Campikā
Campikā was the elder granddaughter of Bhūrikīrti Mahārāja, the king of an eastern coastal realm whose capital was Vaṭapura. At her svayaṃvara (the ceremony where a princess chooses her husband) she passed over all the kings of Bhāratavarsha. She placed her māla (garland) on Kuśa, the elder son of Bhagavān Rāma.
The Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa tells this in its Vivāha Khaṇḍa. It says Campikā bore Kuśa nine daughters, who were virtuous and loved, but no sons, as Vasishṭha had foretold. The line of the Sūryavaṃśa (the solar dynasty) would continue through Kuśa’s later marriage to the nāgakanyā (serpent princess) Kumudrā.
Family and background
Campikā was the granddaughter of Bhūrikīrti Mahārāja. He ruled a powerful eastern coastal realm. Its capital Vaṭapura stood on the shore of the sea, about twenty days’ journey east of Ayodhyā, beyond the Bhāgīrathī river. Bhūrikīrti was a devoted ally of Rāma-rājya, the rule of Bhagavān Rāma. He wished to bind his family to Rāma’s through the svayaṃvaras of his granddaughters.
Campikā’s sister, also a granddaughter of Bhūrikīrti, was Sumatī. Sumatī chose Lava at the svayaṃvara held at the same time. The Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa tells this in Chapter 1 of the Vivāha Khaṇḍa.
The svayaṃvara
Kings from across the seven dvīpas (continents) came to Campikā’s svayaṃvara. The elder attendant Nanda led Campikā through the assembly hall and named each king in turn:
- the Pāṇḍya king Matimanta
- the Kaliṅga king Hemāṅgada
- the Haridvāra king Yajñakīrti
- the Śūrasena king Susheṇa
- the Haihaya king Pratīpa
- Śatrughna, Bharata and Lakshmaṇa
Campikā greeted each one with respect and passed on.
When the procession reached Kuśa, Campikā’s heart was clear. She placed the māla of flowers on the elder son of Bhagavān Rāma. She chose him over all the kings gathered there, and the assembly rejoiced. This is told in Chapter 2.
The wedding and life in Ayodhyā
The full wedding rites were held at Vaṭapura, with Vasishṭha as the officiating priest. They included pāṇigrahaṇa (taking the bride’s hand), lājāhoma (the offering of parched grain into the fire) and saptapadī (the seven steps). Bhūrikīrti gave Kuśa one lakh elephants, one lakh palanquins, five lakh horses and one lakh chariots.
After the celebrations Campikā came to Ayodhyā as Kuśa’s wife. Sītā and the queens of Rāma-rājya welcomed her into the family. She shared in the daily life of Bhagavān Rāma’s court. She took part in the morning pūjā of Durgā, attended Sītā’s court, and joined the shared meals in Rāma’s household. The account is in Chapters 3, 4 and 7.
Campikā’s daughters
Vasishṭha Maharshi had foretold before the wedding that Campikā would bear Kuśa nine daughters and no sons. This came true. Campikā gave Kuśa nine daughters. Bhagavān Rāma raised each of them and married them to worthy kings of the realm.
The Sūryavaṃśa would go on through Kuśa’s future wife Kumudrā, the nāgakanyā. She would bear Kuśa eight sons. The eldest of them, Atithi, would become king. The account is in Chapters 4 and 9.
Sources
- Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Khaṇḍa, Chapters 1–4, 7 and 9