King Dileepa’s story – From Mahakavi Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsha

Mahakavi  Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsha – the Lineage of Raghu –  details the stories of the ancestors of Shri Rama starting from King Dileepa. Their lineage is also known by the names of Ikshwaku and Kakutstha who were also Dileepa’s ancestors.

King Dileepa was the ruler of Ayodhya. He was noble and valiant, and loved his subjects dearly.  The subjects had the greatest respect for him. Though everything in his kingdom seemed perfect, King Dileepa and his Queen Sudakshina had a perpetual worry in that they had no heir. After waiting  for many years, Dileepa decided to consult with his Acharya, Rishi Vasishta to find a solution.

Dileepa with his queen Sudakshina, travelled through the beautiful forests of his kingdom and reached the hermitage of his Acharya. In ancient days , Rishis had Ashramas in the forests so that study and research could be done in a tranquil atmosphere.

On reaching the Ashrama, Dileepa and Sudakshina paid their respects to the Rishi and his wife Arundhati, who blessed them in turn. The couple were given a cordial welcome by the other Rishis and students present in the hermitage. When Vasishta asked Dileepa about  the reason of his visiting the Ashram, Dileepa told him of the mental turmoil he and his queen were undergoing due to being childless.

Vasishta closed his eyes and meditated for a while. “Rajan!” said he, addressing Dileepa. “The cause of your childlessness is a curse pronounced on you by the celestial cow Surabhi!”

Dileepa was taken aback as he had never met Surabhi before.

Rishi Vasishta continued. “Long ago,  once  while you were returning from the kingdom of Indra after serving him, you were deeply engrossed in your thoughts. As a result,  you did not notice the celestial cow Surabhi who was resting there under the shade of the divine tree Kalpataru.  Surabhi is like a mother to all living beings and you failed to pay your respects to Her. Feeling slighted, Surabhi pronounced a curse on you that you be deprived of filial affection. She had also said that the curse would be lifted only if you took care of Her daughter Nandini.”

“But how come, I did not hear Her voice O Maharishi?” asked Dileepa who was still in a state of shock.

“The gushing sound of the Ganges  and the sounds made by your elephants made it impossible for you or your charioteer to hear Surabhi’s voice” said Rishi Vasishta. “But do not lose heart, for Nandini resides with me. If you and your queen can commit to tending to Nandini wholeheartedly, you can earn Her grace”.

As the Rishi was speaking, Nandini who had returned from grazing,  entered the Ashram. She looked extremely charming with a tawny silken coat. On Her forehead was white hair in the shape of a crescent. It was as though the crescent moon had risen in the saffron sky of the evening.

Dileepa and his queen agreed to do the Acharya’s bidding immediately. Dileepa then spoke to the ministers who had accompanied him. Delegating his authority to them he told them to look after the governance of the kingdom without any lapse till he returned after his task. The ministers and their entourage then left for Ayodhya.

Dileepa and Sudakshina were assigned one of the cottages, with mats to sleep on. Nandini was tethered very near the cottage.

Rishi Vasishta then said, “Dileepa! You and your queen should rise when Nandini rises in the morning. After finishing your ablutions and worshipping Her, you should, with your weapons follow Nandini to the pastures on the Himalayan ranges where She goes to graze. You should eat only after She has eaten and drink water only after She has had Her fill. You should protect Her always and this will be the service you render to Her”.

“I will do as per your instructions” said Dileepa.

From the next day, the royal couple spent time in serving Nandini wholeheartedly. They worshipped Nandini every single day after which Dileepa followed Nandini to the pastures as a body-guard. Twenty-one days passed uneventfully.

On the twenty-second day, Nandini entered a grassy cavern to graze. Dileepa was following close behind. In a fraction of a second, when Dileepa was distracted by the grandeur of the Himalayan mountains, a huge lion from inside the cavern pounced upon Nandini and started to haul Her forcefully. Nandini shrieked piteously. Dileepa turned around and was shocked to see a mighty lion sitting upon the beautiful Nandini ready to tear into Her body.

