Raghu () is a ruler of the
Suryavansha dynasty in Hinduism. According to the ''
Raghuvamsha'', he is the son of King
Dilīpa and Queen Sudakshina. The history of his dynasty is elaborated upon by the poet
Kalidasa in his ''Raghuvamsha''. He is the great-grandfather of
Rama
Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...
, an avatar of
Vishnu
Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
.
Legend
Raghuvamsha
The life and glories of Raghu are described in the poem
Raghuvamsha, written by Kalidasa. In the third canto, his birth, education, and marriage are described. He participates in the hundredth ashvamedha sacrifice of his father, fighting Indra, who steals the sacrificial horse. His victory against the deity is followed by his ascension to the throne, after Dilipa retires to the forest. In the fourth canto, Raghu expands his domains, subjugating the kings of
Vanga, Utkala, Kalinga, the
Pandya king, Huns, Persians, and
Pragjyotisha.
On the instruction of his guru,
Vashistha, he performs the Viśvajit
yajna
In Hinduism, ''Yajna'' or ''Yagna'' (, Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐd͡ʒɲə ) also known as Hawan, is a ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras. Yajna has been a Vedas, Vedic tradition, described in a layer of Vedic literature ...
, giving away all his wealth as
dāna. After being impoverished, Sage Kautsa, a disciple of Vartantu, comes to Raghu, seeking 14 koti (million) gold coins as a
gurudakshina. Expressing his inability to offer the sum, Raghu plans to plunder
Kubera's treasury for wealth. When the deity catches wind of this, he willingly fills the king's coffers with a rain of gold coins, which Raghu promptly offers to Kautsa. Pleased, the sage blesses Raghu to bear a son, and soon,
Aja is born. After he comes of age, Raghu sends his son to attend the
svayamvara of Princess Indumati of Vidharba, whom he successfully weds. The story of Raghu ends in the eighth canto, where he retires to the forest after nominating Aja as the king.
Lineage
A number of Puranas, which include the
Vishnu Purana, the
Vayu Purana, the
Linga Purana, mention Dirghabahu as the son of Dilīpa and Raghu as the son of Dirghabahu. But the
Harivamsha, the
Brahma Purana and the
Shiva Purana mention Raghu as son of Dilīpa and Dirghavahu as his epithet.
[''Sanskrit Documents'', Raghuvamsha text, Sarga ( Chapter ) 05
https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/giirvaani/giirvaani/rv/sargas/05_rv.htm]
References
{{Authority control
Solar dynasty
Mythological kings of Kosala