The part of Agastya Muni’s life, relating to his stay in Dandakaranya, is an extraordinary chapter. At that time, the society that inhabited Dandakaranya was largely cultured and righteous. There were three civilized kingdoms that were situated in Dandakaranya, viz. Vakataka, Madhumanta and Shaival. Dandakaranya, during that time, extended right upto the banks of the river Krishna, while some part of it was to the north of the Vindhya Mountain and some to its south. The kingdom of Vakataka was the most cultured and developed. However, after the youngest son of Ishvaku, Danda, became the ruler of the kingdom, his misrule inflicted a lot of suffering on his subjects. He appointed Shukracharya, the guru of the demons (Rakshasaguru) as his priest, and with his help many groups of demons came to settle down in Dandakaranya. The demons were given positions of authority in all spheres. King Danda was captivated by the beauty of the eldest daughter of Shukracharya, Araja, and there began a love affair.
Read More – The Grand History – 21
