Chapter 5

Dasarath begets children

Dasarath duly went to Anga and met his friend Chitraartha. He requested him to send his daughter Shanta and son-in-law RishyaSringa to Ayodhya to perform the Aswamedha yajna and Putra-Kameshti Yajna.

Chitraartha received Dasarath well and promised to help him. He requested RishyaSringa to go to Ayodhya and stay there till the completion of the Yajnas along with his daughter Shantha. RishyaSringa duly agreed.

When Dasarath came back with RishyaSringa to Ayodhya, Dasarath made sure that RishyaSringa is well received. His advance party came much before and decorated the streets of Ayodhya. They made all the people including the army, Rishis, Brahmins, traders, workers aware of RishyaSringa's visit. The importance of RishyaSringa's visit and his knowledge were all talked about amongst the people. The benefit of his visit to the kingdom was highlighted in every quarters.

All the streets were dusted and washed. The route in which he will walk through was sprayed with water continuously so that he can walk on a cooler surface. IN short, he was given a Red Carpet welcome of these days.

Unfortunately today mostly such a welcome is given to cricketers (if they win) or film Stars (if they give a sign of plunging into politics) or Presidents of other countries (if they are big enough to bully us).

But in those days, Scientists, Researchers and such people who were working on frontiers of knowledge were given that welcome. They were given a much bigger welcome than the kings.

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RishyaSringa started the preparations of Yajna. He selected a Royal Horse and set it free to roam around on its will. He initiated Dasarath and his wives into the study of scriptures. It involved rigorous rituals three times a day and living a simpler life than that of a King.

Like in these days, studies in those days involved periods of one year. In fact, the start of gaining knowledge or school is represented by 'Yajnopaveeth', the wearing of the Sacred Thread. Yajnopaveeth was the initiation ceremony after which, students went into Gurukul. During this ceremony, the basic truth of life was taught as 'Brahma-Upadesa' or the first teaching.

That was nothing but the fact 'AUM' represents the Standard model of Universe and Gayatri Mantra explains how Universe came into being through a Big Bang. These were followed by the study of Vedas, which were more oriented towards daily life sciences.

After eleven months of study, students went back to their parent from Gurukul and stayed with them for a month of holidays. At the end of Holidays, they changed their sacred thread and came back to school to continue their studies.

In the same way, after a year Dasarath and his wives completed gaining knowledge required for Aswamedha. The Royal horse was brought back to Ayodhya.

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In the northern banks of Sarayu, several yajna altars were built. In the centre was built an eagle shaped altar, in which the Royal Horse would be sacrificed.

While Aswamedha Yajna involved utilising the omentum of the horse, putra-kameshti yajna involved the animal fats of many other animals.

All the people of Ayodhya, Kings and their courtiers from far away places, invitees from various Rishi communities and learned Brahmans from various countries were all seated around the altars to witness the Yajna. In the lead was RishyaSringa, performing the Yajna.

On the first day of Yajna, various worships and basic preparations for the Yajna were done. It was like the test run, where all the sacrifical altars were lit and tested if they could reach the required temparatures.

All the people were well fed and clothes were given away freely so that nobody stays hungry or under-clothed during the days of Yajna. It was important to ensure the happiness of everyone.

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On the night of the first day, Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi entered the stable where the Royal horse was tied. She pierced the horse three times (like the muslims do with halal) at three different places and let the horse bled. Soon the horse became unconscious, fell on the earth and started its journey to death.

Then Kausalya lied along with the horse. She and horse were covered with one Single cloth. She kept on sexually stimulating the horse for long time. Soon other queens took turns to do the same.

Typically a procedure is defined here with Yudgita, Hotri and Advayaru in Stapatha Brahmana scriptures. The underlying issue is that there are different players in this ritual who help the queen to put down the horse and stimulate it continuously through the night.

During the dawn, these priests lead the queens out of the stable. The horse is completely dead by now. They dissect the horse and take out its omentum. This is roasted and cooked and given to King, who smells it and eats it. The rest of the horse is burnt completely.

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The Putra Kameshti Yajna also involves extracting animal fats of many other animals and burning them in the altar. A thick black smoke arose from the altar as animal fats got burnt.

RishyaSringa distilled and extracted an oily substance from this thick black smoke that raised from the altar. He then liquefied it and purified it to from a clear sugary liquid. He gave it to Dasarath and his queens.

Dasarath took and drank half of it. Kausalya drank one-fourth of it. Sumitra drank three-sixteenth of it. Kaikeyi drank one sixteenth of it. This might be taken as the volume of the liquid they drank and the strength of the treatment they took.

Since the liquid was supposed to increase the fertility and the Yajna was for the future of the throne of Ayodhya, the strength of the distillation was divided on the basis of proximity to the throne of Ayodhya.

Hence Dasarath took 50% of it. Kausalya being the Chief Queen took 25% of it. Sumitra being second in line responsible for the throne took around 19%. Kaikey took the remaining 6%.

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Dasarath, his queens, Vasishta, RishyaSringa, the learned invitees, Rishis and all the people of Ayodhya were very happy that the Yajna concluded well. They were all quite sure that Yajna will bring great peace and prosperity to Ayodhya through the birth of their prince.

Indeed the princes were born. Not one. Over a period four princes were born.

Soon Kausalya gave birth to Ram. Later Sumitra gave birth to Lakshman. It took some years before Kaikeyi gave birth to Baradha. After few years Sumitra once again gave birth to Satruganh.

This is completely explainable. Kausalya was the chief queen, but she was more docile. Dasarath was not attracted enough to her. Kausalya always nursed a grouse against Dasarath on this account. Hence she could not bear more than one kid, though she took a stronger treatment.

Kaikieyi was more valorous and this attracted Dasarath to her. Dasarath spent most of his time only with Kaiekyi. Still kaikeyi could not bear more than one kid. She took the weakest treatment.

Sumitra was intelligent and brave. Dasarath turned to Sumitra's advice often in times of his difficulties. Sumitra had a son along with Kausalya and much later when Kaikeyi got a son, that time too Sumitra had another son.

Ram and Lakshman having born closely grew up as pals together. Baradha and Satrughan grew up together as they were born in the same period.

-TBT