In days long past, King Dasaratha ventured deep into the heart of the forest for the sport of night hunting. A master of the wild, swift and strong, he knew every path, every beast, and the secrets of nature’s sounds. As he pursued his quest, he became separated from his soldiers, pressing on alone. His remarkable skill allowed him to distinguish animals by the mere sound of their drinking, detecting the size and nature of a creature through the rustle of water.
On one fateful night, mistaking the sound for that of a beast, Dasaratha lost an arrow toward the noise. A heart-wrenching cry echoed in the forest—no beast, but the pained wail of a dying boy. Rushing to the scene, the king found a young sage named Sravana, writhing in his final moments. In grief, the king spoke, “O boy, my sin cannot be undone. Forgive me.”
The boy, with failing breath, replied, “O king, you were meant to protect, not destroy. My parents, old and blind, are in the forest. I have devoted my life to carrying them on my shoulders, balanced in baskets, so they may one day fulfil their dream of worshipping Lord Shiva and Goddess Annapurna in Kasi. I came here only to fetch water for them. Now, they wait, thirsty and unaware of what has befallen me. Take this tumbler of water, I beg of you, and save them.”
With sorrow heavy upon him, the king took the boy’s lifeless body and approached his parents. He recounted the tragic tale, and the aged couple, stricken with grief and rage, spoke bitterly to Dasaratha, “You have taken from us our only son, born to us in our late years to fulfil our sacred duties. You have committed a great wrong, disturbing not only the peace of the forest but the very rhythm of life. You hunted in the night when all creatures seek refuge with their loved ones. You carry weapons into the sanctuaries of sages, bringing destruction. As you have made us suffer, so too shall you be cursed: your sons will be taken from you, leaving you to grieve as a father without comfort, with no rites offered to ease your soul when you pass.”
Though King Dasaratha begged for forgiveness, the old couple only offered this solace, “Your eldest son will perform the last rites for you, and by his hand, you will ascend to heaven.” With that, the couple passed away, and Dasaratha performed the rites for the three innocent souls, returning to his kingdom burdened with guilt.
Seeking redemption, he turned to his advisor, the sage Vasishtha, who instructed him to perform the “Putrakameshti” ritual, a sacred rite that would absolve him of his sins and grant him children of great renown. Yet, the rite required a pure-hearted sage to perform it. At the same time, Dasaratha’s cousin, King Romapada, faced drought in his own land and was advised by his sages to seek the same ritual’s blessing. They found the sage Rishyashringa, son of Vibhandaka, a being born of divine potency, with the innocence of one who knew not the ways of men and women.
Romapada, wishing to bring the sage to his kingdom, sent a court maiden named Vysali to lure the sage from his forest home. With the allure of her beauty and grace, she succeeded, and at Romapada’s request, Rishyashringa performed the yajna. The fruits of this sacred rite were swift, and as a token of his gratitude, Romapada gave his daughter Shanta in marriage to the sage.
When Dasaratha learned of this, he approached Romapada and requested Rishyashringa to perform the Putrakameshti for him. The ritual was completed successfully, and a divine messenger appeared, delivering a pot of ambrosia to Dasaratha, with instructions to share it among his queens.
In time, the queens bore children: Kausalya gave birth to Rama, Sumitra to Lakshmana, and Kaikeyi to the twins Bharata and Shatrughna. A wave of joy swept through Ayodhya as the divine essence of Vishnu manifested in these sons, destined to rid the world of evil.
The fragrance of flowers filled the air, music seemed to rise naturally from the earth, and the happiness of every creature was felt as a blessing upon the land. Thus, under the benevolent gaze of destiny, Vishnu—bearing the conch, discus, and mace—was born to Dasaratha, tasked with the sacred mission to save the universe from the clutches of Ravana.
