Śāntā

Śāntā was the daughter of Daśaratha. He gave her in adoption to Romapāda, the king of Aṅga deśa (country). She became the wife of the ṛshi Ṛśyaśṛṅga. She appears only briefly in the Bāla Kāṇḍa, but her marriage made a family bond between Daśaratha and Ṛśyaśṛṅga. Because of this bond Daśaratha could ask the great priest Ṛśyaśṛṅga to perform the Putrakāmeshṭi yajña (the fire ritual for the birth of sons). After it, Rāma and his brothers were born.

Adoption and life in Aṅga

Śāntā was born to Daśaratha. He gave her in adoption to his close friend and ally Romapāda, the king of Aṅga. The Bāla Kāṇḍa does not describe the exact circumstances of the adoption. Śāntā grew up as the daughter of Romapāda in Aṅga.

Marriage to Ṛśyaśṛṅga

Ṛśyaśṛṅga was brought to Aṅga through a plan of Romapāda. The king then gave Śāntā to him in marriage, as a sign of honour and thanks. Ṛśyaśṛṅga had never known the company of a woman. Now he had a wife in keeping with dharma. Śāntā became the wife of one of the most powerful ṛshis of that age.

Her part in the Putrakāmeshṭi

Śāntā was the daughter of Daśaratha, although given in adoption. So Ṛśyaśṛṅga was Daśaratha’s son-in-law. For this reason it was right for Daśaratha to come in person to Aṅga and ask for the help of Ṛśyaśṛṅga in the Putrakāmeshṭi. Romapāda willingly let Ṛśyaśṛṅga and Śāntā go with Daśaratha to Ayodhyā for the great yajña.

The account in the Mahābhārata

The Vana Parva of the Mahābhārata tells the same account of Śāntā. Lomaśa tells it to Yudhishṭhira. In this account she is the adopted daughter of Romapāda, king of Aṅga. She was born to Daśaratha, who gave her to Romapāda as a sign of friendship when the king had no children.

A courtesan’s plan drew Ṛśyaśṛṅga out of his forest āśrama (hermitage) to Campā. When it had worked, Romapāda gave Śāntā in marriage to the ṛshi. This marriage was the turning point of the whole episode. When Ṛśyaśṛṅga came into Aṅga, the rains returned. Śāntā’s marriage to him made the family bond which later let Daśaratha invite him to Ayodhyā for the Putrakāmeshṭi. After Ṛśyaśṛṅga performed the yajña, Rāma, Bharata, Lakshmaṇa and Śatrughna were born. Śāntā went with Ṛśyaśṛṅga throughout, as his royal wife.

Sources

• Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa, Chapters 9–11 (adoption in Chapter 9, marriage in Chapter 11, the request to Ṛśyaśṛṅga cited from Chapter 12)
• Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapters 110–113