Dasharatha

Who Dasharatha is

Dasharatha, king of Ayodhya in the line of Ikshvaku, performed great sacrifices with the sage Rishyashringa and became the father of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna. Long before, Kaikeyi had carried him to safety when he was wounded in battle, and he had granted her two boons; when she claimed them, he would not break his word, though it meant Rama's exile. He died of grief soon after, recalling in his last hours the curse of an aged ascetic whose son he had once struck unknowingly while hunting by sound.

“In Ayodhya a king's word is a vow. Let us play, and let every move be kept.”

How Dasharatha plays chess

A royal, classical player who honours every commitment: once he has chosen a plan, he follows it to the very end.

The Classicist: Sound, balanced chess: develops, castles and takes what the position offers.

Opening repertoire: Queen's Gambit Declined · Ruy Lopez, Closed

Defeat Dasharatha in a full game from the normal starting position to earn the achievement The Word Kept and open the way to the next guardian.

Sources

• Valmiki Ramayana, Bala Kanda
• Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda

Placement on the path reflects chess difficulty only — a game-design choice, not a ranking of anyone's spiritual standing.