Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.712

c6.712

Vālmīki-āśrama.—Vālmīki, the celebrated author of the *Rāmāyaṇa*, had his hermitage at Bithur, 14 miles from Cawnpore. Here Sītā gave birth to her twin sons, Lava and Kuśa. This hermitage was situated in a lovely corner of the Citrakūṭa mountain. Kālidāsa places this hermitage on the way of Śatrughna proceeding to kill the demon Lavana from Ayodhyā to Madhupagna, five miles to the south-west of modern Muttra.³ The sage Bharadvāja directed Rāma to go to the confluence of the rivers Gaṅgā and Yamunā. Rāma with Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā crossed the Yamunā and reached its right bank. At a distance of two miles from this place they found a forest region on the bank of the Yamunā. In the evening they reached a plain tract in this forest where they spent the night. At day break they continued their journey and came to the Citrakūṭa mountain. They then found the hermitage of Vālmīki. According to the *Rāmāyaṇa* (1, 2, 3; VII. 57, 3), the hermitage of Vālmīki is said to have been situated near the confluence of the Gaṅgā and the Tamasā (southern Tons). It was on the Tamasā (eastern Tons) according to Pargiter.¹ The Rāmāyaṇa (VII, Ch. 57) points out that Lakṣmaṇa crossed the Gaṅgā while taking Sītā to Vālmīki’s hermitage.² The Tamasā should be the eastern Tons on the bank of which stood Vālmīki’s hermitage.³ This hermitage was also visited by Śatrughna who came here from Madhurā.⁴