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RAGHUVAMSA

• Raghuvamsa is a Sanskrit Mahakavya by most celebrated Sanskrit poet

Kalidasa.
• It has a place only next to Valmiki’s Ramayana in Sanskrit Literature.
• The stories are related to the dynasty of Raghu, namely the family of Dilipa.
• It narrates in 19 sargas (cantos), the story of the family of king Dilipa and his
descendants upto Agnivarna, which includes Raghu, Dasaratha and Rama.
• The earliest surviving commentary written on the work is that of the 10th-
century Kashmiri scholar Vallabhadeva The most popular and widely available
commentary, however, is the Sanjivani, written by Mallinatha (ca.1350-1450).
The Raghuvamsa is the longest work of the poet, in nineteen cantos and
over 1500 verses.
It served as a model not only for all Mahakavyas produced up to the recent
times, but also of all Rama-kavyas.
After Kalidasa, Kumaradasa, a poet of Ceylon, wrote a Rama-
kavya called Janaki-harana; and Rajajekhara, the critic, remarked, using
double entendre, that when the Raghuvamsa stood there,
only Kumaradasa and Ravana could have dared to do the Janaki-harana!
The Raghuvamsa served also as one of the sources of the famous Tamil
Ramayana of Kambar. Numerous commentaries were written on it,
including some by Jain writers.
The Raghuvamsa is also the earliest reputed evidence for
the Bala and Uttara Kandas being authentic parts of Valmiki’s epic, which
Western scholars doubt.
• The Raghuvamsa consists of 19 sargas, each sarga has 80-90 shlokas on an average.
• The various metres (Chhandas) used in this mahakavya are Anuṣṭup, Indravajrā, Upajāti,
Upendravajrā, Aupacchandasika, Toṭaka, Drutavilambita, Puṣpitāgrā, Praharṣiṇī,
Mañjubhāṣiṇī, Mattamayūra, Mandākrāntā, Mālinī, Rathoddhatā, Vaṃśastha,
Vasantatilakā, Vaitālīya, Śārdūlavikrīḍita, Śālinī, Svāgatā, and Hariṇī.
THE FIRST CANTO

• The first sarga of Raghuvamsa has 95

shlokas.
• The metre employed in this sarga is
Anuṣṭup.
• The central theme of the sarga is the
story of Dilipa Maharaja.
PURUSHARTHAS IN RAGHUVAMSA
• Dilipa represents Dharma; Raghu Artha; Aja Kama and of course Rama, Moksha
• The chief idea highlighted by Kalidasa in the life of Dilipa is the longing for a son to continue his line and
discharge his obligations to his ancestors. For this, he seeks the advice of his Guru Vasishtha in the
latter’s Asrama and performs the austerity, Vrata, prescribed by the sage, of attending upon the divine a
cow Nandini, daughter of Kamadhenu.
• In canto IV, Raghu’s Digvijaya, conquest of the whole country and becoming a Chakravartin, is an exposition of
the second Purushartha, Artha.
• The third Purushartha, Kama, love and pursuit of pleasure is illustrated by the third King Aja, his
marrying Indumati–which is described elaborately from the Svayamvara onwards–their idyllic enjoyment and
her sudden death while they were together in the garden and Aja, unable to console himself in the sorrow,
giving up his life at the confluence of the Ganga and the Sarayu.
• The entire story of Rama which is the core of poem represents Moksha. The prayer by the Gods to Vishnu, His
incarnation as Rama, the name Rama being the saviour, the first among things auspicious to the
universe (Jagat-prathama-mangalam, X. 67) are patent proofs. Kalidasa reminds us often of Rama as
an Avatara of the Lord
PORTRAYAL OF THE BASIC IDEA OF THE SASTRAS
• That Kalidasa was an Astika and imbedded in his poems and plays the basic ideas of the Sastras, of our
tradition and culture, could be illustrated with numerous examples.
• The RV. alone contains several passages of such significance, given directly or through similes.
• Much has already been said about his mastery of the different Sastras. Manu, the first king, was like the OM
of the Vedas .
• The Gita idea of the Yajna-chakra of the world of men and gods co-operating and mutually maintaining
the universe, is brought out.
• Similarly the marriage of temporal power with spiritual power, mentioned in the Vedas is emphasised by
Kalidasa through Dilipa and Vasishtha and also by the express statement in describing Aja and Vasishtha , the
combination of Kshatra and Brahman as an irresistible force like the fire accompanied by the wind.
• The king is a Raja-Rishi and by his self-control, observance of Dharma and exerting himself always for the
welfare of the people, the Raja-rishi is not less great than the Brahma-rishi.
• Muni Vasishtha is said to speak to the Muni doing his Tapas on the throne, namely King Dilipa,
(Rajyasrarnarnunirn munih).
• The Raja-rishi is also a superman, a Mahapurusha.
• Of the Mahapurusha-lakshanas, a few are touched by Kalidasa.
• In the presence of a Mahapurusha, as in that of a great Rishi established in Ahimsa, mutually inimical
beings gave up their enmities so also in the case of King Sushena -
“Sattvaih naisargiko pyutsasrje virodhah” and when Rama was going through the forest and stayed
under a tree,
• its shade remained stationary over his head, despite the passage of time. That the birth of such a person
is for the weal of the world is shown by the pleasant aspects
• which Nature puts on at the time the sky becoming clear, the wind blowing soft and pleasant,etc.
• The conception of Smriti as deriving its authority from Sruti is brought out in the simile that
queen Sudakshina followed in the footsteps of King Dilipa, even as the Smriti following the Sruti .
 महाकवि काविदासः- A GENERAL INTRODUCTION
• Kalidasa is said to be one of the greatest poets and dramaticists in Sanskrit.
• Kalidasa’s works are said to have been authored between 4-5th Century
B.C.
• He was one of the नवरत्नs of चन्द्रर्ु प्त ववक्रमावित्य of उज्जैवय.(inscription-
१९६४)
• Kalidasa was a ब्राम्हण , born in उज्जैवय, ignorant and uneducated. He married
a princess but was disowned. He prayed to काली िे वी who gifted him with
eloquence of poetry.
• His major works include:
• महाकाव्यावि- रघुिंशं, कुमारसम्भिम् I
खण्डकाव्यावि- ऋतुसम्ह्हरम्, मेघदू तं I
िाटकावि- अविज्ञािशाकुन्तिम् , विक्रमोिवशीयं, मािविकावमवम्म I
• Kalidasa is said to be one of the greatest poets and dramaticists in Sanskrit.
• Scholars have speculated that Kalidasa may have lived near the Himalayas, in the vicinity of Ujjain, and in Kalinga. This
hypothesis is based on Kalidasa's detailed description of the Himalayas in his Kumārasambhava, the display of his love
for Ujjain in Meghadūta, and his highly eulogistic descriptions of Kalingan emperor Hemāngada
in Raghuvaṃśa (sixth sarga).
• Lakshmi Dhar Kalla (1891-1953), a Sanskrit scholar and a Kashmiri Pandit, wrote a book titled The birth-place of
Kalidasa (1926), which tries to trace the birthplace of Kalidasa based on his writings. He concluded that Kalidasa was born
in Kashmir, but moved southwards, and sought the patronage of local rulers to prosper.
 KALIDASA- POETIC MASTERY (संस्कृते विशेषज्ञ)

• मन्दः कवियशः प्रार्थी गवमष्याम्युपहास्यताम् |

प्रांशुिभ्ये फिे िोिाद् -उद्बाहुररि िामिः ||
Me, the dullard, who is yearning for poetic fame will be made fun of just like a short man jumping to reach for
a fruit hanging high up.

• सा वकिाश्वावसता चण्डी ि्ाव तत्संश्रुतौ िरौ |

उद्विामेन्द्रवसक्ता िूर्-वििममावििोरगौ ||
The two wishes that the stubborn queen Kaikeyi extracted from Daśaratha were like two serpents emanating
from their burrows after the rains.
- रघुिंशं -
• दृष्टा विवचन्वता तेि
िङ्कायां राक्षसीिृता |
जािकी विषिल्लीविः
परीतेि महौषव ः ||
Hanūmān, looking for Sītā in Laṅkā, found her surrounded
by rākṣasis. She appeared like a great medicinal plant
surrounded by poisonous creepers.
- रघुिंशं
• येि श्यामं िपुर् अवततरां कान्तन्तम् आपत्स्यते
ते िहे णेि स्फुररतरुवचिा गोपिेषस्य विष्ोः ॥
The cloud with the rainbow across its dark grey body appears like Lord
Krishna with a peacock feather on his head.

• एकं मुक्तागुणवमि िुिः स्र्थूिमध्येन्द्रिीिम् ॥

For the gods above, the river Charmaṇvati with the cloud above it,
appears like a necklace of pearls adorned with an Indranīlamaṇi at the
centre.
- मेघदू तं
THE RAGHU DYNASTY

• Raghuvanshi (or Raghuwanshi) is an Indian

dynasty mentioned in Indian epic poetry. It is
believed to be a lineage of kings tracing its
ancestry to Surya. Raghuvanshi kings like
Harishchandra, Bhagiratha, Dilīpa, Raghu, Aja,
Dasaratha and Rama.
• The descendants of King Raghu are known as
Raghuvanshi. Valmiki Ramayana mention about
"Raghukula", a clan of the King Raghu not Rama. Rama
himself is known by many appellations (such as
Raghava, Raghunandan and Raghukula Nayaka),
indicative of his belonging to the family of Raghu.
Mandhata (मान्धाता), who is said to have ruled the entire earth during the Vedic period, and defeated the
Indra-head of Devatas.

Sagara, a king who was tricked by Indra into a conflict with the sage Kapila, leading to the death of his
60,000 sons, the descent of the Ganges to earth, and his sons' revival

Harishchandra, the king of Ayodhya, believed to be an exemplar of honesty

Dilīpa, said to be the most righteous and chivalrous emperors of the Ikshvaku dynasty
 •Aja, Son of King Raghu

•Dasaratha, Son of Aja and father of Rama, Lakshman, Bharath and

Shatrughan.

•Ram - He is considered the seventh Avatar of the god Vishnu.

Rama's story before he became king of Ayodhya is recounted in the
Ramayana. After he ascended the throne, he performed the
Ashwamedha Yajna. Bharata, his younger brother, won the country
of Gandhara and settled there.
 Lava and Kusha - They were the twin sons of Rama and his wife Sita. Lava ruled south Kosala
while Kusha ruled north Kosala, including Ayodhya. Kusha married "Nagkanya" "Kumuddhati",
sister of Kumuda.

•Many more kings…

•Sumitra - He was the last king of Ayodhya from Raghuwanshi dynasty. In the fourth century BC, emperor
Mahapadma Nanda of the Nanda Dynasty forced Sumitra to leave Ayodhya. He went to Rohtas with his sons. His son
Kurma established his rule over Rohta

Many more kings …

King Agnivarna, the son of King Sudarsana-with whom the dynasty ends, as he dies leaving
his wife with her unborn child.
 SYNOPSIS

The poem opens with the customary salutation to Shiva-

Parvati, the favourite divinity of Kalidasa. Though
Goddess Saraswati is the presiding deity of words, speech etc.
the poet is reverently praying Shiva and Parvati for more
choice for pertinent words and their perfect meaning, as the
poet Kalidasa is a deemed goddess saraswati in male form
‘Pumbhava Saraswati’... And according to the tenets of
Vayu purana, Shiva and Parvati are the deities for according
exemplary meanings of words.
After the briefest allusion to the origin
of the Solar race, the poet gives us an
account of Dilipa, the great-great-grand
father of Rama. The description of his
virtues and moral rectitude indicate to
us about Kalidasa’s ideal of an
aristocrat.
The nucleus of the story of ‘the first canto’
is the childless condition of the king. He decides upon going
to
his family priest-sage Vasistha and consulting him as to the
cause of destiny being against him in particular. Putting his
hereditary and faithful ministers in charge of the kingdom, he
journeys with his queen, Sudakshina, to the hermitage.
The description of the route, the trees on the road-side are highly graphical.
The royal pair reach the hermitage and are warmly welcomed and assigned a
hut for the night stay with a few deer-skin as beds. Vasistha discloses to them
the real cause of their childless condition and directs them to propiate the celestial
cow Nandini, who alone, he says, has the power to fulfill the yearning desire of their
heart.
• Later, the warrior Raghu leads a military
expedition and defeats people along the
way. After crossing Vakshu, Raghu and
his army encounters the Kambojas. The
Kambojas submits to Raghu and offers
him gifts and treasures.

SOURCE: By Avantiputra7 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33202412
 THE STORY OF KING DILIPA

• King Dileepa was an ancestor of Lord Sri Ram and one of the most illustrious kings
of the Ikshvaku (Solar) dynasty. The great king learned state administration, warfare
and diplomacy under Sage Vasishta and ruled Ayodhya in a just and fair manner.
• Dilipa was a very pious king known to be by his another name as Khatwanga, and
performed as many as 100 yajnas. Until he did so, only Indra, king of the gods, had
earned that distinction. In a bid to prevent Dileepa from equalling his
record, Indra placed many hurdles in the path of the successful completion of the
100th yajna, but Raghu, son of Dilipa, was able to prevail over the forces of Indra,
and the yajna was completed successfully.
• However, King Dileepa was a very worried man as he was not blessed
with a child. So,King Dileepa and Queen Sudhakshina decided to meet
Sage Vasishta and seek a solution for their problem. The king and queen
were warmly received by Sage Vasishta at his ashram. After exchanging
pleasantries, the royal couple discussed the issue of being childless with the
sage. The royal couple told the sage that they had not harmed anybody and
were unable to understand as to why they are not able to beget a child.
• Sage Vasishta meditated to find out why the
couple remained childless & then told them that
while he was helping Lord Indra during a battle,
the holy cow, Kamadhenu, was close to Indra’s
palace. Although the king did not know about
the presence of Kamadhenu, the cow felt that
the king had deliberately ignored her and cursed
the king to remain childless.
• A shocked king fell at the feet of Sage Vasishta and asked him to give a solution for lifting the curse. The
sage then told the royal couple that Kamadhenu’s daughter, Nandini, lives in his ashram and that their
curse would be lifted if they took good care of Nandini.
• King and Queen settled down in the ashram and took utmost care of Nandini. While the queen bathed
Nandini, the king took her out for grazing in the jungle. They continued this Dhenuvratam for 21 days.
• When the cow was grazing in the field, a lion appeared suddenly and pounced to eat Nandini. The king
tried to kill the lion but could not, because the lion happened to be a servant of Lord Shiva and he cast a
spell on King Dileepa that made him motionless. The king wanted to protect the cow but could not do
anything but speak. The king requested the lion to spare Nandini and eat him instead. The Lion tried to
make the King understand that just for a cow, one Chakravarti King must not sacrifice his life. If he is
alive he can have thousands of cows and take care of them. King Dilipa did not accept this. Finally the
lion accepted and Dilīpa was able to move.
• He happily bent down and waited to be eaten by him.To his surprise puṣhpa-
varṣham started & the King opened his eyes but saw no lion but Nandini.
Nandini explained that the lion was just an illusion to test Dilīpa. She blessed
the king. After returning to the cottage the king told everything that had
happened in the forest to his teacher.
He then milked the cow, gave to her calves, served the teacher and with his
permission, he along with his queen received the auspicious milk. King Dilīpa
and Queen Sudakshina returned to their palace and they were soon blessed
with a son called Raghu who ruled Ayodhya in a fair manner. Raghu had a son
called Aja who in turn had a son called Dasaratha who was the father of Lord
Ram, Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughan.
 SAGE VASISTHA’S HERMITAGE

Rishi Vasistha was the kula-guru of the illustrious Raghu

dynasty. Rishi Vasistha is worshipped in many parts of India
even today.

Rishi Vasistha is a revered Vedic sage in hinduism and is

regarded as one of the saptarishis.

Vasistha is the author of the seventh book of the Rig veda.

When King Dilipa and Queen Sudakshina arrived at Rishi
Vasistha’s hermitage, they saw that many hermits were
returning from nearby woods, collecting firewood, fruits,
flowers and sacrificial grass.

Other rishis, who were conducting sacred yagnas, respectfully

arose from their seats to welcome the royal couple. Also,
there were a lot of deer peacefully living amongst the Rishis.

At that time, Vasistha appeared doubly brilliant, due to the

fact that Lady Arundhathi, his consort sat beside him at the
sacred fire; just as Lord Agni appears doubly brilliant, when
the performer of the yagna takes the name of his consort,
Swaha. The royal couple touched the feet of their kulaguru
and his consort, seeking their heartfelt blessings.
THE DIVINE COW, NANDINI

Nandini is the daughter of the

celestial cow Kamadhenu, who
belonged to the devas.

She was gifted to Vasistha by Lord

Indra. Nandini had mystical powers
and fulfilled all the desires of her
master.
ललाटोियमाभु ग्नं पल्लवविग्धपाटला।
विभ्रती श्वेतरोमाङ्कं सन्ध्येव शवशनं नवम्॥ १-८३
“With light tawny and satiny complexion akin to the lightish and softish tawny tender leaflets for a touch,
and with a little crescentic mark of whitish hair on her forehead, that sacred cow Nandini which looked like
the vespertine saffron sky wearing the crescentic new-moon, returned from woods.”

