Dasharatha was a descendant of the Ikshvaku dynasty and the king of Ayodhya who lived during the Treta Yuga. His birth name was Nemi.
Dasharatha was the son of the great King Aja and Indumati. He had three wives and his sons were Rama , Bharatha, Lakshmana and Shatrughna. Dasharatha is a talented rider of his chariot which could move in all directions, and also would go to the divine worlds and return to the earth. He also helped the demi gods and fought with several dreaded demons and killed them in the war.
Once, due to a help done by his wife Kaikeyi, towards winning in the war, Dasharatha promised her that her son would be his successor and will become the King of Ayodhya.
Dasharath has performed many yagnas with the guidance of Vasishtha, and due to that he had four great divine avatars as his sons, and he brought up them well and trained them in all kinds of arts. And after they have grown up, he conducted marriages for his children.
He was separated from his son Lord Rama, due to a curse which he got it when he accidently killed a noble person Shravan, and was cursed by his blind parents. The place where Dasharatha has accidently killed Shravan is now known as Shravan Kshetra, and even now lot of people are coming to this holy shrine and offering prayers to the noble boy “SHRAVAN”.
After the banishment of Lord Rama to the forest, the grief stricken Dasaratha died. He was cremated on the banks of the Sarayu River. This is a sacred place for Hindus.
IMPORTANCE
He was a great valour and talented in all kinds of arts, and a master in Hindu Scriptures. He was a blessed one for having Lord Rama as his own son. He ruled his kingdom in a proper manner, and treated his people in a kind manner, and provided all the necessary benefits to them. Everybody had liked him and lived peacefully and happily during his rule.
Let us worship the great king Dasaratha and be blessed.
“OM SRI DASARATHA MAHARAJAVE NAMAHA”
“JAI SRI RAM”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR