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
Daripada Diviratha lahirlah Dharmaratha; puteranya ialah Citraratha yang masyhur sebagai Romapāda. Romapāda tidak berzuriat, maka sahabatnya Mahārāja Daśaratha menyerahkan puterinya Śāntā kepadanya; kemudian Śāntā berkahwin dengan Ṛṣyaśṛṅga. Ketika para dewa menahan hujan, Ṛṣyaśṛṅga dipujuk keluar dari rimba dengan tarian, drama, nyanyian, alat muzik, pelukan serta pemujaan para wanita penghibur; setelah baginda datang, hujan pun turun. Lalu baginda melaksanakan yajña putreṣṭi untuk Daśaratha yang tiada putera, sehingga Daśaratha memperoleh putera-putera; daripada Romapāda, dengan rahmat Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, lahirlah Caturaṅga dan daripadanya 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.