Shanta

Shanta is a character in the Ramayana. She was the daughter of Dasharatha and Kausalya, elder sister of Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna, adopted by the couple Rompad and Vershini. Shanta was married to Rishyasringa, son of the legendary Indian Hindu saint Vibhandaka. The descendants of Shanta and Rishyasringa are Sengar Rajputs who are called the only Rishivanshi rajputs.

She is not mentioned in the original Valmiki Ramayana but originates in the followed up regional tellings of the great epic.

Life

Shanta was a daughter of Maharajah Dasharatha and Kausalya, but was adopted by the king (rajah) of Angadesh, Raja Rompad, and her aunt Vershini, an elder sister of Kausalya. Vershini had no children, and, when at Ayodhya, Vershini jokingly asked for offspring. Dasharatha agreed to allow the adoption of his daughter. However, the word of Raghukul was binding, and Shanta became the princess of Angadesh.

Shanta was educated in Vedas, Art and Craft, and was considered to have been very beautiful. One day, while her uncle, the king Rompad, was busy in conversation with Shanta, a Brahmin came to ask for help in cultivation in the days of the monsoon. Rompad did not pay attention to the Brahmin's plight. This irritated and enraged the Brahmin, who left the kingdom. Indradev, the god of rain, was unable to bear the insult of his devotee, so there was little rainfall during the monsoon season. The Rajah called Rishyasringa to perform yajna, he agreed to perform yajna and during the recitation of it, it rained heavily. The public rejoiced and there were festivals in Angadesh. To pay honour to their saviour, Dashratha, along with Kausalya, Vershini, and Rompad, decided to give the hand of Shanta to Rishyasringaa.