of Valmiki who offers her protection after seeing the truth and harshness of fate through his spiritual vision. This decision to disown was driven by Rama's commitment to his role as a ruler and his desire to protect the honor of his kingdom, even at the cost of personal happiness. This is simply putting the country or kingdom and the people before the self. We will study more about this decision and importance of Rajadharma in the next post. Let us look at the following chapters after Sita was received by Valmiki.
In chapter 51, we can see the episode of Vishnu cursed by Bhrigu.
As Lakshmana journeyed with the charioteer Sumantra, he requested him to recount what the ascetic had foretold. The charioteer, complying with Lakshmana’s request, began to narrate the prophetic words of the great Sage Durvasa, the son of Atri.
Durvasa had once spent the rainy season at the hermitage of Sage Vasishtha. King Dasaratha, eager to meet his family priest, visited the hermitage and found Durvasa seated beside Vasishtha. The two great sages honored the king with hospitality, offering him a seat, fruits, roots, and water to wash his feet.
During his stay, as the sages engaged in discussions of ancient traditions, Dasaratha, with hands joined in reverence, posed an earnest question to Durvasa. He wished to know the fate of his lineage—how long Rama would live, the destiny of his other sons, and the future of Rama’s descendants.
In response, Durvasa narrated an ancient tale from the great conflict between the Devas and Asuras. The Daityas, fearing defeat, sought refuge with Bhrigu’s wife, who sheltered them. Enraged by this, the chief of the gods, Vishnu, struck down Bhrigu’s wife with his powerful discus. Witnessing the unjust killing of his consort, the sage Bhrigu, overcome with wrath, cursed Vishnu. He decreed that Vishnu would be born on earth as a human and suffer long separation from his beloved.
Yet, soon after uttering the curse, Bhrigu regretted his harsh words. Realizing the gravity of his pronouncement, he sought to appease Vishnu through penance. Vishnu, however, accepted the curse willingly, stating that he would endure it for the greater good of the world.
Durvasa then explained that Vishnu’s incarnation on earth was none other than Rama, the son of Dasaratha. It was due to Bhrigu’s ancient curse that Rama had to suffer separation from his wife, Sita. The sage further prophesied that Rama would rule Ayodhya for eleven thousand years, ensuring prosperity and happiness for his people. During his reign, he would perform numerous great sacrifices, bestowing immense wealth in charity. Eventually, after fulfilling his earthly duties, he would ascend to Brahmaloka. Before departing from the mortal realm, Rama would establish strong dynasties and father two sons with Sita, who would inherit the throne of Ayodhya.
Having recounted the fate of Rama and his lineage, Durvasa fell silent. Dasaratha, deeply moved by the prophecy, paid homage to both Vasishtha and Durvasa before returning to his capital.
The charioteer concluded his narration, emphasizing that the sage’s words were irrevocable—every event foretold would come to pass without fail. Sita’s sons would one day rule Ayodhya, and Rama’s destiny would unfold exactly as decreed. Therefore, he urged Lakshmana not to grieve for Rama or Sita, reassuring him that fate was unalterable.
Hearing the charioteer’s account, Lakshmana felt an overwhelming sense of relief and joy. He praised the story, exclaiming in admiration, “Excellent! Excellent!”
As the two continued their journey, the sun began to set. They reached the banks of the Keshini River, where they decided to halt for the night, their hearts filled with the weight of destiny and the unwavering certainty of Rama’s fate.
In chapter 52, Lakshmana seeks out Rama.
After spending the night by the Keshini River, Lakshmana, the pride of the House of Raghu, rose at dawn and resumed his journey toward Ayodhya.
By midday, the prince reached the grand city, bustling with contented citizens. However, despite the city’s vibrancy, Lakshmana’s heart grew heavy with anxiety. As he approached Rama’s palace, he pondered how he would convey the sorrowful news to his elder brother. "When I fall at Rama’s feet, what shall I say to him?" he wondered, troubled by the weight of his duty.
As he neared the palace, its splendor shone before him like the moon. Dismounting at the entrance, Lakshmana lowered his head, his heart burdened with sorrow. He entered unchallenged and soon beheld Rama seated on his throne, visibly distressed. The sight filled Lakshmana’s eyes with tears. Overcome with grief and reverence, he fell at his elder brother’s feet, clasping them as a gesture of profound respect and sorrow.
In a voice thick with emotion, Lakshmana spoke. "O Lord, as per your command, I left the noble Sita, the daughter of Janaka, on the banks of the Ganges, near the hermitage of the great Sage Valmiki. Following the advice given to me, I abandoned her at the entrance of the ashram and have now returned to serve you. But do not grieve, O Ruler of Men, for destiny has decreed this course of events.
