Rāma Tīrtha Yātrā (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa)

The Yātrā Khaṇḍa of the Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa tells how Bhagavān Rāma made a great tīrtha yātrā (journey to the holy places) across all four quarters of Bhārata. He set out after his return to Ayodhyā and his coronation.

Kumbhodara Muni challenged him to go. Rāma took his whole court: Sītā, his brothers, the vānara chiefs led by Sugrīva, the rākshasa king Vibhīshaṇa, vassal kings from across Bhārata, and countless citizens. All of them rode in the divine Pushpaka Vimāna, made to hold one hundred floors. The journey had four stages, east, south, west and north. It ended with a visit to Kailāsa and a return to Ayodhyā, bringing the Kāmadhenu and the Cintāmaṇi as gifts from Brahmā and Śiva.

Why Rāma set out

During the years in the forest, Sītā had made a vow to Gaṅgā. If Rāma came back victorious and was crowned king, she would honour Gaṅgā with pūjā. When she was reminded of this vow, Rāma began to prepare a royal journey. This became the occasion for the great tīrtha yātrā.

At this point Kumbhodara Muni came to the court and challenged Rāma openly. Rāma was ruler of Bhārata, but he had not yet made a tīrtha yātrā. Rāma took this as counsel in line with dharma. He decided to visit all the holy tīrthas of Bhārata. A royal proclamation was made and the preparations began. (Yātrā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 5)

The Pushpaka Vimāna with one hundred floors

For the journey the Pushpaka Vimāna was enlarged to one hundred floors. Each floor was set aside for one group of travellers, with all that they needed. Rāma’s family had the highest floors. The vānara chiefs, the rākshasa king, the vassal kings and their armies, the animals (elephants, horses and camels), the cooks, physicians, priests, scholars and entertainers each had their own floors. In effect the whole court of Ayodhyā and an assembly of kings from across Bhārata travelled in the vimāna.

Everything was provided inside the vimāna, and food was ready at all times. Its approach was heard from far away: musical instruments, the chanting of the Vedas, the cries of animals, the churning of buttermilk, and the sound of conch shells and bells.

The vimāna carried four great flags: the Kovidāra, the Bāṇa, the Kapi and the Garuḍa. (Yātrā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 5)

The eastern journey

Prayāga

Rāma’s first great stop was Prayāga, the Triveṇī saṅgama (meeting place) of Gaṅgā, Yamunā and the unseen Sarasvatī. There Sītā kept her vow to Gaṅgā and honoured her with full rites. Rāma stayed at Prayāga for one whole month. He visited the Akshaya-vaṭa and gave dāna (gifts) on a very large scale. (Chapter 6)

Vindhyavāsinī

From Prayāga, Rāma went to the shrine of Vindhyavāsinī Devī in the Vindhya hills. He paid homage to the Mahāśakti who lives there. (Chapter 6)

Kāśī

Rāma stayed at Kāśī for a full year. During this time he:

  • visited the Maṇikarṇikā ghāṭ and bathed there with the proper rites;
  • had darśana (sight of the holy image) of all forty-two liṅgas, fifty-six Gaṇapatis, eight Bhairavas, sixty-four Yoginīs and nine Durgās of the kshetra;
  • completed the Pañchakrośī circuit;
  • set up two tīrthas in his own name, the Rāma-tīrtha and the Hanumān ghāṭa, which is named after Hanumān, who stayed with him all through the journey;
  • received with devotion the Rāma-nāma-tāraka mantra given by Śiva in Kāśī. (Chapter 6)

Cyavana Muni and the Rāma-rekhā

Rāma visited the āśrama of Cyavana Muni. There he drew the Rāma-rekhā, a protective boundary line, to guard the region. It has been honoured ever since. (Chapter 6)

Gayā

At Gayā, Rāma stayed for three months. There Sītā performed the well-known śrāddha for Daśaratha. She made one hundred and eight piṇḍas of sand at the Phalgu tīrtha.

Some questioned whether a woman could perform this rite, and whether a piṇḍa of sand could stand in for one of rice. Sītā called on the mango tree, the Phalgu river, a cat, a cow and an Aśvattha tree as witnesses to the piṇḍa she had offered. All five confirmed her account. Then Bhagavān Sūrya himself declared the truth. Daśaratha appeared in a divine body, accepted the piṇḍa with joy and blessed Sītā. (Chapter 6)

Vaidyanātha, Gaṅgā-Sāgara and Purī

After Gayā, Rāma visited the Vaidyanātha liṅga. He then went to Gaṅgā-Sāgara, where the holy Gaṅgā meets the ocean. The last stop in the east was Purī, the Purushottama kshetra, where Rāma had darśana of Jagannātha. (Chapter 6)

The southern journey

From the east, Rāma turned south. This was the longest part of the journey. It covered the whole of the Deccan and the far south.

