Rama moves to Panchavati and gets Jatayu's acquaintance:
Worthy of Agastya's praise, Seetha indeed has done the impossible following Rama to the forest and that which is impossible to the whole of womenfolk in particular. As He prepared to take leave, Rama requested the sage to guide Him a place to complete the days of his exile living there.
Agastya prodding over a while suggested Panchavati at about 2 yojanas around 30 KMs distance with abundant fruits, water and many a deer as suitable and that Seetha can take delight staying there.
The scene now moves to Nasik in Maharastra from Satna in Madhya Pradesh, where Agastya ashram is situate. The sage indicates Panchavati is reached in about 30 KMs distance. Perhaps this was the case then. The present Nasik-Panchavati is quite far from Satna suggesting probably that the Sage had Ashram quite closer to Panchavati as well as the one identifiable now.
Agastya giving details of the path and direction guided the way to Panchavati, a blooming-forest in the valley of mountains. Rama and LakshmaNa offering veneration to the sage bid fare well to him and proceeded as per his advise. Panchavati is named after the five vata-vriksha (banyan trees) grown encompassing the river Godhavari.
The present day Nasik-Panchavati is situate on the banks, some 50 miles off the birth place of Godhavari, witnessing the city on the one side and Tapovan on the other. Sage Agastya is the iconic Tamil-sage, whose name is synonym to the province south of Vindya range of mountains, where Tamil is the spoken language. This province is also venerable for another Saint, named Namazhvar, the Vaishnavite poet who blessed the world with the Tamil Vedas called Thiruvoimozhi.
On the way to Panchavati, Rama meets Jatayu, the King-eagle and a good-old friend of King Dasaratha. Rama enquiringly asked' who he is ' In response Jatayu revealing his ancestry gives an account of his lineage. To Kashyapa and Taamra were born five girl children, of whom Shuki is one. Nata was born to Shuki, who is the mother of Vinatha. VainatEya or Garuda and AruNa were born to Vinatha and Jatayu and Sampati are the sons of AruNa, the charioteer to Sun-god.
Jatayu promised to keep guard of them in the forest full of wild beasts and demons and offered to take care of Seetha, when ever Rama and LakshmaNa happen to go out. Rama obligingly hugged Jatayu and bowed His head in gratitude. All at once started further towards Panchavati, the flowered forest at its bloom.
Rama requiring LakshmaNa to identify a place for construction of parNa shAla said: ''Oh! LakshmaNa look for a place, where Vaidehi, you and Me would delight, be it with scenic flower gardens, a place to recline, water-hole for bath and again the sacred-twigs namely ''samit'' are to be available in plenty.
As soon as Rama said thus, LakshmaNa with folded hands pleaded ''paravaan asmi Kaakustha....'' meaning ''I am but dependent''. He said ''you order me do it'' instead of ''you do it your way'', high lighting the self denial of LakshmaNa, the essential and desirable aspect of ''self-less kainkarya to the Supreme Lord''.
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