Oshadhiparvata () is a mythological mountain featured in the

Ramayana The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...

. It is described to possess a number of medicinal plants growing upon its summit. In the Ramayana, the bear-king

Jambavan Jambavan (, ), also known as Jambavanta (, ), is the king of the bears in Hindu texts. He emerged from the mouth of Brahma when the creator deity yawned. He assisted Rama, the 7th avatar of Vishnu in his quest to save his wife Sita from the r ...

requests the

vanara In Hinduism, Vanara () are either monkeys, apes, or a race of forest-dwelling people. In the epic the ''Ramayana'', the Vanaras help Rama defeat Ravana. They are generally depicted as humanoid apes, or human-like beings. Etymology There ...

Hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...

to travel to Oshadhiparvata and carry the medicinal herbs that grow on its southern summit to the battlefield in

Lanka Lanka (; ) is the name given in Hindu epics to the island fortress capital of the legendary Rakshasa king Ravana in the epics of the ''Ramayana'' and the ''Mahabharata''. The fortress was situated on a plateau between three mountain peaks kn ...

for healing the army of Rama.

Literature

In the

, observing the serious injuries afflicting the army of Rama,

urged Hanuman to fly to the

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...

, and locate the Oshadhiparvata, the peak present between the mountains of

Kailasha Kailasha or Kailasa () is the celestial abode of the Hindu god Shiva. It is traditionally recognized as a mountain where Shiva resides along with his consort Parvati, and their children, Ganesha and Kartikeya. Mount Kailash, located in the Trans ...

and

Meru Meru may refer to: Geography Kenya * Meru, Kenya, town in Meru County in the republic of Kenya * Meru County, one of Kenya's 47 counties that was created by the 2009 merger of 3 districts: ** Meru Central District ** Meru North District ** Meru S ...

. He informed the vanara that he would be able to identify the mountain by the luminescence of the healing herbs growing upon them in the dark. He instructed him to collect four herbs, known as the mritasanjivini, vishalyakarani, savarnyakarani, and the santanakarani. These four herbs are stated to heal all wounds, no matter how grievous. Hanuman flew towards the mountain, but realised that the glimmering plants appeared to vanish when he ventured close to them. Growing to massive proportions, Hanuman uprooted the mountain and carried it upon his palm to Lanka. The herbs were used to heal and restore the lives of the fallen warriors on the side of Rama. After his forces were healed, the deity asked Hanuman to restore the mountain to its original location, which he swiftly performed.

References

Sources

*Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend () by Anna Dallapiccola {{HinduMythology Places in the Ramayana Mythological mountains