Ramayana (1): Daśaratha - King Without an Heir

Late Treta Yuga

Bala Kanda 1: Daśaratha, sovereign of the radiant city of Ayodhyā, ruled over Kośala, a realm of prosperity, learning, and righteousness. Born of the illustrious Ikṣvāku dynasty, Daśaratha inherited a lineage stretching back to Ikṣvāku, the son of Manu, the first man and lawgiver.

The kings of this solar (Sūrya) line were famed for their valor and virtue—Bhagiratha, who brought the Ganga down from heaven; Sagara, who performed a thousand sacrifices; Aṃśumān and Dilīpa, paragons of dharma.

Daśaratha was their worthy descendant: a warrior-king whose chariot moved as swiftly as thought, protector of his subjects, friend of the gods, and terror of his foes.

The king was burdened by one grief that clouded all his joy: he had no son. Without a son, the Ikṣvāku line would end, the sacred ancestral rites (śrāddha) would go unperformed, and the continuity of the royal house would perish—a calamity not only for Daśaratha, but for the very balance of the realm.

Despite performing sacrifices, observing austerities, and marrying three noble queens—Kausalyā, Kaikeyī, and Sumitrā—no heir had been born to continue the dynasty’s sacred lineage.

The absence of a successor weighed heavily upon him, for in the Vedic order, a king without progeny not only imperiled his throne but also his ancestors, whose deliverance in the afterlife depended upon the offerings of their descendants.

Thus, the great Ikṣvāku line stood on the brink of extinction, and Dasharatha’s heart grew restless with longing and dread.

In the Bāla Kāṇḍa of the Valmīki Rāmāyaṇa, this is explicitly stated:

mama lālasya mānasya sutārtham nāsti vai sukham — “For the sake of sons my mind has no peace.” (1.8.8)

He then reflects: tat aham yaṣṭum icchāmi… — “Therefore I contemplate to perform the ritual as the scriptures ordain…” (1.8.9)

The Counsel of Sage Vasiṣṭha

In his distress, Daśaratha turned to his royal preceptor and family priest, Sage Vasiṣṭha. The sage, whose wisdom shone like a second sun, calmed the troubled monarch:

“O King, you have ruled in righteousness, guarded your people with justice, and performed all duties befitting a monarch of the solar race. Yet destiny withholds a son, not from lack of merit, but because the time is not yet ripe. The fruit of your devotion is near at hand. Perform, therefore, the Putrakāmeṣṭi Yajña, the sacred sacrifice ordained by the Vedas for the begetting of sons. It will surely fulfill your desire.”

Encouraged by the sage’s words, Dasharatha resolved to act at once. But Vasiṣṭha, perceiving that such a great ritual required the most skilled of sacrificers, advised the king to invite Sage Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, son of the ascetic Vibhaṇḍaka, renowned for his mastery over sacred rites and his purity of heart.

The Arrival of Ṛṣyaśṛṅga

Ṛṣyaśṛṅga was at that time dwelling in the kingdom of Aṅga, ruled by King Lomapāda, a friend of Daśaratha. In earlier days, Lomapāda’s land had been cursed with drought, and only when the chaste Ṛṣyaśṛṅga stepped into Aṅga did the rains return. The sage’s presence was considered auspicious, a bringer of fertility and blessing.

At Vasiṣṭha’s counsel, Dasharatha journeyed to Aṅga with a retinue of nobles and gifts of honor, seeking Ṛṣyaśṛṅga’s aid. The sage, moved by the king’s sincerity, agreed to preside over the sacrifice and returned with him to Ayodhyā.

The Great Sacrifice

Upon their return, preparations for the Putrakāmeṣṭi began in earnest. When the auspicious season arrived, a grand sacrificial ground was prepared on the banks of the Sarayū. A grand altar was erected on the banks of the Sarayū, marked by sacred geometry and purified by hymns.

The air was thick with incense and the sound of the Sāman chants; priests and Brahmins from all corners of the realm gathered to participate, while the citizens of Ayodhyā celebrated with joy, sensing the fulfillment of a long-awaited destiny.

The air was filled with the chanting of the Vedas, and the fragrance of ghee and soma filled the heavens. Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, pure in heart and skilled in sacred ritual, officiated the rite with precision.

As the offerings were poured into the sacred fire, the gods assembled, watching in approval. A divine being—a shining figure from Agni’s fire—emerged holding a golden vessel filled with payasa (celestial nectar). He declared:

“O King,” the being proclaimed, “the gods are pleased with your devotion. Take this payasa, the elixir of life, and distribute it among your queens. From them shall be born sons who will fulfill the purpose of heaven.”

The Division of the Divine Nectar

With reverence, Dasharatha took the vessel and returned to his palace. He offered half the payasa to Queen Kausalyā, the chief consort, a portion to Queen Kaikeyī, and the remainder to Queen Sumitrā. Some versions recount that Sumitrā received two portions—one from Kausalyā and another from Kaikeyī—symbolizing her twin sons’ shared destinies.

The Birth of the Princes

In time, the prophecy came true.

Kausalyā bore Rāma, radiant like the midday sun;

Kaikeyī gave birth to Bharata, noble and steadfast;

and Sumitrā, by the grace of the double portion, delivered Lakṣmaṇa and Śatrughna, bound in brotherly love.

In parallel, a prophecy is mentioned (1.11.10) by the sage Sanatkumāra:

putrāś ca asya bhaviṣyanti catvāro ’mitavikramāḥ… — “And four sons to him will be born, mighty in valor, enriching the dynasty’s prestige, renowned among all beings.” (1.11.10)

Ayodhyā rejoiced as never before—the four sons of Dasharatha, born from divine blessing, destined to shape the fate of heaven and earth alike. Celestial music filled the heavens, flowers rained from above, and the gods themselves rejoiced.

Thus began the story of Rāma—the child of destiny, the embodiment of dharma, born through divine will to restore balance to the worlds.

Source: The Critical Edition of the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, ed. by the Oriental Institute, Baroda (1958–1975).