#sumantra

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Recap: King Dasharatha proposes an Ashwamedha Yagna in order to beget sons. His minister Sumantra suggests that the best man for the job would be the Majesty's own son-in-law. The stunned Dasharatha's mind wanders back a few years.

He still remembered how he felt when he first met her. He was usually a confident person who walked with his head held high. Nothing ever made the mighty Dasharatha nervous. However, the sight of this woman's face peeking out from behind the curtains had changed him. He longed to take one more look at her. He kept glancing towards the curtains, completely unaware of what King Bhanumanta was saying. He had never felt this way before.

A silent smile played on his's lips all the way back to Ayodhya. The kingdoms of Uttara and Dakshina Koshala (Northern and Southern Koshala) had finally become one under his reign. Bhanumanta, though much older in age, had reverently accepted to rule under his supremacy. The kingdom which had split into two several generations ago had finally been brought together with his tactful approach. But Dasharatha wasn't thinking about that. He was thinking about Kausalya, the most beautiful woman in all of Koshala. A woman definitely worthy of being his majestic queen. As his horse rode into the sunset, Dasharatha found himself blushing like a little boy. He surprised himself.

On getting back to his capital, he sent messengers to Dakshina Koshala, asking for the princess' hand in marriage. But it proved more difficult than he thought. He was refused, for possibly the first time in his life. As a daughter of the Koshala dynasty herself, Kausalya shared his gotra (lineage). And marriage in the same gotra was forbidden. The pain was too much. Dasharatha was angry. Nobody dare stand in front of what the greatest king in Bharata Varsha wanted. Not even his own ancestors. He wanted to shoot the messenger who brought the reply. He wanted to call for war. He wanted to destroy anyone who mentioned his gotra. Damn, he wanted her. And get her he did.

They married secretly on the banks of River Ganga, with the rituals conducted by Sage Narada and witnessed by the groom's close friend - Jatayu. The king of eagles had been Dasharatha's only support through this ordeal. He watched them with pride as they waved to the people of Ayodhya, several days later. They looked so happy together. He had done the right thing.

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If he thought his first sight of Kausalya was his most magical moment so far, Dasharatha was definitely not prepared for this. She was an angel. He felt himself go slightly dizzy just watching her sleep. A sudden sense of peace spread all over him. He named her Shantha. His lovely little girl. Ayodhya's first child. He looked up and found his wife watching him with amusement. He must've looked like an idiot with that grin on his face. Their eyes met and said a thousand things to each other. This is just too good to be true, he thought. And he was right.

In a few days, the palace doctors diagnosed a disability on one of Shantha's legs. Try as they might, they couldn't cure her. Her parents were heart broken. The mighty Dasharatha who could move in ten directions, had a daughter who couldn't walk? It shattered him. He turned to Vasishta for advice.

"You were warned not to marry in the same lineage, son. Shouldn't you have listened?", admonished the old Rishi.

"Please don't hurt me more than I already am, Guru. Show me the way to help my little one. I'll do anything to make her alright. Anything", pleaded the man who ruled the world.

"Anything, you say? Well then, you could give her in adoption to another royal couple and let them treat her. It might help remove the sins of marrying within the gotra. And I have heard the Anga kingdom has some of the best doctors", suggested Vasishta.

It was the most difficult decision of Dasharatha's life. Somehow, Kausalya seemed much stronger than he was.

In a silent ceremony where guilt hung around like a cloud, Dasharatha gave her away to Romapada and Varshini, the royal couple of Anga. Miraculously, their treatments worked and Shanta grew up to be a gorgeous young lady. Dasharatha had not seen her since that ceremony. He remembered how she had clung to her mother and refused to let go, as if she understood what was happening. How time had flown. He had almost forgotten his daughter. The first light of his life. She had now come back to save their clan. How appropriate that Sumantra should suggest her husband as the right man to perform the Ashwamedha ritual. Of course he was! Tears welled up in Dasharatha's eyes. A mixture of nostalgia and self-reproach took over him.

Ayodhyaa Mathuraa Maayaa Kaashii Kaanchii Avantikaa | Purii Dvaaravatii chaiva saptaite mokShadaayikaaH ||

The Garuda Purana lists 7 cities as the holiest of holy, the sacred lands where one can obtain moksha (liberation) - Ayodhya, Mathura, Haridwar (Maaya), Varnasi (Kasi), Kanchipuram, Ujjain (Avantika), and Dwarka (Dvaaravati).