Instinctively, a furious Dileepa took his right hand to the quiver on his shoulder to draw a deadly arrow. But a strange thing happened. His hand got paralysed and he could not move it one bit. Puzzled and angry, Dileepa just could not grasp as to what was going on. Try as he might, his hand was stuck to the feathered arrow in his quiver. Adding to his amazement, the lion started speaking in a human voice.

“O King!” it said. “Your weapons are of no use against me. I am Bhagvan Shiva’s servant  and my name is Kumbodhara. My body has been sanctified by Bhagvan Shiva, when once he placed his foot on my back while mounting his Rishabha (Bull).”

The lion continued. “Do you see this beautiful Deodar tree in front of you? This tree was nurtured by Maa Parvathi with great love and care. Once a wild elephant came here and rubbed his itchy temples on the bark of this tree and damaged it, causing much sorrow to Maa Parvathi. It was from then that Bhagvan Shiva gave me this form of a lion and assigned me to guard this tree and sustain myself by consuming the creatures that come near this tree. And since this cow has come here, it is rightfully mine”.

Dileepa, with his hand still paralysed was quick to respond. “O Lion!” said he. “I have the greatest respect for Bhagvan Shiva. However, I also have equal respect for Nandini, for She is the wealth of my Acharya Vasishta. It is because of Her, that his Ashram is self-sufficient. I implore you to please let go of Her . Satiate your hunger with my body instead. Let Nandini go back as Her calf will also be eagerly awaiting  Her arrival”

The lion laughed aloud. It said, “O King! Your youth is blooming and you have a beautiful body. So presenting yourself to me is not a prudent thing for you to do. Moreover, I have heard about your compassion to all beings. By offering yourself to me, only this cow will be saved, whereas if you leave this cow to me and save yourself, you can be the guardian of all living beings for a long time to come… If you think your Acharya will be at a loss, you can donate millions of cows like Nandini to him for running the Ashram. So please give up this idea of giving up your life. Live your life enjoying your youth and wealth.”

Dileepa replied to the lion. “ Lion! Just as you have been entrusted to look after the tree dear to Maa Parvathi, I have also been entrusted the job of looking after Nandini which is dear to my Acharya. Just imagine for a moment how you would face Bhagvan Shiva if there was a lapse in your duty and the tree were to be damaged? Is the same not applicable to me?”

He paused for a moment. “Since we have been speaking to each other for some time now, a bond of friendship has developed between us. So now, as a friend, I beseech you to consume my body and let go of Nandini” he pleaded.

“So be it!” roared the lion.

Now Dileepa’s hand magically got released and he removed his quiver of arrows and bow and placed them aside on the ground. Bowing his head down in veneration, he moved closer to the lion to offer himself and waited to be pounced upon.  But instead of the sharp claws of the lion, he felt soft flowers. Yes!  There was a shower of fragrant flowers which fell upon him like a light summer rain. Surprised, he looked up to see celestial beings called Vidyadharas showering flowers. The lion had disappeared.

Nandini spoke. “I generated this illusion to examine you! I am pleased with your devotion to your Acharya and compassion on me. I am not an ordinary cow and I can grant you whatever you seek Rajan! Ask for a boon and it shall be granted.”

An emotional Dileepa, praying to Nandini said “Myself and Sudakshina seek a son whose glory should be everlasting and in whose name my lineage should be referred to eternally.”

“Granted!” said Nandini. “Your wife and yourself should partake my milk and you will get your wish fulfilled.”

Dileepa then dutifully led Nandini back to the Ashrama and narrated the happenings to Rishi Vasishta. After letting Nandini’s calf suckle to her heart’s content, the king milked Nandini and, with his queen, partook the milk as instructed by Nandini.

Rishi Vasishta who was too happy at the turn of events, gave the king a warm send-off as he had achieved what he had come there for. The royal couple  then returned to Ayodhya. King Dileepa and Queen Sudakshina were blessed with a son who was named Raghu. True to the boon, he was one of the noblest kings of their lineage.

And the lineage of Dileepa came to be known as Raghuvamsha.

Note: The artwork for this story has been done by Ms. Bhavana Ram Mohan