"Great men like you, who possess wisdom and intelligence, do not succumb to despair. Everything that grows must eventually wither; those who rise high must one day fall; all meetings end in separation, and death is the inevitable conclusion of life. Therefore, one must cultivate detachment from loved ones, wealth, and kin, for separation is certain.
"You, who have mastered your spirit and mind and rule over the three worlds, must surely be able to control your grief. It does not befit a great leader like you, O Raghava, to be overwhelmed by sorrow. If you continue to lament, you will once again face the censure of the people, who may condemn you for being swayed by emotions. You, who possess unshakable resolve, must abandon this faint-heartedness. Let go of your sorrow, O Best of Men.”
Hearing the wise and consoling words of Lakshmana, Rama, the beloved king of Ayodhya, felt his spirits lifted. He looked at his younger brother with affection and responded in a composed and appreciative tone.
"As you have spoken, so shall it be, O noble Lakshmana. You have faithfully executed my command, and for that, I am grateful. Your words have soothed my troubled heart. I shall abide by them, O Saumitri.”
Reassured by Rama’s response, Lakshmana stood by his brother’s side, having fulfilled his duty. The air of sorrow lifted slightly, as the brothers, bound by love and fate, prepared to face the path ahead.
In chapter 53, Rama tells Lakshmana the story of Nriga.
After listening to Lakshmana’s profound words, Rama, deeply moved, responded with admiration.
"O noble Lakshmana, it would be rare indeed to find a relative as devoted and wise as you. You are one with me in thought and purpose, and now I ask you to hear what is in my heart and act upon my command," he said.
Rama then expressed his deep concern for his duties as a king, confessing that four days had passed since he last attended to the affairs of his people. The burden of neglect weighed heavily on his conscience, for a king who fails to address his people’s concerns daily is doomed to fall into the darkest depths of suffering. He instructed Lakshmana to summon the ministers, family priests, and all those who required his judgment without delay.
To emphasize the importance of a ruler’s duty, Rama recounted the tale of King Nriga, an honorable and truth-loving monarch. Long ago, Nriga, in his devotion to the brahmins, gifted thousands of cows adorned with gilded horns. However, during a sacred pilgrimage to Pushkara, he unknowingly gave away a cow that already belonged to a poor brahmin.
The rightful owner, after searching for his lost cow for a long time, finally discovered it in the house of another brahmin in Kankhala. Though the cow was now old, it recognized its true master and followed him when called. This enraged the brahmin who had received it as a gift, and he confronted the poor brahmin, claiming that King Nriga had lawfully bestowed the cow upon him.
A fierce quarrel broke out between the two learned brahmins, and unable to resolve the dispute, they approached King Nriga. However, despite their repeated attempts to gain an audience with the king, they were left waiting for many days and nights outside his palace.
Frustrated and furious, the two ascetics cursed the monarch. "Since you have failed to grant us justice and resolve our dispute, you shall be transformed into a lizard, invisible to all beings. In this form, you will suffer for hundreds and thousands of years in a ditch. Only when Vishnu, incarnated as Vasudeva among the Yadus, descends to earth in the Kali Yuga, will you be liberated from your curse."
Having spoken their dreadful malediction, the brahmins relinquished the old cow to another priest, leaving King Nriga to suffer under the weight of their wrath.
Rama then turned to Lakshmana and warned him of the dire consequences of neglecting the grievances of those who seek justice. A king’s duty, he emphasized, is to ensure that disputes are resolved promptly, for failing to do so leads to disastrous consequences.
"In light of this lesson, summon all those who have come seeking arbitration, for justice delayed is justice denied," Rama instructed. "Go personally and see if anyone is awaiting an audience with me."
With these words, Rama reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to his people, ensuring that no grievance would go unheard under his rule.
This concludes chapters 51, 52 and 53 of Uttara Kanda where we had seen the real reason behind Rama’s separation from Sita, Lakshmana’s sane advice to Rama and Rama recounting the story of King Nriga. Bhrigu decreed that Vishnu would be born on earth as a human and suffer long separation from his beloved which came to pass now. Durvasa also foretold that Rama would rule for very long and Sita’s sons would one day rule Ayodhya, and Rama’s destiny would unfold exactly as decreed. Lakshmana felt his heart less heavy and consoles Rama, reminding him of duty in front of him. Rama recounts the story of king Nriga to remind the duties of a king. We can look at further episodes of tales from past from Rama in subsequent chapters.
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