The Queens of Ayodhya
Kausalya
Kausalya was the chief queen of Dasharatha, the daughter of the king of northern Kosala. After Raama’s coronation, she became the Queen-mother. Kausalya is said to have had a sister by name Vershini who married Dasharatha’s friend Romapada of Anga. Some accounts speak of a daughter born to Kausalya and Dashratha, called Shantha, who was adopted by Romapada and who went on to wed Rishyashringa.
Dasharatha and Kausalya are said to be reincarnations of Dronavasu and Dharaa, who were blessed by Vishnu in the Satya Yuga, that they would be his parents in Treta Yuga, as Dasharatha and Kausalya, and as Nanda and Yashoda, in Dwaapara Yuga. Kausalya accepted her co-wives Kaikeyi and Sumitra with love. She also showered equal love on all the four sons of Dasharatha.
When Raama was exiled Kausalya vented her anger and sorrow on Dasharatha who begged her for forgiveness. In his last few days on earth, Dasharatha sought the comforting company of Kausalya, who had been his intellectual and spiritual companion all his life.
Kaikeyi
Kaikeyi was the second and favourite of Dasharatha’s chief queens. She was the only daughter of King Ashwapathi of Kekeya. Growing up with seven brothers she had acquired the skills of chariot riding and warfare, which she put to good use when she accompanied Dasharatha to battles. It was in one such battle that she repaired a broken wheel of the chariot and drove a wounded Dasharatha to safety and received her infamous boons. Kaikeyi and Raama were extremely fond of each other. In fact when Manthara, her nursemaid from childhood, conveyed
Manthara, Kaikeyi manipulated Dasharatha, with no idea that she would lose both her favourite Raama as well as her son Bharatha, for the next fourteen years. Bharatha swore to never call her ‘mother’ after he learnt of the exile.
And she was solely blamed for Dasharatha’s death. The fiery and beautiful Kaikeyi was thus shunned by all, but Kausalya forgave her and the three queens cherished a life-long bond as sisters.
Kaikeyi is believed to have reincarnated as Devaki, in order to undergo the pangs of separation from her son, just as she had them inflicted on Kausalya.
Sumitra
Sumitra was the youngest* of the three chief queens of Dasharatha. She was the daughter of the king of Kashi or Magadha. She was the mother of the twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna, being the recipient of two portions of the divine paayasa presented during the “Putrakameshti yagna”. But, usually, the word “Soumitri”, that is, ‘son of Sumitra’ is used to refer only to Lakshmana. She is described as wise and steadfast. She was a staunch ally of Kausalya and encouraged Lakshmana to go to the forest with Raama and Sita, thus exhibiting equanimity and large-heartedness.
When Kausalya was grieving, Sumitra was the one to console her (despite being separated from her son herself). Although she was neither the chief queen nor the favoured queen, Sumitra served Dasharatha with sincerity.