Main tīrthas of the south

  • Matsya-tīrtha and Pānākala Narasiṃha: early stops on the road south.
  • Śrī Śaila: Rāma visited the Mallikārjuna Jyotirliṅga and bathed in the holy Nīlagaṅgā.
  • Nahobbila and Pushpagiri: two holy tīrthas on the southern road.
  • Pampā and Kishkindhā: Rāma went back to the forests of Pampā and visited Kishkindhā, the city of Sugrīva, which is holy because of his friendship with the vānaras.
  • Shaḍānana (Subrahmaṇya): Rāma paid homage to Kārttikeya.
  • Veṅkaṭādri (Tirupati): he visited the well-known Govindarāja temple. He also visited Śeshāchala.
  • Kālahastī: darśana of the Vāyu-liṅga.
  • Kāñchī: three main darśanas, of Ekāmbareśvara, Kāmākshī Devī and Varadarāja Perumal.
  • Aruṇāchala: Rāma honoured the holy hill of Śiva.
  • Chidambara: darśana of Naṭarāja.
  • Kāverī: Rāma bathed in the holy Kāverī.
  • Śvetāraṇya, Vedāraṇya and Kumbhakoṇam: holy places in the Kāverī delta.
  • Dhanushkoṭi: Rāma set up the Koṭi-tīrtha here. He brought water from the Gaṅgā at Prayāga and made a new tīrtha at the holy tip of the Setu.
  • Tāmraparṇī: he bathed at the place of Gajendra-moksha, and at the Kṛtamāla and Ghṛtamāla rivers.
  • Kanyākumārī: Rāma had darśana of Kanyākumārī Devī at the southern tip of Bhārata. He made her a promise: “You will be born as Jāmbavatī in the Kṛshṇa avatāra and will gain Vishṇu as your husband.”
  • Anantaśayana (Tiruvanantapuram): darśana of Padmanābha Svāmi.

(Chapter 7)

The western coast and the Deccan

Coming back up the western coast, Rāma visited Mairāḷa tīrtha, Chandrakumāragiri, Dakshiṇa-Kāśī, Champakāraṇya and Madurai. At Madurai he had darśana of Mīnākshī Devī and Sundareśvara. He visited Śrīraṅgam, where he saw Raṅganātha, Jambukeśvara (the Appu-liṅga) and Mātṛbhūteśvara. He then visited Avināśa, Rāmanātha-pura and Uḍupi (Śrī Kṛshṇa).

Further north he visited Śṛṅgāśrama on the Tuṅgā, Śāradā Devī at Śṛṅgagiri, Koṭeśvara at Kumbha-kāśī, Mūkāmbikā Devī, Mṛdeśvara and Gokarṇa. At Gokarṇa he paid homage to the Mahābala-liṅga, the first Ātma-liṅga. From there he went to Hariharesvara, Mahendradri (where Paraśurāma lives), Bhīmeśvara, and Kolhāpur (Karvīrapura) at the meeting of the Kṛshṇā and Veṇī rivers.

Crossing the Deccan, Rāma visited Gadālakshmīśvara, Ghaṭaprabhā, Mallāramīśvara, Vakratuṇḍa Gaṇeśa, Pāṇḍharpura (Pāṇḍuraṅga), and the Śaiva tīrthas on the Chandrabhāgā and Bhīmā rivers. He ended the southern journey at Tryambakeśvara. (Chapters 7 and 8)

The western journey

From Tryambakeśvara, Rāma turned west. He first visited the mountain where he had once rested with Sītā. He went on to Saptaśṛṅga, then to the āśrama of Agastya Muni and the āśrama of Sutīkshṇa Muni. These places were holy to him from his own years in the forest. He had darśana of Ghṛshṇeśvara, saw the beautiful Devagiri, and came to Virājā kshetra.

Going west, Rāma visited the Prayoshṇī river and the mountain Rāmagiri, which bears his own name. He then came to the Revā (Narmadā) at Oṅkāreśvara, where he performed pūjā to Śiva. After the meeting of the Tapatī and the Narmadā, he reached Prabhāsa tīrtha on the western sea. He went on to the meeting of the five Sarasvatī streams, and then to Saurāshṭra, where he honoured Somanātha, the first Jyotirliṅga. He continued to Śaṅkhoddāra, bathed in the Gomatī, and entered Dvārakā, the city of Kṛshṇa, one of the seven sacred cities.

He completed all the tīrtha rites there and received the honours of the western kings. Then Rāma visited the holy places of the Sarasvatī and arrived at Pushkara tīrtha, the most famous tīrtha of the west. There he performed a great śrāddha. His gifts were greater even than those he had given at Kāśī. Countless brāhmaṇas were fed with divine sweets and pāyasa (sweet milk rice). (Chapter 8)

The northern journey and Kailāsa

On the road north

From Pushkara, Rāma turned north. He visited Jvālāmukhī and then the Tapatī river. At the Karatoyā river Rāma stopped. The śāstra says that crossing the Karatoyā brings pāpa. The same is said of crossing the Karmanāśā, of touching its water, and of crossing the Gaṇḍakī with the arms. So Rāma turned back from the Karatoyā after he reached it.

