[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.dowson-1879) › c5.449 # A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature c5.449 A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature c5.449 - **Language:** English ### [c5.449](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.dowson-1879.c5.449) DASA-RATHA. A prince of the Solar race, son of Aja, a descendant of Ikshwāku, and king of Ayodhyā. He had three wives, but being childless, he performed the sacrifice of a horse, and, according to the Rāmāyana, the chief queen, Kausalyā, remained in close contact with the slaughtered horse for a night, and the other two queens beside her. Four sons were then born to him from his three wives. Kausalyā bore Rāma, Kaikeyī gave birth to Bharata, and Su-mitrā bore Lakshmana and Satru-ghna. Rāma partook of half the nature of Vishnu, Bharata of a quarter, and the other two shared the remaining fourth. The Rāmāyana, in explanation of this manifestation of Vishnu, says that he had promised the gods to become incarnate as man for the destruction of Rāvana. He chose Dasa-ratha for his human parent; and when that king was performing a second sacrifice to obtain progeny, he came to him out of the fire as a glorious being, and gave him a vessel full of nectar to administer to his wives. Dasa-ratha gave half of it to Kausalyā, and a fourth each to Su-mitrā and Kaikeyī. They all in consequence became pregnant, and their offspring partook of the divine nature according to the portion of the nectar each had drunk. There were several others of the name. See Rāma-chandra. - [Previous: c5.448](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.dowson-1879.c5.448) - [Next: c5.450](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.dowson-1879.c5.450) - [Up: c5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.dowson-1879.c5) ## Cites (1) - [Vālmīkirāmāyaṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.ramayana.valmiki) — Vālmīki, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.dowson-1879.c5.449](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.dowson-1879.c5.449) · Pramāṇa