மன்னுபுகழ் - 3

கொங்கு மலி கருங்குழலாள் கோசலை தன் குலமதலாய்!
தங்கு பெரும் புகழ்ச் சனகன் திருமருகா! தாசரதீ!
கங்கையிலும் தீர்த்த மலி கணபுரத்தென் கருமணியே!
எங்கள் குலத்தின்னமுதே! இராகவனே! தாலேலோ!



Meaning
Oh Raghava, the one born as the star in the race of Kausalya
Oh Daasarathi, the son-in-law of the famous Janaka
The black gem of Kannapuram, where there are waters purer than the Ganga
The nectar of our race, may you sleep

தேனும் மகரந்தங்களூம் நிறைந்த பூக்களைச் சூடியதால் அவை நிறைந்த கருங்குழலை உடைய கோசலையின் குலத்தில் உதித்த குழந்தையே! என்றும் தங்கும் பெரும் புகழ் கொண்ட சனகனின் மருமகனே! தசரதனின் மகனே தாசரதீ! கங்கையை விட புனித மிக்க தீர்த்தங்கள் நிறைந்த திருக்கண்ணபுரத்தில் வாழும் என் கருமாணிக்கமே! எங்கள் குலத்தின் இன்னமுதே! இராகவனே! தாலேலோ!

Event covered from the Ramayana
Rama's marriage to Sita and becoming the son-in-law of Janaka

How come the aazhwar describes Rama as a descendant of the race of Kousalya rather than Dasaratha, since people generally talk about race in context of the father rather than the mother?

Here the aazhwar probably takes cue from Vishwamitra, who sang the following famous verse to wake up Rama

'Kousalya supraja Rama poorva sandhya...' referring to Rama as the son of Kousalya rather than Dasaratha. Rasikaas have this explanation to offer for Vishwamitra's reference - Kousalya probably made the greatest sacrifice in sending Rama along with Vishwamitra for protecting the sacrifice. What is the status of others here?

Dasaratha - Though he sent Rama and Lakshmana with Vishwamitra, he still had Bharatha and Shatrugna with him. So his sacrifice is not so great

Kaikeyi - Did not send her son Bharatha at all, so no sacrifice here

Sumithra - Sent Lakshmana but still had Shatrugna with her

Kousalya - She sent her only son Rama, the adorable one, the darling of all with Vishwamitra on a mission fraught with danger. Her sacrifice was probably the best. And it is only befitting that Rama is addressed as Kousalya's son.

This situation is about to repeat itself, when she will do the sacrifice once again to send her only son to the forest, to uphold his father's promise.