| Dasharatha | |
|---|---|
 Kaikeyi demands that Dasharatha banish Rama from Ayodhya | |
| Maharaja ofKosala | |
| Predecessor | Aja |
| Successor | Rama |
| Born | Nemi Ayodhya,Kosala,Bharatavarsha (modern-dayUttar Pradesh,India) |
| Died | Ayodhya, Kosala, Bharatavarsha (modern-day Uttar Pradesh, India) |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | |
| Dynasty | Raghuvamsha-Suryavamsha |
| Father | Aja |
| Mother | Indumati |
Dasharatha (Sanskrit:दशरथ,IAST: Daśaratha; bornNemi) was the king ofKosala, with its capital atAyodhya, in the Hindu epicRamayana. Dasharatha marriedKausalya,Sumitra andKaikeyi. He was the father ofRama, the protagonist of the epic Ramayana,[1]Bharata,Lakshmana, andShatrughna. Dasharatha also finds mention in theVishnu Purana.[2]
King Dasharatha was believed to be an incarnation ofSvayambhuva Manu, the son of the Hindu creator god,Brahma.
Dasharatha was born as the son of KingAja of Kosala and Indumati ofVidarbha.[3][failed verification] He was originally named Nemi, but he acquired the monikerDasharatha ('ten chariots') as his chariot could move in all ten directions, fly, and return to earth, and he could fight with ease in all of these directions.[4][need quotation to verify]
Dasharatha became the ruler of Kosala after the death of his father. He was a great warrior who subjugated many of the neighbouring kingdoms with his prowess and slew manyasuras in battle.[5][6]
According to theAyodhyā Kāṇḍa of theRamayana (in chapter 34, verses 10–13), King Dasharatha had around 350 wives, three of whom were his favourite queens:Kausalya was his chief queen,Sumitra was his second queenKaikeyi was his third queen. Kausalya hailed from the kingdom ofDakshina Kosala, Sumitra fromKashi, and Kaikeyi from theKekeya Kingdom.[7][8][9]
Dasharatha ruled over Ayodhyā, but he lacked a son to carry on his dynasty. He decided to perform anPuthrakamesti yagnam in order to beget a son. His counsellor and charioteer, Sumantra, told him of a prophecy that by bringing the sageRishyasringa to Ayodhyā, he would beget sons.[10] To fulfil the prophecy, Dasharatha traveled toAnga, where kingRomapada's daughterShanta was married to Rishyasringa. Bringing Rishyasringa to Kosala, he instructed theBrahmins to perform the Puthrakamesti yagnam. After the Puthrakamesti yagnam was properly performed, a Putrīyā Iṣṭi was performed for the attainment of sons.[11]
During its performance, a figure emerged from the fire carrying a vessel of celestial porridge. Dasharatha offers half of this divine food toKausalya, a quarter toSumitra (i.e., literally 'half of that which remained'), an eighth toKaikeyi (i.e., again, 'half of that which remained'), and then, upon reflection, gives the final eighth to Sumitra again. Kausalya gives birth to the princeRama and Kaikeyi toBharata.[12][13] and Sumitra became the mother ofLakshmana andShatrughna
In a battle between thedevas and theasuras, Dasharatha rode toDevaloka, accompanied by Kaikeyi, to helpIndra fight against the asuras. The devas were at a disadvantage due to the sorcery employed byShambara and his army of asuras. Dasharatha, riding a chariot, faced the asuras in ten directions at the same time. In this battle, his chariot had to be turned to every direction in a swift manner. During the battle, the bolt of one of the wheels slipped out, and the wheel was about to disengage when Kaikeyi inserted her thumb in the hole of the bolt, and kept the chariot steady. When the king learnt of this, he was pleased, and offered her two boons. The queen said that she would ask for those two boons in the future, as she wished for nothing right then and there.[14]
Manthara, Kaikeyi's maid, feared that Kaikeyi would lose her status as chief queen at court if Rama ascended the throne, as Kausalya would thus become queen mother. Manthara later convinced Kaikeyi to demand two boons granted to her years earlier by Dasharatha. King Dasharatha will be obliged to fulfill them.
As her two boons, Kaikeyi demanded that Bharata be crowned king, and Rama be sent to the forest for a period of fourteen years.[15]
After Rama's departure to the forest, Dasharatha lay in his bed with a wailing Kaushalya. He suddenly remembered an incident which had occurred in his past. He narrated to Kausalya and Sumitra about how, by accident, he had killed a young man namedShravana, mistaking him to be a deer.[16]
Dasharatha, who was then the crown prince, had gone hunting on the banks of River Sarayu. He was an expert in hunting by determining the direction of sound and heard the gurgle of an animal drinking water. Mistaking it to be deer, Dasharatha shot an arrow. He became mortified when he heard a human cry as the arrow found its target. Dasharatha hurried there to find a boy lying sprawled on the banks of the river with an arrow lodged in his chest. Dasharatha was aghast and profusely apologised to the young Shravana trying to revive and help him. The boy forgave Dasharatha for his unintentional, unrighteous act, and demanded that Dasharatha pull the arrow out of his chest. He also told him to take the pitcher of water to his blind parents, who must be waiting for him since they were thirsty because of all the travel. The boy died from his injury.
Dasharatha approached the blind couple and told them about their son's unfortunate death. The parents, grief-stricken, cursed Prince Dasharatha: "Just as we are suffering and dying due to the separation from our beloved son, you too shall have the same fate."[17]
Dasharatha concluded the chapter by saying that his end was near and the curse of Shravana's parents had taken effect.[18]
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