Did Ram have a sister??? Ep 4

Hello! Welcome once again to Ram Kahani. Did you know that Lord Shri Ram had a sister? Yes, you heard it right. Lord Shri Ram had an elder sister named Shanta. This is not just a rumor; the Valmiki Ramayana clearly states that King Dasharath and Queen Kaushalya had a daughter named Shanta.

You might wonder why Shanta is rarely discussed in the Ramayana. We often hear about the four brothers – Ram, Lakshman, Bharat, and Shatrughna – but Shanta is seldom mentioned. However, in the ninth canto of Balakanda 19.2 and in the second canto of the Valmiki Ramayana, it is clearly stated that King Dasharath and Queen Kaushalya had a daughter who was the eldest among the siblings, named Shanta.

To understand why Shanta is not widely discussed, let’s delve into a part of this story. The shloka states: “Ja mata putra,” which means King Dasharath tells Sumant, his minister, about Shanta and her marriage. King Dasharath narrates how Shanta’s husband, King Romapada, visited Ayodhya with a heavy heart.

King Dasharath asked Romapada, “Why do you look so sad and dejected?” Romapada replied, “We have no children, and this has caused us great sorrow. I feel disheartened and unable to perform my duties as a king.”

King Dasharath and Queen Kaushalya decided to give their daughter Shanta for adoption to Romapada and his wife to alleviate their sorrow. King Dasharath thought, “I have three queens, and eventually, we will have children. If I give Shanta to them, it might bring them joy and end their sadness.” Thus, Shanta was adopted by King Romapada and his wife.

Destiny plays its divine game in mysterious ways. If King Dasharath had not given Shanta for adoption, Lord Ram might not have been born. How? Let’s continue the story.

After giving Shanta for adoption, none of King Dasharath’s three queens had children for many years. King Dasharath sought solutions from sages and saints but found no remedy. Interestingly, Shanta’s husband, Rishi Rishyasringa, was a great sage. King Dasharath approached Rishi Rishyasringa and asked, “Will Ayodhya never have an heir? Will we never have a child?”

Rishi Rishyasringa suggested, “You should perform the Putra Kameshti Yagya.”

As you know, King Dasharath performed the Putra Kameshti Yagya, during which a divine figure appeared from the fire with a bowl of kheer. This kheer was given to Kaushalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra. Subsequently, Lord Ram, Lakshman, Bharat, and Shatrughna were born.

This divine play shows that, to manifest himself, Lord Ram arranged for his sister to be adopted, which led to the suggestion of performing the Putra Kameshti Yagya by her husband. This divine play is beyond our understanding, but it illustrates that even a daughter can play a crucial role in a family’s destiny.

In conclusion, Ram, Lakshman, Bharat, and Shatrughna had an elder sister named Shanta, as mentioned in the Valmiki Ramayana. However, her adoption by King Romapada led to her being less discussed.

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