Candravadanā

The Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa names two women Candravadanā. The name means “moon-faced” (candra, moon; vadanā, face). One is a gandharva princess who married Citraketu. The other is the daughter of the ṛshi Bhṛgu, whose story leads to the origin of the Daṇḍakāraṇya forest.

Candravadanā, the gandharva princess

This Candravadanā is also called Candrāsyā. A gandharva is a celestial being known for music. She was one of five daughters of a gandharva-rāja (king of the gandharvas). Jaladevī held them prisoner at the Pañcappa lake, and Bhagavān Rāma freed them by his divine will.

Vasishṭha Maharshi gave her to Citraketu, the son of Lakshmaṇa and Ūrmilā, as his gandharva bride. Citraketu also married the nāgakanyā (serpent maiden) Kañjāṅghrī. The wedding was held at Ayodhyā in the Māgha muhūrta (auspicious time). It took place in the great year of weddings. In the genealogical account, Candravadanā bore Citraketu eight sons and one daughter.

Candravadanā, daughter of Bhṛgu

The violation

This Candravadanā was the daughter of Bhṛgu Maharshi. King Daṇḍa had received a kingdom from the ṛshi Śukrācārya, in the region between the Vindhya and Śailamaṇḍana mountains. Daṇḍa was full of royal pride and power. He came to Bhṛgu’s āśrama (hermitage) and violated Candravadanā. This was a grave offence against dharma.

The curse and the origin of Daṇḍakāraṇya

Bhṛgu returned to his āśrama and learned what Daṇḍa had done to his daughter. His anger was complete and immediate. He cursed Daṇḍa’s whole kingdom, with its land, its people and everything in it, to be reduced to forest and ash. A seven-day rain of dust and fire covered the region and destroyed the kingdom.

The ruined kingdom became the Daṇḍakāraṇya, the “forest of Daṇḍa.” Rāma, Sītā and Lakshmaṇa passed through this forest during their fourteen-year exile. It became the place of their most important meetings with ṛshis and rākshasas, and of divine experiences.

Sources

• Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Kāṇḍa, Chapters 5–7, 9
• Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Rājya Khaṇḍa, Chapter 17