Sumitra, princess of Kashi was the second queen consort of Dasharatha, the king of Kosala, who ruled from Ayodhya. It is said that Dashrath married Soumitra for her kindness and her sensitivity was always in control of her emotions. Soumitra was younger than queen Kausalya and older than queen Kaikeyi. King Dashrath was worried that he did not have an heir and on the request of Rishi Vasistha performed a Yagna to plead the deities. At the end of the ceremony he had to share the prasad with all his three queens.
King Dashrath first offered it to Kausalya then Kaikeyi. Noticing that he had forgotten Soumitra, Kausalya and Kaikeyi removed a portion from their plates and offered it to Sumitra. All the three become pregnant at the same time. Kausalya and Kaikeyi who consumed one portion of the prasad delivered Ram and Bharat, while Sumitra who consumed two portions of the prasad delivered twins, Lakshmana and Shatrughan.
Historians attribute utmost importance to the sacrifices made by Sumitra and her daughter-in-law Urmila because unlike Sita who had Ram beside her all the time, Laxman was always alone.
To be continued