Image: The death of Dasaratha

The death of Dasaratha
circa 1605
(Image source: Metropolitan Museum)

From the Museum site: King Dasharatha emerges in the Ramayana as essentially a noble character, though flawed by the weakness that allowed him to be swayed by his second wife Kaikeyi, whose ambitions for her own son caused the king to banish the crown prince Rama for fourteen years. Having succumbed to this pressure, Dasharatha, plagued by regrets, took to his sickbed, where he eventually died of grief. The sorrow of his queens and female attendants is conveyed by their disheveled hair and by the cradling of their cheeks in their hands.

Image: Rama Leaves Ayodhya

Rama Leaves Ayodhya

(British Library: Mewar Ramayana)

From the Library site: Rama and his brother Laksmana come to their father prior to Rama's installation as regent. He averts his gaze and leaves it to Kaikeyi to inform Rama of his banishment and the installation of Bharata in his place. Rama calmly accepts his fate and goes to take leave of his mother, Kausalya. He and his brother first pass by the Brahmins preparing the sacrifice at his installation and he reverences the sacred articles. They then meet the aged Brahmins at his mother's gate and find Kausalya herself dressed in white and worshipping a small image of Visnu. She falls prostrate on hearing of Rama's banishment, and clasps him, lamenting.

Detail: Rama, Lakshmana, Kaushalya

Image: Bharata and Satrughna console Kausalya

Image source: Bharata and Satrughna console Kausalya

Detail:

Image: Aswamedha

Image source: Dasaratha's aswamedha, with Queen Kausalya

Image: The birth of Dasaratha's sons

Image source: The birth of Dasaratha's sons