He went on to Devaprayāga on the Alakanandā and had darśana there. He visited Badarī, where Nara and Nārāyaṇa perform tapas for ever, and where a single darśana gives mukti (release). Then he visited Kedāreśvara. (Chapter 9)

Mānasa Sarovara and the Himālaya

Rāma climbed to the heights of the Himālaya along the great divine path and arrived at Mānasa Sarovara. This divine lake is the one from whose waters the Sarayū herself was born. It was covered with golden lotuses and with thousands of haṃsas (swans) with red eyes, feet and beaks, which fed on pearls. Devas, gandharvas, kinnarīs and apsarās played around it. Rāma bathed in the Mānasa Sarovara. He then visited Bindu Sarovara and gave dāna there.

On the divine peak of the Himālaya, Rāma reached the Brahmā Sabhā, the divine assembly hall of Brahmā, which shone like Mount Meru. There Rāma and all his party came down from the Pushpaka and paid homage to Indra and the gathered devas. Brahmā embraced Rāma. The devas were honoured. Brahmā gave Rāma the Kāmadhenu, the divine cow that grants every wish. Rāma placed the Kāmadhenu on the Pushpaka. (Chapter 9)

At Kailāsa with Śiva and Pārvatī

Rāma went with the gathered devas to Kailāsa. Parameśvara Śiva was seated on his Vṛshabha throne with Pārvatī. When he heard that Rāma was coming, he rose and came forward to meet him. When Rāma learned that Śiva was approaching, he came down quickly from the Pushpaka and bowed to the ground before Śiva and Pārvatī. Śiva embraced Rāma. Pārvatī embraced Sītā and gave her divine ornaments with great joy: earrings, anklets, armlets, a pair of jewelled chūḍāmaṇis, a kiṅkiṇī necklace, crescent-moon hair ornaments, and necklaces of pearls and gems.

Śiva then honoured Rāma and said: “O Rāma, Brahmā was born from your navel-lotus. I was born from Brahmā’s tears of creation. So I am your pautra (grandson) and the one who carries out your command. I bring about the dissolution of the world only at your direction. I know that these tīrtha yātrās are for loka-śikshaṇa, the teaching of the world.”

Śiva then gave Rāma royal gifts: a divine throne, a royal parasol, chāmaras (fly-whisks), the finest bed, drinking vessels, golden dishes for food, armlets, earrings, arm ornaments and a crown of the highest quality. He placed the Cintāmaṇi, the gem that grants every wish, on Rāma’s chest.

Sītā saw the Cintāmaṇi resting on Rāma’s heart. She smiled shyly and said to Rāma: “Let the Kāmadhenu be mine and the Cintāmaṇi remain yours.” Rāma agreed. Rāma then paid homage to Śiva, spoke of the coming Aśvamedha yāga, and invited Brahmā to come to it after one month. The whole company then left. (Chapter 9)

The way back to Ayodhyā

Coming down from the northern heights, Rāma visited Haridvāra on the Gaṅgā and then Kurukshetra, where he bathed. He visited Indraprastha, then the forests of Vṛndāvana, the holy village of Gokula, and Govardhana. All these places are holy because of the coming advent of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. He visited Avantī (Ujjain) and paid homage to Mahākāleśvara. Then he came to Gajākshetra.

At Naimishāraṇya, Rāma visited the great assembly of ṛshis led by Śaunaka and met Sūta Maharshi, the great reciter of the Purāṇas. He bathed in the Gomatī. He then bathed at Brahma-Vaivarta tīrtha and finally came to the Tamasā river, from where he could see dear Ayodhyā ahead.

Sumantra heard that the king was returning. He had already decorated Ayodhyā with flags, banners, garlands and divine lamps. He came out to meet Rāma with the royal elephant and the army. Rāma came down from the Pushpaka at the city gate and entered Ayodhyā amid great rejoicing. (Chapter 9)

Rāma’s proclamation in Ayodhyā

Rāma bathed at the Rāma-tīrtha on the Sarayū and fasted for one day, as Vasishṭha had told him. Then he performed the dadhi-śrāddha and gave great dānas. On the third day he entered Ayodhyā by vimāna and sat on the Cintāmaṇi throne. Sītā went into her own rooms and set up the Kāmadhenu there.

Rāma made the finest pāyasa from the Kāmadhenu’s ghee and milk. He had it given to everyone: brāhmaṇas, kshatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras and chaṇḍālas alike. For five days no one in the kingdom needed to cook. He then proclaimed: “From now on, all the citizens of Ayodhyā, and all guests and travellers who pass through, shall be fed by Rāma himself. Only those who keep the daily agnihotra may cook in their own homes.”

After five days the visiting kings were sent home with fine gifts and an invitation to the coming Aśvamedha yāga. The vānara chiefs and Vibhīshaṇa were asked to stay until the Aśvamedha. (Chapter 9)

Sources

  • Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Yātrā Khaṇḍa, Sargas 3–9
  • Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Yātrā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 5 (the occasion and the Pushpaka Vimāna)
  • Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Yātrā Khaṇḍa, Chapters 6 to 9 (the eastern, southern, western and northern journeys and the return to Ayodhyā)