The marriage of Lord Ram to Sita, fills the ageing King Dasharath with joy. On the journey back to Ayodhya, he has precious time to think alone. Realising that he is past his prime, the burden of his duties as king begin to weigh heavily on his shoulders. He is gripped by the desire to hand over the responsibilities of kingship to the next generation. As soon as he entertains these thoughts, images of his beloved son Ram, as king, flash in his mind.
Dasharath greatly desires to see his eldest son Ram crowned, and experience his virtuous rule during his lifetime. With this agenda in mind, he calls upon all his counsellors, including the great sage Vashishta, and impresses upon them his wish of bestowing the title of Prince Regent on Ram, who has all the qualities of a great ruler. He seeks their advice on whether Ram is capable enough to handle the burden of ruling at such a young age.
There is no doubt in his mind that his eldest son Ram is the most suited amongst his four sons to take up this difficult task, but being a just ruler, he wants to ensure beyond doubt that this decision does not arise out of blind love. Unsurprisingly, the council arrives at a unanimous decision that Lord Ram possesses not only the capacity to rule Ayodhya, but all the three worlds at the same time. There is no arena left where he is yet to prove himself superior. Not only does he complete all the righteous deeds he sets about to perform, but he does so in a manner unparalleled by anyone else. He returns victorious from all conquests and every deed of his, brings glory to his ancestors. Ram is always courteous and he makes sure that the needs of the people are well taken care of and no one is left wanting. He shares in the joys and sorrows of the commoners to the extent that they consider him one of their own. He punishes the wicked and showers love on those who are good.
He possesses knowledge of the scriptures and warfare in equal measure. The former guides his every action and the latter enables him to procure missiles that no demons or gods can combat. Thus, Sri Ram infinitely surpasses all the requirements necessary for him to successfully follow in his renowned father’s footsteps, as the guardian of Ayodhya.
