Shanta

Shanta
Rishyasringa travels to Ayodhya with Shanta
Information
Spouse(s) Rishyasringa Edit this on Wikidata
Parent(s) Dasharatha Edit this on Wikidata
Sibling(s) Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana, Shatrughna Edit this on Wikidata

Shanta is a character in the Ramayana. Shanta is said to be the daughter of Dasharatha and Kausalya, given to Rompad and Vershini in adoption.[1]

Shanta was married to Rishyasringa, son of the legendary Indian Hindu saint Vibhandaka.[1] The descendants of Shanta and Rishyasringa are Sengar Rajputs who are called the only Rishivanshi rajputs.

Life

Shanta was a daughter of kausaulya the wife of Raja Dasharatha, king of Ayodhya. She was later given in adoption to Raja Romapada, king of Anga. Shanta was educated in Vedas, Art, Craft as well as in Warfare, and was considered to have been very beautiful. One day, while her father, the king Rompada, was busy in conversation with Shanta, a Brahmin came to ask for help in cultivation in the days of the monsoon. Rompada did not pay attention to the Brahmin's plight. This irritated and enraged the Brahmin, who left the kingdom. Indradev, the god of rain, was unable to bear the insult of his devotee, so there was little rainfall during the monsoon season resulting drought in kingdom and Dashratha had no children, he wanted a son to continue his legacy and to enrich his royal dynasty the troubles of both kingdoms could only be alleviated by yajnas performed by a brahmin with the powers that come from observance of perfect chastity. The only such person is Rishyasringa who was raised by Vibhandak Rishi isolated from society without knowledge of women needed to be brought to the city, and be persuaded to carry out the necessary yajna ceremonies, despite his fear of the power and anger of Vibhandak Rishi, both kings send young women to introduce the boy into normal society, then Shanta fulfills this task and Rishyasringa marries Shanta, he then agrees to perform yajna for Anga, during the recitation of it, it rained heavily, the public rejoiced and there were festivals in Anga. Rishyasringa also performed a putra kameshthi yajna for Dashratha to beget progeny, and as the consequence of the said Yajna were born: Rama, Bharata, and the twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna.[2]

There is a temple of Rishyashringa in Lalitpur District of Nepal in Mahalaxmi Municipality, Lankuri Bhanjyang. Idol of Shringa Rishi with goddess Shanta reside in the temple. Rishyashringa was born in Shringeri Cave of Mahalaxmi Municipality 1, Lalitpur Nepal. He had studied, meditated and became great scholar of Embryology. Rishi Basistha informed his expertise to king Dasharath to get children. So king invited him in Ayodhya for Putresthi Yagyna. After the ceremony, he got married with Shanta and returned to Nepal began to meditate in Reshunga of Gulmi District. (Badal, 2016)

References

  1. 1 2 Rao, Desiraju Hanumanta. "Bala Kanda in Prose, Sarga 11". Valmiki Ramayana. Valmiki Ramayan.net. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  2. ↑ Kanuga, Professor G.B. (1993). The Immortal Love of Rama. New Delhi: Yuganter Press. pp. 48–49.
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