How the queens of Dasharatha conceived

Bhagavan Mahavishnu came to the venue of the Putreshti of Dasharatha.
Devas complained to him about the atrocities of Ravana.
Only if Bhagavan takes birth as a human being, he can be killed.
Bhagavan assured then that he will, not just one human being.
He will incarnate as four human beings.
One to kill Ravana.
One to kill Ravana's son.
One to kill Lavanasura.
And one to defeat the toruble making Gandharvas.

After this Bhagavan disappeared.
Now to incarnate, Bhagavan has to enter into wombs.
Inside the mothers' bodies.
How will this happen?

It can not be an ordinary way.
It has to be special.
The queens of Dasharatha are not going to conceive in the normal way.

Suddenly a being appeared in the Agni in which the Putreshti was going on.
As fearsome as a lion.
As brilliant as the Sun.
Pitch black in color.
Red eyes.
Red clothes.
Hair and beard like a lion.
Voice like thunder.
Even though frightening, everyone knew that he was auspicious.
He has come with a good intention.
He had a vessel in his hand.
Made of gold.
With a silver lid.
He told Dasharatha: I have come from the world of Prajapati.
Who is Prajapati?
Creator.
Dasharatha welcomed him with respect.
This is payasam prepared by Bhagavan Mahavishnu.
This payasam will give you children.
Give it to your queens.
Bhagavan is pleased with your yaga.
That's why he has sent this for you as the result of your yaga.

Dasharatha was blessed.
He became very happy.
Dasharatha received the payasam and kept it on his head.

See, these protocols are very important.
Even when you receive a prasada from a temple or at the end of a puja, treat it with respect
Then only it will work.
Dasharatha is powerful king, an emperor.
Still see, he received the vessel of payasam and kept it upon his head.
Then he did pradakshina of that divine being.

So many protocols are attached to our rituals.
When you do them with the right attitude, then only result would come.

Then Dasharatha took the payasam to the antahpura, the part of the palace where the queens live.
They also became very happy that they have been blessed.

Now, something very interesting.

Half of that payasam, Dasharatha gave to Kausalya.
Out of the remaining, half he gave to Sumitra.
Now, one fourth is left.
That one fourth, Dasharatha again divided into two part.
Each part one eighth of the original quantity.
One eighth he gave to Kaikeyi.
One eighth, he gave to Sumitra again.

This is also protocol.
There are three queens: Kausalya, Sumitra, and Kaikeyi.
Kausalya is the seniormost, the Mahishi.
Sumitra is the middle one.
Kaikey is the junior most.
Dasharatha may be more affectionate towards Kaikeyi.
Doesn't matter.
This is yajna.
Protocol has to be maintained.
Hierarrchy has to be maintained.

So, it is not equal division between the three.
Kausalya got half.
Kaikeyi got one eighth.
Sumitra got one fourth plus one eighth.

So, in terms of divinity divided between the three you can say that.

Rama is half of Mahavishnu.
Lakshmana is half of Rama.
Bharata and Shatrughna are half of Lakshmana each, or put together equal to Lakshmana.

This is the way powers are required for each one to do what they have come to do.

See how systematically the plan is laid out.
To the minutest detail.

This is the beauty of the Vedic system.
Everything has a purpose.
The hierarchy that is created and the protocol of how much prasada each one can consume.
The second queen should consume less than the first queen.
The third queen should consume less than the second queen.
Because of this after giving to Kaikeyi, one eighth still remained.
This was again given to Sumitra.
She got two separate portions and gave birth to two sons.
It is laid out in the Vedic procedure itself.
Bhagavan just took advantage of it.
The division of the payasam in this manner was not Dasharatha's idea.
It is as per rules.
He just followed.
Bhagavan knew that this is how it will be.
Bhagavan just took advantage of it.

Now the question comes up: who is elder? Lakshmana or Bharata?

Kausalya took first.
Then Kaikeyi.
Sumitra waited for the second portion to come.
And took her one fourth and one eigth together.
After Kaikeyi took her portion.
That means in terms of divine quantity, Lakshmana is more.
But in terms of seniority, Bharata was coneived first.

And be very clear here
The pregnacies were not because of physical union on Dasharatha and the queens.
It was because of the payasam they consumed.
Physical union was not needed.
Dasharatha was not a biological father.

Payasam was the means through which the chaitanya of Bhagavan entered the wombs of his mothers.