Part 6: Rāma’s parents

In Sāketa there was a king, Anaraṇya by name, the refuge of those seeking a refuge, discharging the debts of friends. He had two sons by Queen Pṛthvī, one named Anantaratha and the other Daśaratha. Now Anaraṇya’s friend, King Sahasrakiraṇa, was defeated in battle by Rāvaṇa and took the vow from disgust with existence. From friendship for him, Anaraṇya settled the sovereignty on his younger son, when he was a month old, and took the vow with Anantaratha. Anaraṇya went to emancipation and Muni Anantaratha wandered over the earth, practicing severe penance.

Though a child, ruling, King Daśaratha attained growth in age and strength gradually. He shone, a king among kings, like the moon among stars, like the sun among planets, like Sumeru among mountains. While he was master, the people had misfortune never seen before, like a flower in the sky, arising from the circle of enemies, et cetera. Giving money, ornaments, et cetera to beggars in accordance with their wishes, he was like an eleventh wishing-tree added to the Madyāṅgas, et cetera.^[1] First of the zealous, he kept always the dharma of the Arhats faultless as well as his sovereignty inherited from his family. The king married the pure daughter of King Sukośala, lord of the city Dabhrasthala, born of Amṛtaprabhā, Aparājitā by name, endowed with beauty of form and grace, like the Śrī of victory in battle. Daśaratha married in Kamalasaṅkula the daughter of Subandhutilaka and of Queen Mitrā, named Kaikeyī for a first name, with another name, Sumitrā, because she was born of Mitrā and was good-tempered, like the moon marrying Rohiṇī. He married another princess, faultless, the embodiment of virtue, grace, and beauty, named Suprabhā. With these the best of kings enjoyed sensuous pleasure without injuring duty and wealth—he, the crest-jewel of discernment.