The Sage Who Waited For Sri Ram Without Going to Heaven - Story of Sarabhanga Rishi and Sri Ram in the Ramayana
Story of Sarabhanga Rishi is found in the Aranya Kanda of Ramayana. The meeting between Sri Ram and Sarabhanga Rishi takes place in the Dhanka forest. When approaching the ashram of Sarabhanga Rishi, Shri Ram, Mata Sita and Lakshman notices a glorious chariot standing in air and driven by green horses. Sri Ram understood that it was Indra, the king of Devas, who had arrived on the chariot. Indra had come to take Sarabhanga Rishi to the Brahmaloka but the Rishi had refused to leave the ashram. The pious soul was waiting for the arrival of Sri Ram. When Indra left Sri Ram entered the ashram of Sarabhanga Rishi. The sage then narrated about the arrival of Indra and how he refused to go with him. Sarabhanga Rishi had earned Brahmaloka through intense tapas and austerities for several years. The Rishi wanted to gift his Tapa Shakti to Sri Ram. But Bhagavan refused it stating that He should earn it for Himself. Sri Ram wanted a dwelling place in the area. Sarabhan