In Bhagavat Gita, Krishna teaches us that we have to go to gnanis and learn a lot from them. One should not think he knows a lot. To teach us of this, Sri Rama goes from ashrama to ashrama visiting sages.

Swami is next visiting Madhya Pradesh, near Patna-Tamoli Krishnan swami has visited a place near district Panna to visit the hermitage of rishi Agastya. Agastya gave Rama a bow. Even Kulasekaraazhwar has noted this down in his pasuram (work). 'Aga' means 'mountain' 'sta' means 'stopped the growth of', Vindhya wanted to grow so enormous he wanted even Sun and Moon to be stopped of their course, that is why sage Agastya stopped its growth and made it bend down forever. He is also known as 'samudra cholaka' who drank the entire ocean. Indra defeated Vritra with the help of Kalakeyas. The troublesome Kalakeyas went and hid in the ocean. Then Agastya drank the ocean after which the kalakeyas could be killed. He was born as Urvashi, hence he is also known as Ouvasheyar. He was born of Mitra-Varunas in a Kumba (vessel). Kumba-sambavar is his other name. Once he carried the palanquin for Indra. Nahusha did great penance and earned the title of Indra. he wanted to sit next to Indrani and went fast. He went in a palanquin and asked sapta-rishis to carry his palanquin. They did. He also made Agastya to carry his palanquin. But since Agastya was short, he walked slow. 'Sarpa', 'sarpa' (faster) came the order from Nahusha. Finally angered by his words, Agastya cursed Nahusha to be born a serpent. When he asked about his
redemption, he said when pandavas came for vanavas, that Yudhisthira would touch the serpent body of Nahusha and that his redemption would come by that time. Like this, Sage Agastya is famous for many stories. Brahma -> Marichi -> Kashyapa -> Surya -> Agastya is said to be his lineage. His wife is Lopamadra who flew out of Agastya's kamandalu and flows as river Kauveri.

After visiting this sage Agastya's ashrama, swami Krishnan returns back. He has now set out to further South -> Ramtek. In Madhya Pradesh, Krishnan has left the place near Satna. For going to Ramtek, he has to cross the border of Madhya Pradesh and enter into Maharashtra. In Valmiki Ramayana, it is not said that Rama crossed Narmada river. However, Narmada is actually located close to the places swami Krishnan has visited. So he made efforts to
visit Narmada. Early in the morning, under a grand bridge, they visited the holy Narmada. In Uttara Khanda, after Rama starts ruling the kingdom, a brahmin's boy is dead. That brahmin brings the dead boy to Rama's kingdom and says that Rama's ruling is wrong and that is why that boy is dead. This Ramtek is the place that is said where something went wrong when Rama ruled his kingdom which Rama rectified. Rama found a man and cut out his
head and the dead boy came alive. There is a temple here. The man whose head was cut off is known as 'Shambukha'. One has to climb a small hill, there is a pond known as 'Ram Thalaab', it is said Rama had bathed here, some people say when Rama left from Agastyashrama to Nasik-Panchavati, he went through this place - anything is possible, we do not know now! The ancient temple is really wonderful, grand with so much statues and art work! It resembles the pagodas in architecture, with elongated structures for the main mandir. This place is known as 'Rama giri' or 'Ramtek'. Many say that Agastya's ashram is located here. They say that twice Rama came here, once when he went from Chitrakoota to Panchavati and next to kill Shambukha when Rama was ruling.

There is an ashrama for Agastya inside this temple, and Rama-Lakshmana are there in separate sanctums for each! Next we are going to visit 'Koundinyapur' which is Sri Krishna's wife Rukmini's birthplace since it is on the way. Kingdom of Vidharba - Kundinapuram is where Rukmini's marriage took place. Nasik is on one side of river Godavari, the other side is
Panchavati. The jatayu-moksha sthala and janasthana are located near Nasik-Panchavati. Nasik means the nose and ears that was cut out (by Lakshmana). (Nasika means nose). The nose that was cut out by Lakshmana (in Panchavati), flew past the Godavari and fell down in Nasik. The Surpanaka episode, Sita's abduction, the commencement of RAma's search for Sita, Jatayu moksha all happened in Nasik-Panchavati. Let us explore this place next!

Ramtek: