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Festivals
A king had everything except a child. What ended his wait was not a prayer answered quietly, but a being who rose out of fire holding a bowl of sweet payasam.
Dasharatha ruled Ayodhya, a city of great wealth and order. His line traced back to the great king Ikshvaku. He had three queens: Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra. He had armies, wisdom, and the respect of his people. But year after year passed, and none of his queens bore him a child. A king's whole duty was to protect a line and a kingdom. This silence in his palace weighed on him more than any war could.
Dasharatha turned to his priests and sages for a solution. They told him what needed to be done. He must perform the Putrakameshti Yajna. This is a great fire ritual meant specifically to bless a couple with children. The sage Rishyashringa was called to guide the ceremony. A ritual of this scale needed a guide of rare purity and skill.
The rest of this story, read aloud, and a new one every day.