भु वं कोष्णेन कुण्डोध्नी मेध्येनावभृ थािवप।

प्रस्रवेणावभवर्गन्ती वत्सालोकप्रववतगना॥ १-८४
“The warmish milk issuing forth from her pot-like udder at the very sight of her calf is as if anointing the
earth and seeing at it is holier than the holy bath taken on completion of a Vedic-ritual, call avabRitha
snAnam, such an efficacious cow Nandini returned from woods.”
• As King Dilipa and Queen
Sudakshina did not have any
children, they approached Rishi
Vasistha, seeking advice. Vasistha
advised them to serve Nandini,
the daughter of Kamadhenu with
great diligence and devotion.
Nandini, if pleased with their
service, would grant them the
boon that they seeked.

Raghu: the son of Dilipa Maharaja, as a

result of the boon granted by Nandini
GREATNESS OF RAGHUVAMSA ACCORDING TO
KALIDASA

• क्व सूयगप्रभवो वंशः क्व चाल्पववर्या मवतः।

वततीर्ुगिगु स्तरं मोहािु डुपेनास्मि सार्रम्॥ १-२
• Where the dynasty originated from Sun ,where the meagre
intellect of mine with an intellect yet to be edified, am I inanely
wishing to go across this unnavigable ocean called the solar
dynasty by a small barque (makeshift boat) called my ersatz
education?
• यथाववविहुताग्नीनां यथाकामावचगतावथगनाम्।
यथापराथिण्डानां यथाकालप्रिोविनाम्॥ १-६
• About those kings who ever had ever-lit propitiatory ritual-fires with un-
transgressed religious duty; generous towards their supplicants gratifying
all their appeals un-condescendingly; punishers of offenders according to
offence, but un-aggressively; vigilant in governance, un-inadvertently...
hence, they are the worthiest kings in kingcraft.
• सोऽहमाजन्मशुद्धानामाफलोियकमगणाम्।
आसमुद्रवितीशानामानाकरथवर्त्गनाम्॥ १-५
• Such as I am, perhaps a slow learner, an account of Raghu's
dynasty is somewhat known to me through earlier poets; as such, I
poetize about those dynasts who are impeccable right from their
birth; who have undertaken effortful deeds till their fruition; who
lorded lands unto oceans and who, as cooperants of , had
driveways up to heavens for their chariots...
• त्यार्ाय संभृताथाग नां सत्याय वमतभावर्णाम्।
यशसे वववजर्ीर्ूणां प्रजायै र्ृहमेविनाम्॥ १-७
• About those kings who amass riches only for the sake of
munificence; reticent only for the sake of veraciousness; ambitious
to campaign only for the sake of their upper hand and those that
get married only for the sake of meetly progeny... hence, they are
the conscientious kings...
• शैशवेऽभ्यस्तववद्यानां यौवने ववर्यैवर्णाम्।
वािगके मुवनवृत्तीनां योर्ेनान्ते तनुत्यजाम्॥ १-८
• About those who in their adolescence are masterly in studies; in
adulthood predisposed for material pleasures; in old-age gravitating
towards saintlike activities, and at end-time yoking their minds with
the Absolute and ultimately evicting their souls from their bodies to
attain moksha...
THE RULING OF RAGHUVAMSA
As other of Raghuvamsa kings, Dilipa was a firm
follower of Dharma, he was a Satyavadi, Mitabashi ,Vidvan
and showed extreme concern towards his Praja.

व्यूढोरस्को वृर्स्कन्धः शालप्रां शुमगहाभुजः।

आर्त्कमगिमं िे हं िात्रो िमग इवावितः॥

He who has a befitting physique for his heroic deeds in kingship, with a sizable
chest, bullish shoulders, tallish stature like a sala tree, and with dextrous
arms, abided as a personification of the devoir and valour of kshatriyas.
भीमकान्तैनृगपर्ुणैः स िभूवोपजीववनाम्।
अिृष्यश्चावभर्म्यश्च यािोरत्नैररवाणगवः॥

His towering personality is conformable to his lofty brilliance,

and that lofty brilliance is conformable with his scripturally
majestic enterprises, and those enterprises are conformable
to his resolute initiations, and his initiations conformably
yield fructified results.
प्रजानामेव भूत्यथं स ताभ्यो िवलमग्रहीत्।
सहस्रर्ुणमुत्स्स्रष्टु माित्ते वह रसं रववः॥

