Blind ascetic
The blind ascetic who cursed Dasharatha after the death of his son.
Accounts of this vary across texts and traditions. This entry primarily follows Valmiki Ramayana, with other tellings (Ramcharitmanas (Tulsidas), Regional and folk traditions) noted where relevant.
Shravana's father is the blind ascetic whose son was accidentally killed by Dasharatha. He is not named in the Ramayana.
When Dasharatha came to him with water and confessed, the old man was struck by grief. He cursed the king to die of sorrow for his own son. Then he and his wife performed their son's funeral and gave up their lives.
This entry is independently written for myVamsam using the sources listed above. Where traditions differ, this entry identifies the relevant tradition rather than presenting one account as universally established fact.