Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.1811

c8.1811

Pañcavaṭī is on the southern bank of the Godāvarī. Five Vaṭavṛkṣas (banyan trees) stand here in a circle and therefore, the place got the name Pañcavaṭī. There is a legend about these banyan trees. Once five Gandharva youths encircled the sage Agastya in the forest as a sport and prevented him from moving towards any direction. The enraged sage cursed them to stand in the same position as banyan trees. Thus by obstructing the movements of a divine man they were forced to remain without movement as trees. Before they took the form of trees they begged the sage for deliverance from the curse. Agastya said, "One day Śrī Rāma with his wife and brother will come and stay in an āśrama built in your midst. Their holy presence will give you salvation from my curse."