Forests mentioned in Hindu mythology

Question

What are some of the major forests mentioned in Hindu mythology and what are their locations ?

I have researched and found out a few but want to know if there are more.

1. Dandaka Aranya
2. Khandava Vana
3. Naimisha Aranya

Answer 1

There are Various forest’s mentioned in Hinduism Mythology as well as in Our Puranas and Itihasas like Mahabharata and Ramayana. Here are some of them -

Tataka Forest - from Valmiki Ramayana: -Valmiki Ramayana (Bala Kanda 26): Sri Rama killing Tataka:, Chitrakoota Forest - from Valmiki Ramayana: , Madhuvana Forest –Shreemad Bhagvatam , Pushkara Forest - from Padma Purana: Vol 1 ,Shrushti Kanda Chapter 15 – Importance of dwelling at sacred places. Kamyaka woods – Mahabharata.

तेन शब्देन वित्रस्ताः ताटका वन वासिनः |
ताटका च सुसंक्रुद्धा तेन शब्देन मोहिता || १-२६-७

By that sound the inhabitants of Tataka forest are startled, and even Tataka is stupefied by that sound, and she is intolerably infuriated at it. [1-26-7]

विश्वामित्रः वचः श्रुत्वा हृष्टो दशरधात्मजः || १-२६-३४
उवास रजनीम् तत्र ताटकाया वने सुखम् |

On listening sage Vishvamitra's words, Dasharatha's son Rama, comfortably stayed that night there in that forest of Tataka. [1-26-34]

Valmiki Ramayana (Bala Kanda 26)

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Sage Bharadwaja informs the route by which Rama and Lakshmana can reach Chitrakuta. They cross the River Yamuna by a raft prepared by themselves. Seetha prays the River Yamuna and a fig tree called Syama. The three of them traveled for a couple of miles along the bank of Yamuna, strolling in the charming forest and reach a leveled ground on the bank to take rest for the night.

समासाद्य तु तम् वृक्षम् वसेद्वातिक्रमेत वा |
क्रोशमात्रम् ततो गत्वा नीलम् द्रक्ष्यथ काननम् || २-५५-८
पलाशबदरीमिश्रम् रम्यम् वंशैश्च यामुनैः |

"Having approached that tree, you can stay there or go beyond it. After going only for two miles from there, you will see a beautiful forest blue in colour with bamboo trees touching upon Yamuna river and interspersed with Sallaka and jujube trees." Valmiki Ramayana ,Ayodhya Kanda

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Madhuvana Forest -: Shreemad Bhagvat Purana SB 4.8: Dhruva Mahārāja Leaves Home for the Forest.

तत्तात गच्छं भद्रं ते यमुनायस्तटम् शुचि|
पुण्यं मधुवनं यत्र सांनिध्यं नित्यदा हरे: ||४२||

tat tāta gaccha bhadraṁ te yamunāyās taṭaṁ śuci puṇyaṁ madhuvanaṁ yatra sānnidhyaṁ nityadā hareḥ

My dear boy, I therefore wish all good fortune for you. You should go to the bank of the Yamunā, where there is a virtuous forest named Madhuvana, and there be purified. Just by going there, one draws nearer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who always lives there.SB4.8.42

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Pushkara Forest- Padma purana -: There is story of Lord Brahma in Padma Purana Vol 1 ,Shrushti Kanda Chapter 15 – Importance of dwelling at sacred places in which Pushkara Forest is described in detail.

20: That lotus , that sprung from Vishnu’s naval , and in which I was born , is called Pushkkar Tirtha by the sages who recite the vedic-texts. 21 : When Brahma was thus thinking, this idea came to his mind: 'I now go to the earth.

22-24. Reaching the place first, he entered that best forest, full of many trees and creepers; adorned with many flowers; filled with the notes of many birds; crowded with groups of many beasts; making gods and demons fragrant with the perfumes of the abundant flowers of trees; its ground was graced with flowers which were as it were intentionally placed there.

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There is mentioning of " Daruka forest" , in Koti Rudra Samhita of Shiva Purana where 12 Jyotirlingas are described in chapter "Dwadash Jyotirlinga Mahatmya". -:

परल्यां वैद्यनाथं च डाकिन्यां भीमाशंकरम् । सेतुबंधे तु रामेशं नागेशं दारुकावने ॥२॥

Paralyam Vaidyanatham Ca Dakinyam Bhimashankaram | Setubandhe Tu Ramesham Nagesham Darukavane ||2||

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We also find two forest names in Mahabharata index Part 22 - namely - Dwaita & Kamyaka

The entrance of the sons of Pandu into the romantic Dwaita wood; conversation of Bhima, Yudhishthira, and Draupadi; the coming of Vyasa to the Pandavas and his endowing Yudhishthira with the power of Pratismriti; then, after the departure of Vyasa, the removal of the Pandavas to the forest of Kamyaka;