Dasharatha

Dasharatha (, IAST: Daśaratha; born Nemi) was the king of the Kosala kingdom and a scion of the Suryavamsha dynasty in Hinduism. He ruled from his capital at Ayodhyā. Dasharatha had three primary consorts: Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra, and from these unions were born Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana, and Shatrughna. He is mentioned in the Rāmāyana epic and the Vishnu Purana. Legend Early life King Dasharatha was believed to be an incarnation of Svayambhuva Manu, the son of the Hindu creator god, Brahma. Dasharatha was the son of King Aja of Kosala and Indumati of Vidarbha. He was originally named Nemi, but he acquired the moniker Dasharatha ('ten chariots') as his chariot could move in all ten directions, fly, and return to earth, and he could fight with ease in all of these directions.