9.5. The character of Daśaratha

The dramatist Śrī Dāmodara Miśra portrays the character of Daśaratha as a person free from blemishes and of a very decent disposition. The personality flashes up first in the midst of an atmosphere of enchanting splendour and majesty, with which the dramatist captivates the minds of others as he launches the story of the Rāmāyaṇa. Daśaratha is briefly but vividly, introduced as an ideal king embodying all the ideals of a true Kṣatriya. As a heroic and powerful successor of the Ikṣvākus and vanquisher of enemies, possessing immense royal riches, yet bent on sacrifice and dharma and the peer of a maharṣi in self-restraint, wisely protecting and ruling his kingdom to the satisfaction of all and being loved by townsmen and countrymen, he is a radiant personality whose greatness of character appeals to the hearts and minds of all the citizens of Ayodhyā and transforms them into an ideal people. Daśaratha is portrayed as a character involved in the current of dramatic events starting from his deliberations on the consecration of his son and leading up to and ending with his death.

Daśaratha’s heart beats with fatherly love for his son. This paternal affection enhanced with elation fills him with the concern and resolution to transform his love into action by conferring that right and honour on his son which would be befitting to his great glory, that is, by consecrating him as heir-apparent. And with paternal concern for the welfare of his son in his heart, he anxiously persists in is immediate consecration as his anxiety, deeply engrained in him, that his own infatuation for Kaikeyī may willy-nilly lead to the frustration of his plan–so dear to his heart, unless he puts it immediately into action, violently erupts with his vision of inauspicious dreams suggesting death or change of mind.^[1]

Such a paternal and loving Daśaratha, lulling himself in the lofty heights of joyful hope, is thrown into the gruesome depths of the darkest mental agony by Kaikeyī’s unprecedented, eye-opening declaration of her cruel, selfish desire to have his dear son, who has been part of his own self banished and Bharata’s installed. He now realizes himself shaken from the slumber of infatuation that had so filled him with blind passion for Kaikeyī as to bring him irremediably under the clutches of her cunning acts and trap him with the fetters of his own promise. While his heart is beating with grief and agony^[2] and struggling between angry rebukes against her vileness and beseeching entreaties to reverse her cruel design, Kaikeyī not only remains as hard as stone, but as if delighted in seeing his heart broken with grief, makes a sarcastic mock of his reputation of being truthful and pesters him with her repeated warnings to abide by his promise.

At last when Daśaratha hears from Sumantra that Rāma left his kingdom and went to the forest, he has taken his last breath.^[3] The author portrays that after death, Daśaratha has left for heavenly abode. He is a friend of Indra, the king of heaven. He often comes to earth with Indra to see and guide Rāma in the critical moment of his life. He comes to Laṅkā at the time of Sītā’s fire ordeal and the time of terrible battle between Rāma and Rāvaṇa. Thus Daśaratha is presented in the drama as a loving and caring father. He is actually having no blemish in his character. With no malice in heart, he maintains high standard of truthfulness and goodwill to each and everyone who comes in contact with him

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Character portrays in the Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki, p.325

[2]:

rāmaṃ jāyāgrajamiva vanaṃ prasthitaṃ vīkṣya śakto dhartuṃ prāṇāñchiva! śiva! kathaṃ tanvihāyā’thavā’ham/
nirmuktaḥ syāṃ vacanamanṛtaṃ tatpunarnā’nyathā me bhūyadbhuyastadanu vacanaṃ hā! babhāṣe tathe ti// ibid., III.4

[3]:

śrutvā sumantravacanena sutaprayānaṃ śāpasya tasya ca vicintya vipākavelām/
‘hā! rāghave’ti sakṛduccaritaṃ nṛpeṇa niḥśvasya dirghataramucchvasitaṃ na bhūyaḥ// ibid., III.7