Introduction
Kaushalya is the first queen of King Dasharatha and the mother of Rama. She is known for her dignity and gentleness, and for her long sorrow while her son was in exile.
This article primarily follows the Valmiki Ramayana. Where a well-known detail comes from a later retelling or tradition, the article identifies it.
Family
- Husband: Dasharatha
- Children: Rama, Shanta (by tradition)
Queen and mother
Kaushalya was the chief queen of Ayodhya. When Dasharatha performed the horse sacrifice, she took part in the ritual. When the sacred rice pudding was shared after the sacrifice for sons, she received the largest portion, and Rama was born to her.
The exile
On the eve of Rama's coronation, Kaushalya spent the night in prayer. When she learned that her son was to go into exile, she was heartbroken. She first asked Rama to stay, and then, when he said he must go, she blessed him and prayed for his safety.
She stayed in the palace with the dying Dasharatha. Valmiki gives her a moving speech of grief and, at one point, of bitter reproach to her husband. Later she accompanied Bharata to Chitrakuta to see Rama.
Return
When Rama came back to Ayodhya after fourteen years, Kaushalya was among the first to welcome him.
In tradition
In some traditions, Kaushalya is also the mother of Shanta, the daughter of Dasharatha who was given in adoption to King Romapada. This detail is not part of the main narrative of Valmiki's Ramayana.