Shanta

Shanta
Rishyasringa travels to Ayodhya with Shanta
Information
Family	Dasharatha (father) Kausalya (mother) Rompad (foster father) Vershini (foster mother) Rama, Bharata , Lakshmana and Shatrughna(brothers)
Spouse(s)	Rishyasringa

Shanta is a character in the Ramayana. She was the daughter of Dasharatha and Kausalya, elder sister of Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna and played crucial role in their birth, adopted by the couple Rompad and Vershini.^[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.

She is not mentioned in the original Valmiki Ramayana but originates in the followed up regional tellings of the great epic.

Life

Shanta was a daughter of Maharajah Dasharatha and Kausalya, but was adopted by the king (rajah) of Angadesh, Raja Rompad, and her aunt Vershini, an elder sister of Kausalya. Vershini had no children, and, when at Ayodhya, Vershini jokingly asked for offspring. Dasharatha agreed to allow the adoption of his daughter. However, the word of Raghukul was binding, and Shanta became the princess of Angadesh.

Shanta was educated in Vedas, Art, Craft as well as in Warfare, and was considered to have been very beautiful. One day, while her uncle, the king Rompad, was busy in conversation with Shanta, a Brahmin came to ask for help in cultivation in the days of the monsoon. Rompad 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 after Shanta, 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 sends 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 Angadesh, during the recitation of it, it rained heavily,the public rejoiced and there were festivals in Angadesh.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 Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. Idol of Shringa Rishi with goddess Shanta reside in the temple. This place is about 50 km from Kullu,Shimla in Himachal Pradesh.

In film and television

Shanta is shown in the TV serial Siya Ke Ram portrayed by *Zalak Desai airing on Star Plus. However, in the Star Plus version, Shanta lived with her biological parents but willingly left the palace and her parents to get married to Rishyasringa because that was the only way her father would be able to obtain sons.

References

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