Prambanan: King Dasharatha’s funeral

King Dasharatha's funeral - A Ramayana bas-relief carved in the Shiva Temple at Prambanan, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Bas-relief depicting King Dasharatha’s funeral

King Dasaratha’s funeral
The bas-relief depicts the funeral ceremony of Dasharatha, the king of Ayodhya and father of Rama, and is based on an episode from Ramayana.

Here is the story behind this bas-relief:
Rama is the legitimate heir to the throne of Ayodhya because he is the eldest of the four sons from Dasharatha’s three wives. Kaikeye, one of Dasharatha’s wives, wants her son Bharata to be the future king of Ayodhya.

When King Dasharatha becomes ready to hand-over his reign to Rama, Kaikeye invokes two varas (boons) that Dasharatha had given to her when she saved his life during a battle. She asks him to make Bharata the crown prince and banish Rama to the forest for 14 years. King Dasharatha reluctantly agrees as he could not go back on his promises. Rama respects his father’s wishes and leaves Ayodhya for the forest along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana. King Dasharatha becomes grief-stricken and dies soon after.

This bas-relief is carved on the inner walls of the balustrade surrounding the inner sanctum of the Shiva Temple in Prambanan.

Check the Prambanan Bas-Reliefs page to read more about the bas-reliefs in the Prambanan temples.

Ramayana Related Images
Rama, Sita and Lakshmana leaving Ayodhya for exile
Dancing at the inauguration of Bharata
Ravana abducting Sita
Rama slaying Mareecha
Rama killing Viradha
Rama killing Kabandha
Vanara Sené building Rama Setu

Other Related Images
Shiva Temple
Corridor surrounding the inner sanctum of the Shiva Temple

Related Pages
Prambanan, Prambanan Bas-Reliefs, Borobudur, Bali, Indonesia
Angkor Wat, Angkor Wat Bas-Reliefs, Banteay Srei, Cambodia

Copyright © 2017 – 2021 by Lawrence Rodrigues. All rights reserved.

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