Kusha (Ramayana)
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Kusha or Kush (Sanskrit: कुश,Telugu:కుశుడు, Tamil: குசன், Malay: Gusi, Thai: Mongkut, Khmer: Ramalaks) and his twin brother Lava, were the children of Lord Rama and his wife Sita, whose story is recounted in the Hindu epic Ramayana. He was the younger of the two and is said to have wheatish complexion like their mother, while Lava had black complexion like their father. Once Sita goes to fetch water from the lake carrying the infant Lava in her arms, the sage Valmiki comes to ashram from outside and asks "where is Sita?". To that the ashram people say she has gone to fetch water with other ladies, but he does not see the child in the cradle of Lava, he thinks demons should have taken the baby so he immediately gets some dry grass (darbha or kusha in Sanskrit) and clones a baby. By the time Sita comes to the ashram, this is how Kusha is born or he gets the name Kusha. Ramayana book written by Valmiki says Sita gave birth to both Lava and Kusha at the same time. He was the ruler of the kingdom centered at Kasur in ancient times.[1] His brother Lava is purported to be the founder of Lahore. The line of kings which ruled Kashi and the Mauryan dynasty, an empire that ruled the Indian sub-continent from 320 BC to185 BC claimed descent from Kusha. Kusha belongs to Ikshvaku clan or Suryavansh Dynasty of Kshatriyas in Vedic civilization in ancient India.
Birth and childhood
According to Valmiki Ramayana, pregnant Sita was banished from the kingdom of Ayodhya by Rama due to the gossip of kingdom folk. She then took refuge in the ashram of the sage Valmiki located on the banks of the Tamsa river.[2] Lava was born at the ashram and Kusha was created by valmiki with a dry grass and supply soul of rishi shambuka in Kusha's effigy and were educated and trained in military skills and given many natural power under the tutelage of Valmiki.
Ashwamedha Yagna
When Rama performed the Ashvamedha Yagya, which the sage Valmiki, with Lava and Kusha, attended, Lava and Kusha sung the Ramayana in the presence of Rama and his vast audience. When Lava and Kusha recited about Sita's exile, Rama became grief-stricken and Valmiki produced Sita. Sita called upon the earth, her mother, to receive her and as the ground opened, she vanished into it. Rama then learnt that Lava and Kusha were his children.
Later history
Lava and Kusha became rulers after their father Rama and founded the cities of Lavapuri and Kasur respectively. Kushavati was a city in Kosala Kingdom as per epic Ramayana. The king of Kosala, Raghava Rama, installed his son Lava at Sravasti and Kusha at Kushavati. The city is now identified to be Kushinagar, a town near Gorakhpur.
See also
References
- ↑ Nadiem, Ihsan N. "Kasur ancient name". Punjab, Pg.111. Google Books.
- ↑ Vishvanath Limaye (1984). Historic Rama of Valmiki. Gyan Ganga Prakashan.
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