That king dilipa takes only one sixth part of peoples income as
tax, that too for the sake of a welfare state, indeed, like the
sun taking earthly water-drops only to indemnify her with
multiples of raindrops thereof.
• The kings of Raghuvamsa never went out of the line of their
traditional course of conduct practiced from the time of manu-
prajApati even by a hairbreadth, as with the rotating wheels of a
chariot that do not veer out of the beaten track of wheel-grooves
on roadway when steered by an expert charioteer.
POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES OF THE RULING OF RAGHU

• स राज्यं र्ुरुणा ित्तं प्रवतपद्याविकं िभौ|

विनान्ते वनवहतं तेजः सववत्रेव हुताशनः॥
• On receiving kingship from his father, Raghu shone more
brightly than before like Firegod who shines forth brightly
when the Sun invests his radiance in him at the close of a
day.
• तमध्वरे ववश्ववजवत वितीशं वनःशेर्वविावणतकोशजातम् |
उत्पातववद्यो र्ुरुिविणाथी कौत्सः प्रपेिे वरतन्तुवशष्यः॥
• At certain time emperor Raghu has performed a Vedic ritual called vishvajit-
yaj~na in which he gave away all his accumulated wealth in the form of
donations and almost remained empty handed. Right at that time, one
named Kausta, a pupil of a sage Varatantu, approached the
emperor Raghu with an ambition to get some donation from him in order to
pay his due to his preceptor because that pupil has completed his education
with the sage.
• न खरो न च भूयसा मृिुः पवमानः पृवथवीरुहावनव|
स पुरस्कृतमध्यमक्रमो नमयामास नृपाननुद्धरन्॥
• Without becoming neither harsh nor exceedingly mild but
adopting a middle course he made his adversary kings bow down
before him without extirpating them just as the wind bends down
trees without uprooting them.
GUNAS OF THE KINGS OF SURYAVAMSA
• They were householders for the sake of progeny- Prajayai grihamedhinam………. Referring to Aja
• Devoted to learning in boyhood- Saisave abhyastavidyanam
• Victory only for fame - Yasase vijigishunam………….Referring to Raghu
• Satisfying a supplicant in accordance with his desire - Yathakamarchitarthinam
• Gathering of riches only to give them away -Tyagaya sambhritarthanam………….Referring to Raghu
• Enjoying pleasures in youth- Yauvane vishayaishinam………….Referring to Aja and Indumati
• Taking to the life of ascetics in old age- Vardhake munivrittinam………….Refers to Raghu after Aja has
taken over his place on the throne
• Giving up the mortal coil through yoga- Yogena ante tanutyajam…………………….refers to the yogic life of
Raghu.
अलंकार:- THE POETIC DEVICES USED
(EXPLAINED WITH EXAMPLES)
• Upama or condensed simile exists right from the time of Vedic literature.
• For instance, in the mantra
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे
सुगन्तधं पुवष्टि विम्
उिावरुकवमि िधिाि्
मृत्योमुवक्षीय मामृतात् ॥
“……like a cucumber that is freed of bondage to the creeper, I too aspire release” we
can observe the usage of upama.
However, we find Kalidasa pleasantly playing with it.
उपमा- SIMILE

“उपमा काविदासस्य” –Kalidasa has been regarded as the master of similes. There
are plenty of similes employed in Raghuvamsa.
For instance, in the first shloka,
वार्थाग ववव संपृक्तौ वार्थगप्रवतपत्तये।
जर्तः वपतरौ वन्दे पावगतीपरमेश्वरौ॥
Salutations to the Divine Parents- Lord Parameswara and Goddess Parvathi who
remain combined in themselves as SPEECH and MEANING !
The word and meaning are as inseparable as Shiva and Parvati, the divine couple
and the begetters of the universe.
BIMBA-PRATIBIMBA UPAMA ALANKARA
मन्दः कववयशः प्राथी र्वमष्याम्यपहास्यताम्।
प्रां शुलभ्ये फले लोभािु द्बाहुररव वामनः॥ १-३
Will I become a matter of ridicule if I were to covet the celebrity of an
eminent poet, like a short fellow overstretching his arms for a fruit
obtainable only by the tall, because I am still a dunce in this subject
matter?
The object 'fancy for poet's celebrity/coveting the celebrity of an eminent
poet' is mirrored in 'covetous elevation of short man's arms' for an
otherwise unobtainable fruit for both.
BIMBA-PRATIBIMBA MISHRANA ALANKARA
• तिन्वये शुस्मद्धमवत प्रसूतः शुस्मद्धमत्तरः।
विलीप इवत राजेन्िु ररन्िु ः िीरवनिाववव॥ १-१२
In that immaculate linage a moonlike king, known as DilIpa, took birth with
highest immaculacy, like the moon taking his birth from Milky Ocean.
Mishrana refers to mixture.
The dynasty is the object,
Milky ocean is the mirrored object
Both are mixed with the commonality of taking birth.
SADHARANA DHARMA- COMMONALITY IN SHARING ATTRIBUTES

