Genealogies from Yayāti’s Sons to the Yadu Dynasty; Romapāda–Ṛṣyaśṛṅga; Kārtavīryārjuna; and the Rise of Yādava Branches
सुतो धर्मरथो यस्य जज्ञे चित्ररथोऽप्रजा: । रोमपाद इति ख्यातस्तस्मै दशरथ: सखा ॥ ७ ॥ शान्तां स्वकन्यां प्रायच्छदृष्यशृङ्ग उवाह याम् । देवेऽवर्षति यं रामा आनिन्युर्हरिणीसुतम् ॥ ८ ॥ नाट्यसङ्गीतवादित्रैर्विभ्रमालिङ्गनार्हणै: । स तु राज्ञोऽनपत्यस्य निरूप्येष्टिं मरुत्वते ॥ ९ ॥ प्रजामदाद् दशरथो येन लेभेऽप्रजा: प्रजा: । चतुरङ्गो रोमपादात् पृथुलाक्षस्तु तत्सुत: ॥ १० ॥
suto dharmaratho yasya jajñe citraratho ’prajāḥ romapāda iti khyātas tasmai daśarathaḥ sakhā
From Diviratha was born Dharmaratha, and from him Citraratha, renowned as Romapāda. Romapāda was without offspring, and thus his friend Mahārāja Daśaratha gave him his own daughter Śāntā; later Śāntā was married to Ṛṣyaśṛṅga. When the devas withheld the rains, Ṛṣyaśṛṅga was enticed from the forest by dancers with drama, song and instruments, and with embraces and honors; upon his arrival the rains fell. Thereafter he performed for the childless Daśaratha the putreṣṭi sacrifice that grants sons, and Daśaratha obtained sons; and to Romapāda, by Ṛṣyaśṛṅga’s grace, Caturaṅga was born, and from him came Pṛthulākṣa.
This verse shows Ṛṣyaśṛṅga arranging a specific iṣṭi for a childless king, indicating that Vedic rites—when properly performed by qualified brāhmaṇas—were traditionally used to seek blessings like progeny.
Romapāda was without children, and Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, honored by the king, instituted an iṣṭi directed to the Maruts to remove that obstacle and invoke divine blessing.
It highlights the value of qualified guidance, sincere worship, and disciplined spiritual practice—seeking blessings through dharmic means rather than shortcuts or harm to others.