The greatness of Sage Rishyasringa who conducts the Putrakameshti yagna for Dasaratha in Ayodhya is related in great detail in the Bala Kanda, said Sri B. Damodhara Dikshitar in a discourse. When the king, on the advice of Vasishta and other sages, hopes to alleviate his childless state by the conduct of the Aswamedha yagna, Sumantra discloses to Dasaratha that he now remembers how Sanatkumara had spoken about all this in an assembly of sages and celestial beings long back in Krita Yuga: “In Treta Yuga, there will be a king named Dasaratha who will adorn the throne of Ayodhya and will be the pride of the Ikshvaku race with his commitment to truth, dharma and rightful reign; that he would befriend king Romapada of Anga Kingdom who would allay his worries about his childless state by sending his son-in-law, Sage Rishyasringa and his daughter Santa to Ayodhya to conduct the yagna for progeny; that Dasaratha would then beget four sons of endless valour and fame.”
Sanatkumara had mentioned the glories nd fame of Rishyasringa, saying that this sage would exemplify the state of celibacy right from his birth, as his father Vibhandaka would bring him up in isolation, insulating him from any kind of external influences; but as divine will would have it, Romapada, who would face a severe drought condition and would be advised to bring this young rishi to his kingdom.Accordingly Rishyasringa would be enticed to leave his father’s ashram; and even before he would step beyond the limits of Anga Desa the rains would fall ending the drought situation. The grateful Romapada would offer his daughter Shanta to the sage. Dasaratha accordingly beseeches Rishyasringa of extraordinary spiritual worth to conduct the Putrakameshti and the king’s prayers are answered.