ललाटोियमाभुग्नं पल्लवविग्धपाटला।
विभ्रती श्वेतरोमाङ्कं सन्ध्येव शवशनं नवम्॥ १-८३
With light tawny and satiny complexion akin to the lightish and softish
tawny tender leaflets for a touch, and with a little crescentic mark of
whitish hair on her forehead, that sacred cow, Nandini,which looked like
the vespertine saffron sky wearing the crescentic new-moon, returned
from woods.
Though the sky and the cow are not similar in form, they are similar in
their complexion.
 MESSAGE OBTAINED FROM THE SARGA

This sarga is based on the story of ‘Dilipa maharaja’.

The main message obtained is :
“The uttamas (the one with the highest degree)
must always be given due respect. Especially
Sarva-Devata-Swarupa (all god forms) like Gomata
(sacred cow) must always be worshipped with lot
of bhakti (devotion).”
The importance of Guru (teacher) is also shown
well in the story. It is the guru who guides us on
what to do and what not to do.
Without vasishta maharshi’s help, Dilipa would
not even know the reason of not having
sanatanam (progeny)
VIRTUES OF KING DILIPA
 Firm follower of dharma (righteousness)
 Satyavadi (the one who always speaks the truth)
 Mitabhashi (the one who speaks less and when necessary)
 Vidvan (the one who knows everything)
 Ruled his praja (people) ,loving them as their own father
 Though he was a great sura ,he had no ahankara and he proved this point by telling that in front of God’s
power, his power is very little and less strong.
 Knowledge of shastras
 Dilipa’s love towards Nandini was very pure.
 The rajaneeti of Dilipa is displayed when he takes only one-sixth of the income of his subjects as tax.
WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE RAGHU DYNASTY

• The kings of the Sun-race had a vast realm. Yet the way the princes of this dynasty were educated was
surprising.
• Those kings thought that if there were no keen desire for knowledge, then knowledge would not come
and that there could be no knowledge without humility and hard work.
• So they got their children educated just like all other children. Even these princes stayed in the abode of
the teachers and did all service to them. They went on rounds, as prescribed, seeking alms. With all
humility they learnt from' their teachers.
• No such prince could ever get the feeling that he was the son of an emperor and therefore superior to
other students. When they grew up, they served society; when old, they gave up their kingdom, lived in
hermitages like sages, and finally practicing control of the senses through yoga, and gave up their lives in
the meditation of God.
THE KINGS OF SURYAVAMSHA- IDEAL RULERS

• Not doing anything evil and being pure, they ruled over the kingdom only for the welfare of the people.
• They were interested only in good things. And they never left anything half-done. They were all very heroic.
• They performed sacrifices as prescribed, for the good of the world. And they were very generous to the
needy.
• They knew statecraft very well. They never uttered falsehood or practiced deceit. They thought that the
country's good was their own good and were always careful.
• They did not have the selfishness that happiness should be theirs only and they only should be profited.
They collected money and gave it away as gifts. They spent to help others. They spoke sparingly but
truthfully.
REFERENCES
• https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/giirvaani/giirvaani/rv/sargas/01_rv.htm
• https://moralstories.wordpress.com/2006/06/08/the-story-of-dilipa-maharaja/
• http://yousigma.com/biographies/dileepa.html
• http://hindumythologyforgennext.blogspot.com/2012/03/king-dileepa-and-nandini.html
• Images- Google
• THE RAGHUVAMSA OF KALIDASA-DR. V. RAGHAVAN- http://www.yabaluri.org/Web%20(1978%20-
%202008)/theraghuvamsaofkalidasajan78.htm