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Spread over an area of roughly 10 square kilometres, present day Ayodhya has a population of around 50,000 people with an average literacy of 65%, according to the 2001 census. Every nook and cranny of this city, carries with it a legacy, sometimes with proudly and sometimes grudgingly. Everything in Ayodhya has a connection to the Ramayana. This is where Hanuman lived, this is where Luv and Kush took bath, this is where the horses were kept for the Ashwamedha Yagnya, this is where the karsevaks gathered on the fateful 6th of December...after a while, you never know where history ends and myth begins. But all of these spots are marked, photographed and even prayed to, with equal fervour and enthusiasm. Who cares really?

One of such landmarks is a lovely old building known by the locals as Badi Jagah - The Big Place. In its better days, it would have been a magnificient palace worthy of a king, where Dasharatha would have lived with his kith and kin. Little would he have imagined how his city would turn out several millenia later. His Ayodhya was a city that was true to its name. A-yudhya (yudh = war). The city that could not be fought. The inconquerable. It was a rectangular city, laid out like the ancient board game of Ashtapada (a precursor to chess), 180 kms in length and 36kms in width. Full of trees, gardens and happy people, Ayodhya was also impenetrable, with huge walls and deep moats guarding it on all sides. There were no liars, thieves and misers in Ayodhya. Neither were there any illiterates or starved ones. The city had the best horses, which were bred in countries far away. It also had the most skillful archers, who strictly followed the rules of archery. They would not kill someone who was alone, someone who did not have a successor or predecessor, or someone who was running away from them. Sonic archery - shooting a target by listening to its sound, was also banned in Ayodhya (Can you guess why?). As a patron of the performing arts, Dasharatha ensured that musical instruments like veena, mridangam and dundubhi were always played at central places in the city, for the enjoyment of his subjects. He lived a good life, our man Dasharatha. He ruled justly, conquered several colonies and had taken not one but three wives.

As he stood atop the terrace of his palace and watched the sun rise on his kingdom, he felt proud. This was a kingdom that would be spoken about for several thousand years to come. But something constantly bothered him. He needed answers. As he gazed at the rising sun, a dying Shravan's face suddenly flashed in front of his eyes. He shuddered and looked down. What he saw gave him some solace. Making their way towards him across the lawn were his eight ministers, the eight most intelligent men of Ayodhya. Dhristi, Jayantha, Vijaya, Suraashtra, Raashtravardhana, Akopa, Dharmapaala and Sumantra. Sharp, skillful and strategic, these men were brains behind all that Dasharatha took credit for. They spoke to each other in hushed voices, wondering what an emergency meeting this early in the morning could be about. Sumantra alone was quiet and walked by himself. Once they had reached the terrace and bowed to the King, they enquired what it was that was troubling a man so wise.

"Why don't I have any sons? Who will rule this kingdom after me? I didn't build all that to give it away for free or have it conquered by someone else!". Dasharatha was someone who couldn't stand being helpless.The ministers were silent, knowing fully well that he already had something in mind.

"Do you think performing an Ashwamedha Yagnya will help me beget sons?", he finished.

The discussion continued almost until lunchtime, as they discussed the feasibility, logistics and requirements for such a large exercise. The horse sacrifice was a long and arduous ritual to please the Gods, described in detail in the Yajur Veda. It was to be done by kings only, for power, glory and prosperity of his kingdom. It is also one of the five vedic rites banned in the Kali Yuga. The daunty Sumantra quickly fetched Suyajna, Vaama Deva, Jaabala and Vasishta to join the discussion, so that the exact vedic procedures could be discussed. At the end of it, everyone went back resolved to get started on the Yagnya as soon as possible. Sumantra alone stayed behind.

"Yes, my friend?" inquired the king.

"O Conqueror of the Universe, I'm sure you know fully well that in an exercise like this, we cannot leave anything to chance. The ritual must be performed without a single fault, in keeping with the exact rules laid down in the Vedas. Even the slightest mistake might anger the Gods and prove damaging for not just you, but our entire Kingdom.."

"Of course, Sumantra! We have the best vedic Brahmans right here in our kingdom. We will ensure that all their needs are met. No stone shall be unturned to make this the best sacrifice the Gods have ever seen. Are you not sure of our abilities?"

"I know of your quest for perfection more than any other man, my Lord. Which is exactly why I wanted to bring this up now. There is someone who has a track record in carrying out such large sacrifices with utmost precision and devotion. The Anga kingdom begot rains only after his interference, when a famine almost threatened to wipe out their populace. He is right person to lead this noble ritual and ensure progeny for your great race. But it is a mammoth task to convince him to come to our land. He lives in the forests and prefers not to mix with humans. If you consent, then I-"

"Who is he?", interrupted the impatient king.

"Your son-in-law", Sumantra snapped back.