Danda Forest

Agastya said - In the land of Vidarbha, was a king called Shweta. The king meditated in a forest. There were no animals in that forest which surprised the king. Listen to the reason for this. There was a king in Vidharbha, called Nala, who ruled that land. He had a son called Ikshvaku, who took over the kingdom after his father. It was this king who started the solar dynasty, in whose clan you were born, Rama.

His kingdom was taken over forcibly, by his younger brother, Danda. He was a cruel person.

One day he went to the house of the sage Shukra. Abja, the daughter of Shukra had gone to pluck flowers. Shukra was not there when Abja returned with the flowers. 

Danda was smitten by her and grabbed her hand. Abja said she was the daughter of his Guru and it was not proper that he behave in that manner. Danda did not listen. and said he would have her by force.

Abja said that would mean the death of the king.

The king then raped Abja and left. Abja started crying out to her father. 

Shukra coming to know this cursed the king to die.

Fire showers began in the kingdom and Danda and his entire family was burnt to death. The kingdom got transformed into a forest and became known as the Dandaka forest.

This is the forest where we are now.

Rama stayed that day with Agastya. They prayed together in the evening. Rama stayed there that night and in the next day morning he took leave of Agastya. 

008 Birth of Harit

Mandhata's son was Muchkunda, who had a son called Prithu, who could travel over the oceans with ease. Prithu had a som called Ishkawaku. He had Narada and Vashishtha as his guides. He had a son called Shatavarta whose son was called Aryavarta. Aryavarta had a son called Bharata. His sone was Bhudhar whose son was Khanda.Khanda had a son called Danda.
Danda was a person of bad character. He could not control himself if he saw a good looking woman. He would kidnap and ravish her.
People went to his father and complained saying they would not be able to live in Ayodhya and would need to leave the place, because of the atrocities levied on them by Danda.

Thinking that marriage would change him, Khanda got his son married. He sent his son to a nearby forest where Danda setup his kingdom, in the forest called Dandaranya. The sage Shukra used to live there. Danda used to go to the sage to learn from him.

One day when Danda went to the sage, he saw that the sage was not at home. He saw that the sage had a beautiful daughter Abja, who was picking flowers for worship. Danda said he wanted to make love to her but the maiden refused. She said , You are a student of my father, thus you are like my brother. What you are saying is sinful. Please discard these thoughts. If you want me, you will have to marry me, and for that you will have to ask my father for my hand.

Danda he would think of marriage later, first he wanted her. When the maiden refused, he forcibly ravished the virgin maiden. In the evening when Shukra came home, his daughter gave him seat to sit. Shukra wanted to know why his daughter looked different and behaved differently. With tears in her eyes, Abja told her father what had happened. He sent forth for Danda. Danda came there and stood before the sage. The sage asked him if this was the gratitude shown for the knowledge given. With fiery eyes, Shukra looked at Danda and the prince was instantly burnt to ashes.

With Danda no more, there was no one to carry the line of the king of Ayodhya.In Ayodhya, the sage Vashistha reluctantly took the reigns of the kingdom on his shoulder. A sage was meant for worship, and not ruling a land. Meditating, he realized that Abja would give birth to a son. He approached Shukra and asked him to send his daughter to Ayodhya. She was to be the mother of the future king of Ayodhya. Shukra agreed and Abja went to live in the palace in Ayodhya. She soon gave birth to son who was named Harit.

Harit was crowned king when he was old enough. One day he asked his mother how she was widowed at a young age. Abja explained to Harit, the story of his birth and also told him that she was never married to his father.

Harit had a son named Haribij. Haribij then had a son called Harishchandra.